CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (Caribbeandy)Anchorage· St Lucia· Windward Islands
Pitons Bay Moorings (Sugar Beach)
13° 49.7′ N · 61° 3.9′ W · approximate
Moor between Gros and Petit Piton, St Lucia's UNESCO-listed volcanic spires, off Sugar Beach in Anse des Pitons: one of the most spectacular overnight spots in the Caribbean.
Practical
Position is off Sugar Beach in Anse des Pitons, derived from the OpenStreetMap coastline (approx). SMMA moorings only; rangers maintain them and collect the fee (The Moorings, Blue Dot Voyages). The bottom drops away steeply and moorings lie close to shore; lines can twist overnight, so check the pennant in the morning. SMMA rules in brief (Noonsite, last updated April 2023, and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority): the coast from Anse Cochon to Gros Piton is managed by the Soufrière Marine Management Area; anchoring is forbidden except in designated zones, and even there only by day (6 am to 6 pm) with a stern line to a palm tree. Use only SMMA moorings, which carry a yellow tag on the pick-up line; private moorings laid by locals off the town are not SMMA moorings and are of unknown quality. Mooring requires a Coral Conservation Permit bought from a uniformed SMMA ranger. Expect boat boys on approach: a 2023 Noonsite CSSN report describes aggressive demands at these moorings. No yacht facilities; Sugar Beach resort (Viceroy) welcomes visitors for meals and drinks. Snorkel the base of Gros Piton or dive Piton Wall and Superman's Flight; hike Gros Piton or Tet Paul ashore.
Best for
The signature mooring of the Windwards
Season
Dec–May calmest; can be rolly in NW swell