Benetti Oasis 42M139' 5"
View Specs & Review13.5 ft at low tide, two ports of entry, and a passage you choose
Yachting in Barbados
A Minted Location · Barbados, The Windwards
In most of the Caribbean the controlling depth decides which boat can come. Barbados is the market where that stops being the question.
Port St Charles publishes "Draft 13.5ft. at low tide" on the offshore breakwater berths. That is 13.5 ft (4.1 m) at the bottom of the tide, and it is published alongside six mega-yacht berths and two offshore mooring buoys for boats bigger still. The operator goes further than most: it puts its own hydrographic survey of the entrance piers on its own website, sounded in feet, so you can read the water before you commit to it.
The reason so few boats use it is geography, not water. The two officially published yacht positions on this island — the Signal Station at 13° 06′ North, 59° 38′ West and the Port St Charles breakwater head at 13° 15.769′ North, 59° 38.685′ West — put Barbados to windward of the chain. It is not somewhere you stop on the way past; it is a passage you choose, and it is the Atlantic landfall for a boat coming west across the ocean.
Which makes the arrival rules the other half of the story, and Barbados writes them down. "Clearance for arrival and departure will be granted only in the Deep Water Harbour and at Port St. Charles." Two places, and no third. "No yacht is to proceed to Carlisle Bay anchorage prior to clearing in with the regulatory agencies." The quarantine flag "must be hoisted immediately when the vessel is within the boundaries of the Harbour until she is cleared." And, in the Port's own words, "No yacht will be permitted to charter, rent, lease or engage in any other activities for monetary gain while visiting in Barbados."
Arriving is a radio call rather than a filing: "Yachts approaching the island are requested to call the Signal Station on VHF Channel 12 and inform the Radio Operator of their intention."
So treat Barbados as what it is: a deep, formal, deliberately-visited port — real water, one serious marina, two clearance points, a written procedure, and a passage either way that you plan rather than drift into.
Where to keep a yacht in Barbados
Port St Charles is the market's marina, and the number that matters is the draft.
"Port St. Charles has six mega-yacht berths located on the offshore breakwater that can accommodate yachts up to 250ft." Plan against 200 ft (61 m) and confirm anything above it with the dockmaster before you sail.
| Berths | Six mega-yacht berths on the offshore breakwater |
| Length | "yachts up to 250ft" and "Berth Sizes up to 200ft." |
| Draft | "Draft 13.5ft. at low tide" — 13.5 ft (4.1 m) |
| Moorings | Two offshore mooring buoys for "yachts in excess of 250ft" |
| Fuel | "Diesel and unleaded gasoline" |
| Power | 50 Hz, 120/208 V single phase · 50 Hz, 220 or 415 V three phase |
| Also | Water · telephone lines · garbage incineration |
| VHF | "Contact channels - 77 or 16" |
| Rates, hours, slip sizes | On request — dockmaster@portstcharles.com or 246-419-1000 x 2230 |
| Status | "We are an official port of entry with Immigration, customs, coastguard and police." |
Read the power line twice if you are coming from the United States. This is a 50 Hz dock. An American boat wired for 60 Hz does not simply plug in here, and that is a conversation to have with the dockmaster on 246-419-1000 x 2230 or dockmaster@portstcharles.com before arrival, not on the pier.
The survey is the reason to trust the rest of it. Port St Charles publishes a sounded plan of its own entrance piers, and it is worth reading in full. On that drawing, the water alongside the six numbered piers runs 14 to 18 ft; the seaward approach outside the breakwater runs 17 to 27 ft; the breakwater head carries a green navigation light; and 'Tom Snooch Reef' lies east of the approach, marked by a line of buoys and two red buoys, with 6 to 12 ft over it. A quick flashing white light on a green buoy marks the southeastern side. The finger piers are dimensioned 29 ft to 100 ft, with a 60 ft fuel dock face at the inner end and a helipad beside it.
⚠️ Inshore of the piers the water shoals hard. The same drawing carries a BRIDGE at the inshore end, with the soundings approaching it falling away to 10, 9, 7, 6, 4 and 3 ft and no air draft given for the bridge. The inland lagoon behind it is where the villas front the water — it is not a continuation of the berthing basin, and it is not somewhere to take a yacht without talking to the dockmaster first. The plan states no chart datum, so read those soundings as the operator's own figures alongside the published 13.5 ft.
The published price of being in Barbados comes from the port authority, and it is in the next section.
Bridgetown is the other port of entry, and it is a commercial harbour first. Barbados Port Inc. publishes its Deep Water Harbour capacity as a maximum draught of 11.0 m (36 ft) alongside berths and a maximum vessel length of 244 m (800 ft), or 293 m (961 ft) with bow thrusters — figures written for ships, and the reason a large yacht can be handled here at all. The Shallow Draught berth is published at 512 ft (156 m) long with 22.3 ft (6.8 m) of water.
The Careenage is the island's urban berthing, and it works by telephone. The Port states that "Alongside berths are available in the inner basin of the Careenage" and directs yacht masters to the Manager, Marine Services / Harbour Master on 246 434 6100 — depth, berth length, berth count and rate are all settled on that call rather than on the tariff. Its entrance, the Mole Head, is published as "a light flashing red every ten seconds visible for two miles."
Marinas
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port St Charles Marina"Draft 13.5ft. at low tide" — 13.5 ft (4.1 m) — on "six mega-yacht berths located on the offshore breakwater", plus "two offshore anchoring mooring buoys that can accommodate yachts in excess of 250ft." The berthing page gives "yachts up to 250ft" in its opening line and "Berth Sizes up to 200ft." in the specification list beneath: plan against 200 ft (61 m) and confirm anything above it with the dockmaster. Power is 50 Hz — 120/208 V single phase and 220 or 415 V three phase — so an American 60 Hz boat should call the dockmaster on 246-419-1000 x 2230 before arrival. Water, telephone lines and garbage incineration. Berthing rates, office hours and slip sizes on request: dockmaster@portstcharles.com or 246-419-1000 x 2230. | St Peter, northwest coast | 250 ft | 6 | "Diesel and unleaded gasoline" |
| Bridgetown Deep Water Harbour — the other port of entryThe commercial harbour, and one of only two places in the country where "clearance for arrival and departure will be granted." Barbados Port Inc. publishes a maximum draught of 11.0 m (36 ft) alongside berths and a maximum vessel length of 244 m (800 ft), or 293 m (961 ft) with bow thrusters — ship figures, and the reason a large yacht can be handled at all. The Shallow Draught berth is published at 512 ft (156 m) long over 22.3 ft (6.8 m). Approach by calling the Signal Station on VHF 12, call sign 8 PAPA BRAVO, and hoist the Q flag "immediately when the vessel is within the boundaries of the Harbour until she is cleared." Yacht berthing, power, fuel and rates here are arranged with the Harbour Master on 246 434 6100. | Bridgetown, St Michael | 800 ft | — | — |
| The CareenageBarbados Port Inc. states that "alongside berths are available in the inner basin of the Careenage", "where the Careenage is situated for berthing small vessels and yachts." It is the island's only urban waterfront berthing, in the middle of the capital, and it works by telephone: depth, berth length, berth count and rate are all agreed with the Manager, Marine Services / Harbour Master on 246 434 6100. Its entrance, the Mole Head, is published as "a light flashing red every ten seconds visible for two miles", on a silver mast eight metres above sea level. | Inner basin, central Bridgetown | — | — | — |
Yacht clubs
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbados Yacht Club and Barbados Cruising ClubBoth clubs sit on Carlisle Bay and receive visiting yachts by arrangement rather than by published terms. Moorings, a dinghy landing, dockage, reciprocal courtesies and visitor hours are all settled by telephone, so call ahead before you plan around either. | Carlisle Bay | — | — | — |
Figures are as each facility publishes them on its own site; blank cells mean the facility doesn't state a number. Confirm slip availability and current rates directly — or ask us to make the calls.
Cruising from Barbados
Barbados writes its arrival procedure as rules rather than as advice, and it is worth reading before you sail.
You may clear in two places and nowhere else: "Clearance for arrival and departure will be granted only in the Deep Water Harbour and at Port St. Charles."
The approach is a radio call. "Yachts approaching the island are requested to call the Signal Station on VHF Channel 12 and inform the Radio Operator of their intention. The Radio Operator will inform the Master whether permission is granted for him to enter the Deep Water Harbour directly on arrival or proceed to the Shallow Draught Berth." The Signal Station keeps VHF 12 and 16, twenty-four hours, call sign 8 PAPA BRAVO, telephone 246 434 6102.
⚠️ Then the line that catches people: "No yacht is to proceed to Carlisle Bay anchorage prior to clearing in with the regulatory agencies." The famous anchorage is not where you arrive. It is where you go after you are cleared — and the Port is equally specific about where in it: "All foreign yachts are requested to anchor in Carlisle Bay in an area north of the Bandstand and in the vicinity of the Boat Yard."
The quarantine flag rule is absolute: "The 'Q' or Quarantine (yellow) flag must be hoisted immediately when the vessel is within the boundaries of the Harbour until she is cleared."
Clearance itself is staffed and free within its hours. "Government has arranged for Health, Customs and Immigration Officers to be present at the Passenger Terminal, Bridgetown Harbour, from 0600 hours to 2200 hours, seven days per week", and "There are no additional fees for entering and clearing during the above hours." Sixteen hours a day, every day, at no charge.
What you bring: three copies of form C61, clearance from the last port of call and one crew list for Customs; two crew lists and all passports for Immigration; one health report for the Health Officer. Outbound reverses it and adds the Port's own clearance.
The one genuinely restrictive rule is about what you may do once you are in: "No yacht will be permitted to charter, rent, lease or engage in any other activities for monetary gain while visiting in Barbados." Barbados is an owner's destination by published policy, not a commercial one. If your boat earns anywhere, understand that sentence before you clear in.
Cruising the coast is a permission, not a permit. "A vessel desirous of cruising or anchoring along the coast must obtain permission from the Customs Boarding Officer and the Harbour Master's office, preferably on arrival at the time of reporting." Later requests go to the Boarding Officer on 246 430 2355 or VHF 16. There is no priced cruising permit for Barbados at all, so moving around the coast costs nothing beyond asking properly.
What it does cost is port charges. The Schedule of Charges, effective 1 June 2025, is the current tariff, and it states all rates are VAT exclusive:
| Yacht length | Rate | Each extra day |
|---|---|---|
| 0–50 m (to 164 ft) | BBD$412.50 flat | BBD$110.00 |
| 50–100 m (164–328 ft) | BBD$9.35 per metre | BBD$3.30 per metre |
| Over 100 m (328 ft) | BBD$11.00 per metre | BBD$5.50 per metre |
| Public holiday, 0–50 m | BBD$618.75 | BBD$110.00 |
Two figures circulate for that last cell, and both come from the port authority. The Yacht Masters Guide states a blanket "For yachts calling at the port on Public Holidays, the above rates are increased by 50%", which would put the 0–50 m extra day at BBD$165.00; the Schedule of Charges publishes it as BBD$110.00. Small money, but it is the sort of gap that turns into an argument at the cashier — carry both numbers.
Anchoring in Carlisle Bay is priced separately and cheaply: "Yachts under 50 meters and under berthed in Carlisle Bay pay a flat fee of BBD$110.00", and "Yachts over 50 meters pay BBD$412.50." At the Port's own stated rate of US$1.00 = BBD$2.00, that is US$55 to lie in Carlisle Bay.
Water and waste carry two published rates. Both documents put water at BBD$12.00 per tonne. The Yacht Masters Guide gives "Solid Waste Removal: BBD$540.00 per skit – 1 skit=6M³"; the dated Schedule of Charges gives ship's garbage removal at BBD$1,000.00 per skip of the same 6 m³ capacity, and BBD$540.00 as the medical waste rate. Budget the BBD$1,000 and be pleased if you are charged the other. A water connection fee of BBD$400.00 applies to vessels taking 100 or more metric tonnes per call.
Leaving is its own procedure, and it has a clock on it. "OUTWARD CLEARANCE IS VALID FOR TWENTY FOUR (24) HOURS AFTER IT HAS BEEN GRANTED", and "A vessel must not however return to anchorage but must proceed from the Deep Water Harbour directly to sea and towards her next port of call." Before that, the Port's own clearance is obtained from the Supervisor of the Mooring Gang, daily 05:00–13:00 and 16:00–24:00, on payment of BBD$100.00 anchorage/clearance fees, and only then does Customs issue the final clearance from the country.
Yard work starts with a telephone call. The Port directs masters needing repairs to 246 424 1808 for "Space for dry-docking on shore at the Shallow Draught Facility" and "Lifting out of the water and transportation to dock storage position." Tonnage, lift type, maximum length and maximum beam are all agreed on that call rather than set out on a tariff, so telephone before you plan a haul-out around a date.
Hurricane season here is a conversation, not a form. At 13° 06′ North the island sits at the southern edge of the belt, which is exactly where an underwriter will ask what your plan is — agree it with them and with the Harbour Master on 246 434 6100 well before the season. The emergency contact is the Barbados Coast Guard on VHF 16, call code 8 PAPA ZULU, telephone 246 430 4782.
- The Port St Charles approach — Breakwater head, 13° 15.769′ N, 59° 38.685′ WA marina that publishes a sounded hydrographic plan of its own entrance rather than a marketing depth. On that drawing the water alongside the six numbered piers runs 14 to 18 ft, the seaward approach outside the breakwater runs 17 to 27 ft, and the breakwater head carries a green navigation light at 13° 15′ 46.15″ N, 59° 38′ 41.08″ W. 'Tom Snooch Reef' lies east of the approach, marked by a line of buoys and two red buoys, with 6 to 12 ft over it; a quick flashing white light on a green buoy marks the southeastern side. Finger piers are dimensioned 29 ft to 100 ft with a 60 ft fuel dock face inshore. Inshore of the piers the water shoals hard: the same drawing shows a BRIDGE at the inshore end with soundings falling to 10, 9, 7, 6, 4 and 3 ft on its seaward side, and no air draft given for it — the inland lagoon is not a continuation of the berthing basin, so confirm clearances with the dockmaster before going anywhere inshore of the piers. The plan states no chart datum, so read the soundings as the operator's own figures alongside the published 13.5 ft.
- Carlisle Bay — clear in before you anchor — South of Bridgetown, between the Signal Station and Needham's PointThe rule that catches people: "No yacht is to proceed to Carlisle Bay anchorage prior to clearing in with the regulatory agencies." Clear first, anchor second. Once cleared, the Port is specific about where: "All foreign yachts are requested to anchor in Carlisle Bay in an area north of the Bandstand and in the vicinity of the Boat Yard." The bay is published as providing "good holding ground for anchorage." Needham's Point at the southern extremity carries a sector light flashing red every eight seconds, visible three miles. At the Port's own stated US$1.00 = BBD$2.00, the flat anchorage fee is about US$55. Confirm any Carlisle Bay Marine Park boundary, no-anchor zone or mooring requirement with the Coastal Zone Management Unit before you drop the hook.
- Clearing into Barbados — two ports and a radio call — Barbados waters"Clearance for arrival and departure will be granted only in the Deep Water Harbour and at Port St. Charles." Approach by calling the Signal Station on VHF Channel 12; the Radio Operator states whether you may enter the Deep Water Harbour directly or proceed to the Shallow Draught Berth. Arrival is that radio call rather than a filing — there is no portal and no form due in advance. Health, Customs and Immigration are at the Passenger Terminal 06:00–22:00, seven days a week, with "no additional fees for entering and clearing during the above hours." Bring three copies of form C61, clearance from the last port and a crew list; two crew lists and all passports for Immigration; one health report. The Port separately sets a 48-hour agent notification and a 24-hour Advance Health Declaration in its Vessel Documentation requirements, neither of which names yachts or pleasure craft — check with the Harbour Master on 246 434 6100 if you are arriving through an agent. Note two standing rules: "No yacht will be permitted to charter, rent, lease or engage in any other activities for monetary gain while visiting in Barbados", and outward clearance is valid 24 hours, after which the vessel must "proceed from the Deep Water Harbour directly to sea." The Barbados Coast Guard is the emergency contact: VHF 16, 8 PAPA ZULU, 246 430 4782.
Service, refit & supplies
Shipyards & refit
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Dockage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shallow Draught FacilityBarbados Port Inc. directs masters needing repairs to a single telephone number, 246 424 1808, for "space for dry-docking on shore at the Shallow Draught Facility" and "lifting out of the water and transportation to dock storage position." Tonnage, lift type, maximum length and maximum beam are all agreed on that call rather than set out on a tariff, so telephone before you plan yard work around a date. The berth itself is 512 ft (156 m) long over 22.3 ft (6.8 m). | Bridgetown Deep Water Harbour | — | — |
On the Barbados calendar
Barbados runs year-round, and every clock on this page belongs to the port authority, the clearance hall or the weather.
- Clearance at the Passenger Terminal, Bridgetown Harbour: 06:00–22:00, seven days per week, with Health, Customs and Immigration all present — and "no additional fees for entering and clearing during the above hours."
- Signal Station: twenty-four hours on VHF 12 and 16, call sign 8 PAPA BRAVO. This is the call you make on approach, and it is the whole of the advance notice a yacht owes Barbados.
- Barbados Port Inc. clearance: daily 05:00–13:00 and 16:00–24:00, from the Supervisor of the Mooring Gang, on payment of BBD$100.00.
- Outward clearance expires in 24 hours, and once granted the vessel "must not … return to anchorage but must proceed from the Deep Water Harbour directly to sea." Clear out when you are genuinely ready to leave, not the day before.
- Public holidays add 50% to port charges by the Yacht Masters Guide — except the 0–50 m extra-day rate, which the Schedule of Charges puts unchanged at BBD$110.00.
- Port charges effective 1 June 2025 under the current Schedule, VAT exclusive.
- Pier One at Port St Charles closes for annual maintenance from 31 August to 11 October 2026.
- Hurricane season: at 13° 06′ North the island sits at the southern edge of the belt. Agree your plan with your underwriter and the Harbour Master on 246 434 6100 before the season, and note the Barbados Coast Guard on VHF 16, call code 8 PAPA ZULU, 246 430 4782.
Race and regatta dates are set by the organising clubs — confirm them directly with the organiser. The port's hours and the closure above are the dates that actually change a trip.
Yachts we'd shortlist for Barbados
Reviewed the same way as everything on this site — specifications verified against the builder's own numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Barbados require advance notice before a yacht arrives?
No — arrival is a radio call rather than a filing. The only arrival notification Barbados Port Inc. publishes for a yacht is this: "Yachts approaching the island are requested to call the Signal Station on VHF Channel 12 and inform the Radio Operator of their intention." The Signal Station monitors 12 and 16 twenty-four hours under the call sign 8 PAPA BRAVO, and there is no portal and no form due in advance. The Port separately sets a 48-hour agent notification and a 24-hour Advance Health Declaration in its Vessel Documentation requirements, neither of which names yachts or pleasure craft, so check with the Harbour Master on 246 434 6100 if you are arriving through an agent.
Where can you clear customs by boat in Barbados?
Two places only. Barbados Port Inc. publishes that "clearance for arrival and departure will be granted only in the Deep Water Harbour and at Port St. Charles." Health, Customs and Immigration officers are present at the Passenger Terminal, Bridgetown Harbour, from 06:00 to 22:00 seven days a week, and there are no additional fees for entering and clearing within those hours. Approach by calling the Signal Station on VHF Channel 12, hoist the yellow quarantine flag as soon as you are inside the harbour boundaries, and bring three copies of form C61, a clearance from your last port and crew lists. Port St Charles publishes itself as "an official port of entry with Immigration, customs, coastguard and police."
How much does it cost to keep a yacht in Barbados?
There is no priced cruising permit at all — Barbados charges port dues instead. Under the Schedule of Charges effective 1 June 2025, a yacht up to 50 m pays a flat BBD$412.50 with BBD$110.00 for each extra day; 50 to 100 m pays BBD$9.35 per metre and BBD$3.30 per metre thereafter; over 100 m pays BBD$11.00 and BBD$5.50 per metre. All rates are VAT exclusive. Anchoring in Carlisle Bay is a flat BBD$110.00 under 50 m, about US$55 at the Port's own stated rate of two Barbados dollars to the US dollar. Water is BBD$12.00 per tonne. Public holidays add 50% under the Yacht Masters Guide, though the Schedule puts the 0–50 m extra-day rate unchanged at BBD$110.00 — carry both numbers.
Can you haul out a yacht in Barbados?
Yes — at the Shallow Draught Facility in Bridgetown, arranged by telephone. Barbados Port Inc. directs masters needing repairs to a single number for "space for dry-docking on shore at the Shallow Draught Facility" and "lifting out of the water and transportation to dock storage position." Tonnage, lift type, maximum length and maximum beam are all agreed on that call rather than set out on a tariff, so telephone 246 424 1808, or the Port on 246 434 6100, before planning yard work around a date. The Shallow Draught berth itself is published at 512 ft (156 m) long over 22.3 ft (6.8 m).
Can you anchor in Carlisle Bay in Barbados?
Yes, but not on arrival. Barbados Port Inc. publishes the rule plainly: "No yacht is to proceed to Carlisle Bay anchorage prior to clearing in with the regulatory agencies." Once cleared, foreign yachts are asked to anchor "in an area north of the Bandstand and in the vicinity of the Boat Yard", and the bay is published as good holding ground. The fee is a flat BBD$110.00 for yachts under 50 m and BBD$412.50 above it. Cruising or anchoring elsewhere along the coast needs permission from both the Customs Boarding Officer and the Harbour Master's office, preferably requested on arrival. Confirm any Carlisle Bay Marine Park boundary, no-anchor zone or mooring requirement with the Coastal Zone Management Unit before you drop the hook.
How deep is the water at Port St Charles in Barbados?
Port St Charles publishes "Draft 13.5ft. at low tide" for its offshore breakwater berths — 13.5 ft (4.1 m) at the bottom of the tide. Unusually, the marina also publishes its own sounded plan of the entrance piers: 14 to 18 ft alongside the six numbered piers and 17 to 27 ft in the seaward approach, with 'Tom Snooch Reef' buoyed to the east in 6 to 12 ft. Inshore of the piers the same drawing shows a bridge with soundings falling to 10, 9, 7, 6, 4 and 3 ft, so the inland lagoon is not a continuation of the berthing basin — confirm clearances with the dockmaster on 246-419-1000 x 2230 before going inshore of the piers.