Can We Sail to the Caribbean & Bahamas This Winter?

For the last six months, as we have mostly all hunkered down during this time of coronavirus, it has been hard to make travel plans or even social plans. For those of us who usually head to the Caribbean or Bahamas, either in our own boats or to charter a sailboat, news of what is possible and what is not continues to be a moving target. This is especially true for people who live in the U.S. since our infection rate and death rate from the virus remain much higher than those for other developed, first world nations. That has put folks from the U.S. on the “not wanted” lists in some places. Still, there are plenty of sailors who are itching to get south this fall and winter. If you check the Salty Dawg Sailing Association’s website, you’ll see that the annual Fall Rally from the Chesapeake Bay to Antigua or Eluthera, has more than 40 boats signed up for the November start. So, which islands are open to Americans and which are not? According to Travel Weekly, as of this week, these are the islands now closed to Americans: Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Island, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago and the French side of St. Martin. All the rest are open and have varying degrees of virus protocols that visitors have to follow. That’s good new for the Salty Dawgs and for everyone trying to make winter and fall plans.
For the latest news check out the Travel Weekly article here.
For an update on the Salty Dawg Fall Rally click here.