Sainte-Luce Bay

About This Anchorage

Sainte-Luce is a characterful fishing village and moderate-sized bay on Martinique's south coast, positioned between the busier Le Marin and the more southerly Sainte-Anne. The village has maintained its authenticity more successfully than many tourist-heavy areas — the waterfront has fishing boats drawn up on the beach, local restaurants serving traditional colombo (curried) fish, and a relaxed pace that contrasts with the marina atmosphere of Le Marin. The anchorage on sand provides good NE trade wind protection, and the bay is a pleasant stopover on circuits of the south coast. Sainte-Luce is also notable for the small marine reserve off the headland, established to protect coral and seagrass habitats — anchoring in the reserve is prohibited, but the sandy bay area is open for anchoring.

Hazards

• !Marine reserve east of headland — anchoring strictly prohibited in reserve area; respect the boundaries
• !Seagrass patches near edges of bay — anchor only in sandy central area
• !Southern exposure — some swell penetrates when trades are south of east
• !Fishing boat traffic early morning — local fleet returns before dawn; maintain anchor alarm

Skipper's Tips

• →Sainte-Luce is a good alternative to Le Marin when the marina is crowded — quieter atmosphere, genuine local character
• →The local restaurant Chez Christiane (ask on the beach) is known for the best colombo de poisson in southern Martinique
• →The marine reserve near the east headland has good snorkelling — access by dinghy only; no anchoring
• →Good internet signal from the village — sit at a waterfront café for WiFi access

Nearby Anchorages