Rodney Bay and the adjoining town of Cap Estate are located on the northern end of St. Lucia on its western side. About 9 miles northeast of Castries, Rodney Bay provides a well protected anchorage inside a protected harbor (visible above - this is not actually Rodney Bay), with additional space available outside along the beach. Ashore are a wide variety of restaurants, shops, bars and marine facilities, though the Rodney Bay Marina is the dominant feature here.

Rodney Bay is easy to enter, and the only real hazard to your passage here are the fish traps that local fisherman scatter throughout the bay, waiting to wrap themselves around your propeller. Keep an eye out for them.

Approaching from the south, you can cut between Cuti Cove and Barrel of Beef Reef (flashing white light here), but we advise passing Barrel of Beef to the west for a less challenging passage into Rodney Bay. From the north, you must first round Old Fort Point, and then head east into the bay. From the west, it’s simply a straight shot right into Rodney Bay, which has 25- to 40-foot depths throughout most of its length.

Transient slip space is available at the aforementioned Rodney Bay Marina, which is located inside Rodney Bay Lagoon on the east side of the bay. Anchorage is available just off the inlet to the lagoon, as well as various other locations on the bay.

Farther north in the bay near Old Fort, there is also some semi-protected anchorage that is especially good during periods of strong north winds.

See our “Local Notices to Mariners” blog for updates on the latest conditions and advisories for this area.

Besides the obvious water related activities of sailing, cruising, fishing, and beach-going, Rodney Bay and Cap Estate have a wide variety of activities ashore to please most every taste. For a detailed calendar of events, check out the “Helpful Links” section below.

There are two airports on the island: Hewanorra International Airport at Vieux Fort (UVF) is located 40 miles south of Castries and George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU) which adorns a pleasant coastline on the outskirts Castries. Daily non-stop service is available from Miami, New York City, London, and several other international cities.

St. Lucia Tourist Board

Guide to St. Lucia

St. Lucia Calendar of Events

St. Lucia Facilities Guide