Lay of the Land and Where to Find Things
Chaguaramas is the heart of the cruising community in Trinidad.
The yards and marinas are clustered around the east end of Chaguaramas Bay and most front on the Western Main Road leading to Port of Spain. Crew's Inn is just around the east end on the south shore and TTSA (Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association) is just down the road to the east. All are within easy walking distance of all the various marine stores or chandeliers. It is a bit of a longer walk from TTSA, but doable (a bike helps). The table on (Services Table) provides a handy list of where to find things.
Places to Shop and to Eat
Places to find boat parts and supplies are covered separately
Covid Procedures:
With the lifting of Covid restrictions most resturants and food vendors have returned to normal opperations.
Please comply with mask requirements and keep your distance.
Some resturants and other businesses have sadly closed for good due to covid - we are in the process of updating our listings.
Chaguaramas has limited shopping available for things that are not boat related. There is one small grocery, located at Power Boats (near the water). For shopping beyond this limited store, most cruisers venture either to Glencoe (Massy Grocery and Drug store), West Mall (the closest mall - just east along the Western Main Road), to Port of Spain, or take one of the shopping trips arranged by Jesse.
Restaurants and Places to Eat
| Restaurant Name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Location | Phone | |
| Hours | Food Specialty | Category |
| Notes: | ||
| Rations | ||
| Coral Cove Marina & Boatyard | (868) 376-4572 | |
| M-F: 7:00am to 3:00pm | Popular Lunch Buffet | Ethnic |
| Now have breakfast. | ||
| Café Feel Oh - Changed Name | ||
| Coral Cove Marina & Boatyard | ||
| M-F: 9am-10pm, S: 9am-10pm, Sun: closed | Café/Pub | |
| The Corner Post | ||
| Coral Cove Marina & Boatyard | ||
| Good Hot Dogs | Fast Food | |
| Caffe del Mare | ||
| Crews Inn | (868) 634-4542 | |
| M-Th: 8am to 6pm F, S, S: 8am to 8pm | Café/Pub | |
| Lighthouse Resturant | ||
| Crews Inn | (868) 607-4000 | |
| Daily - 7am to 10pm | Fine Dining | |
| Full Service – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Open Air Setting overlooking the marina Weekly Sunday Brunch | ||
| U-Pick Farm, Tucker Valley | ||
| Independent | (868) 271-2681 | |
| 8 am to 2 pm, closed Monday | Local Breakfast and Lunch | Fast Casual |
| Excellent Fresh Produce. | ||
| Zanzibar Restaurant - Closed | ||
| Peake Yacht Services | ||
| Casual Dining | ||
| The Roti Hut | ||
| Power Boats | ||
| The Name says it all | Ethnic | |
| Also have a nice breakfast | ||
| Doubles Stand | ||
| Skinners Yard | ||
| M to Sat: 05:00 till 10:30 or they run out. | Doubles | Fast Food |
| Just in front of Budget Marine | ||
| Sail Side Diner - Closed | ||
| Trinidad & Tobago Sailing Association | ||
| Casual Dining | ||
| Wheel House | ||
| Tropical Marine | (868) 634-2339 | |
| Casual Dining | ||
| Wed Night - Barbecue , Sat Night - Bake and Shark | ||
Activities within Chaguaramas or nearby
Most of these activities have been curtailed due to Covid restructions and low cruiser population. We hope that some if not all will return soon.
Many cruisers focus on getting their boat work done, but there is still room in the day for social gatherings. For ideas of what to do outside of Chaguaramas, look here. For local options, consider some of the following:
Weekly Music Jams- A group gets together once a week to play, sing or just sit back and enjoy. Currently meets at the Roti Hut in Powerboats on Friday nights.
Pot Luck BBQ s.- A long time staple of the cruising community. They occur at most of the marinas, who provide facilities for the use. There is a long-running one at Powerboats on Thursday Nights.
Walks or Hikes- Local hikes are possible, either along the road in front of the marinas or a longer hike to the bamboo forest.
Water Aerobics- They are often arranged in one of the local pools. Announced on the net.
Cricket- Informal matches are set up from time to time.
Swimming or Liming with the locals- Scotland bay and other bays to the west of Chaguaramas are quite popular with Trini's on weekends. They allow a pleasant change from being tied up in the marina or a mooring.
Dominoes- Another activity often part of the cruising community. They meet every Sunday afternoon.
Water Quality in Chaguaramas Bay
One of the often sited reasons for people not to go to Trinidad is the quality of the water in and around the marinas. They say that the water is dirty and they cannot swim. Chaguaramas Bay and the surrounding section of the Gulf of Paria is a commercial port. It serves as a port for much of Trinidad's fleet of oilfield supply vessels and other support ships. Tankers from the refinery on the west coast of the Gulf of Paria transit the Bocas and there are many oil platforms in production and not in the Gulf of Paria. There is also a local fishing fleet. However, aside from a surface film that occurs from time to time, the water supports a great diversity of marine life. We often see turtles swimming around the boats in the marinas, flocks of pelicans fish in the waters, and you often see schools of fish around the boats.
Every so often oil gets spilled. In the eleven years, I have visited Trinidad (most all of it in the water) I have experienced two spills. There was one four years ago that had a significant impact on cruisers. But, the government of Trinidad and Tobago, YSATT, the marinas, and even the cruisers pitched in and helped clean it up. There was a black band around many waterlines. YSATT provided some bio-safe solvent and we were able to clean the ring off the boats affected.
A few years ago in November (2017) just after the latest spill, I had occasion to take a boat out into the Gulf of Paria. Less than two miles from the marinas I found a pod of dolphins that followed the boat for more than an half an hour.
The net effect is that like any marina world wide, you don’t swim. But, you will find ample place to take your boat or dingy within a few miles that are great places to swim. Scotland Bay is one such place.
See an Oil Spill
You can report it to the Environmental Management Authority.
(868) 628-8042
24/7 Hotline: 680-9588
Also notify: The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM)
24/7 hotline is 640-1285
Where to find additional information
Facebook - There is a "Frequently Asked Questions" document on the Trinidad Cruisers Facebook page. The document is now a bit dated. It is a good group to join if you are planning to travel to Trinidad. If you are not a member, you should consider joining.
The Morning Radio Net (VHF Ch 68 at 8am) - A great place to ask fellow cruisers for their recommendations or to get their help.
Also check out the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on this site.
