Charlestown Harbor

Marinas near Charlestown Harbor

Introduction:

Charlestown is Nevis’ only real developed town and you can find a variety of services close to shore and farther into town. One caveat for Nevis is that you must first check in at Basseterre Harbor on St. Kitts to clear customs. Here they will give you a permit to travel to specific areas on Nevis, so you must plan ahead and know where you will be cruising and inform the customs agent of your intentions. They are fairly serious about this, so get your ducks in a row before arriving in the area.

There are no marinas in the Charlestown area, but the Nevis Port has a long dock (visible above) that can be used while you fill your tanks with water (charge applies), or to take on fuel (must be brought in by truck). Additionally, the port has a dinghy dock for use by yachts anchored out in Charlestown Harbor. This is a decent anchorage with good holding in nine- to 16-foot depths, but keep in mind that it is very exposed to wind from the north through southwest.

Ashore are a variety of shops and service, but most importantly, there is a fairly modern supermarket for restocking the galley and a scattering of good fresh produce and seafood markets. There are bakeries and larger grocery stores a bit farther out in town, but these will require a ride from a taxi cab.

Navigating the Water:

Charlestown Harbor is pretty uneventful and easy to enter. The only real land feature that effects the Charlestown area is the reef off Ft. Charles, which is visible just south of the red ship in the bottom of the image above. Farther north you can see a scattering of yachts anchored off the harbor, but more significantly, the Nevis Port dock and dinghy landing can be viewed in the center portion of the aerial above.

Once you have arrived in the harbor area, you can set your hook in nine- to 16-foot depths over a sand and rock bottom, but leave plenty of room between you and the shoreline in case a heavy swell pipes up.

Local Notices to Mariners:

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

Things To Do/Local Events:

See our “Helpful Links” section below for a detailed calendar of events for the St, Kitts area.

Transportation:

St. Kitts is served by the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, which is also know as the Golden Rock Airport. The airport features major international jet service from carriers including American Airlines, American Eagle, US Airways, Caribbean Star Airlines, Caribbean Sun Airlines and Winair. Transportation to and from the airport is provided by local taxi cab companies. Their is no public bus service at this time.

If you are planning to fly to nevis, you will need to fly out of St. Kitts, Antigua, or Puerto Rico. The airstrip at the Newcastle Airport on Nevis is too small to accommodate large jets and passenger aircraft.

Helpful Links:

Guide to St. Kitts and Nevis

St. Kitts and Nevis Tourism

St. Kitts and Nevis Calendar of Events