Anchorage· Martinique· Windward Islands
Le Prêcheur Anchorage
14° 48.2′ N · 61° 13.7′ W · approximate
An open roadstead off the black-sand beaches of Le Prêcheur, the last village on the Caribbean coast below the western flank of Pelée, with the 1927 lighthouse and the square bell tower of the old church ashore.
Practical
We found no published cruising-guide anchoring data for Le Prêcheur, so treat it as a daytime or settled-weather stop and sound carefully. The position is approximate, derived about 300 m off the Plage du Prêcheur (OSM). Martinique tourism notes the coves of Le Prêcheur (Anse des Galets, Anse La Celle, Anse Couleuvre) can be reached by sea. Hazards: the Rivière du Prêcheur regularly carries lahars (mudflows) from collapses of Piton Marcel's cliff, for example on August 21, 2009 and May 17, 2010 (Wikipedia), so expect debris and turbid water after heavy rain. The lighthouse (a white tower about 12 m high, automated since 1990) marks the northern Caribbean coast. The coast north of the village is in the Réserve naturelle marine du Prêcheur - Albert Falco, so check its rules before anchoring there. Saint-Pierre's mooring field is the secure alternative, 6 nm south.
Best for
A lunch stop and the start of the north-coast trails in calm weather
Season
Calm settled weather only; exposed to N–W swell
Nearby
- Le Prêcheur Village and Lighthouse0.2 NM away
- Réserve Naturelle Marine du Prêcheur - Albert Falco1.4 NM away
- Anse Céron Beach1.8 NM away
- Habitation Céron (Le Prêcheur)1.8 NM away
- Rocher de la Perle Dive (Le Prêcheur)2.3 NM away
- Anse Couleuvre Anchorage2.4 NM away
- Anse Couleuvre Beach and Trail to Grand-Rivière2.4 NM away
- Symbiose Apnée Freediving (St-Pierre)3.8 NM away