Flying Fish ArticlesSt. Pierre – 46°46.70'N, 56°10.20'W
The following harbor details are taken from "The Cruising Guide to Newfoundland," a publication of the Cruising Club of America edited by Doug & Dale Bruce who are OCC members living in Camden Maine. This cruising guide can be purchased from most bookstores which are also chart dealers in Eastern Canada and the USA. Contact the Bruces if more information is needed.
St. Pierre
Charts # 4625, 4626 4643
St. Pierre is French, as in Paris France, not French Canada; thus visiting here is a truly foreign experience. Everyone speaks French (fortunately most residents also speak some English); there are French restaurants (really good ones), French bakeries with fresh croissants baked daily and excellent wine shops with everything the connoisseur might desire. And St. Pierre has virtually everything else you might need. Plus the people are, for the most part, welcoming – it is a tourist destination. Additionally, it is ideally located at the middle of Newfoundland’s South Coast; so no matter where you are headed, you are apt to want to stop in St. Pierre.
APPROACHES: From the west, e.g., Nova Scotia, it is much safer to pass between Petite Miquelon and Ile Saint Pierre, than to enter the harbor itself from the south and east of Ile Saint Pierre. From the east, you’ll pass outside the red "Grande Basse" and "Nord-Est" whistle buoys. From the north (e.g., coming from Grand Bank or Fortune) Green Island/Little Green Island and Cock Bank lighted whistle buoy make for convenient check markers when approaching Passe de Nord-Est, which has a lighted whistle buoy off it’s entrance. CAUTIONS: From the south, between Cap Noir and Ile aux Marins - this passage is shallow and can be treacherous. It is not recommended. We have had occasional reports of buoys missing or off station in the St. Pierre area; so please be wary, especially in the nearly constant foggy conditions that prevail.
ANCHORING/DOCKING: One should head for the area marked "Le Barachois", the southwesternmost part of the harbor. From Passe de Nord-Est enter between the first set of breakwaters, with lights on the end of each. To your right is the commercial harbor. Proceed southward along the inner side of the breakwater to port to its end where several buoys lead you to the west of another breakwater. Once past the buoys, off to starboard is a large dull yellow three story building with a red roof - this is the Customs Building, marked "Douane" in large letters. To the southwest of it is the Yachting Center (Club Nautique) pier where one should dock and await the arrival of the Customs and Immigration Officers. There is reportedly 10 to 12-foot depths at the Yachting Center pier. Should there be no space available here, dock wherever possible and await instructions from the Port Captain. A north through east gale could make the north side of the Yachting Center pier untenable. In this case it may be possible to move to the opposite side of the wharf. Alternatively, there are moorings and some room to anchor across the harbor towards the east facing breakwater. Given that the cost of docking at Club Nautique has risen considerably in recent years, these alternatives are worth considering.
ASHORE CUSTOMS: If you arrive during business hours (0900 - 1700) they will normally arrive at the Yachting Center dock shortly after you have tied up without being called. If not, you can locate them on the second floor of the Customs Building; their entrance is on the water side. If you cleared into France in Miquelon and have just arrived from there, you may or may not need to clear Customs in St. Pierre. The policy has changed back and forth over the years. One is required to clear in but not out. The officials are very friendly and helpful, generally overlooking some French requirements, such as letting drivers licenses pass for Passports IF the visiting yacht and crew appears to be of good character. [Editors Note: In this era of heightened security we would not expect Customs to allow entry without a valid Passport]. A good beginning in this regard is to have replaced the Canadian flag at your spreaders with the French Tricolor.
SERVICES: There is almost everything one needs here; it is simply a function of ferreting it out. And as Charlie Welch says, "a great joy of cruising is procuring things, because along the way you run into all the local personalities." The Yachting Center is part of the French National Sailing effort and runs a very active sailing program for all ages in various types of boats. You must register shortly after arrival in the office, up the stairs on the right side of the building. The dockage fee, in 2007 was nearly$50 US (paid in Euros) per night, which included showers, for a 55-foot boat. The building has offices and classrooms on the second floor. The first floor is storage for their small boats and around the corner towards the main street is an excellent new shower facility for visiting yachtsmen with plenty of hot water and a washer/dryer for laundry. At last report there was a public telephone booth on premises where you can dial your own calls to the States if you have an International AT&T calling card (all calls go through France). Otherwise, to make a call, one must go to the Post, on the second floor of the Customs Building - on the side facing town, where only cash may be used. Electricity is available on the Yachting Center dock, but is 220 Volts/30 Amps (with plugs that need adapters) or 110V, but is 50; not 60 cycles. Fresh water is available on the dock. Recent reports suggest the water to be of very good quality from a reverse osmosis plant, but earlier reports suggest water was not always so good.
Fuel is brought by truck. One option is to get it from the Speg Oil station across the street, but they do not accept credit cards. An alternative is to go to the Speg Oil office on a side street, about two blocks towards the center of town. The office will accept MasterCard or VISA. Charts are available at Paturel Frères, a hardware store across the road from the Yachting Center. Internet access is available at the dock using Wi-Fi.
There are several small, but well stocked grocery stores and meat markets. A supermarket is located to the west of the sports building at the end of the harbor. It is modern and fully stocked with meat, bread, milk and all the usual groceries - the best selection of foods anywhere on this coast. In 1997 someone counted over 60 varieties of French cheeses. It is also a short walk from the Yachting Center. For "real" croissants go to Patisserie B. Gruillard on Rue M. Fock; they come fresh from the oven at 0630. Liquor is not a bargain, except perhaps for wine and except when compared to Canadian prices. The best liquor store is downtown, called CIA (Comptoir d"Importation des Alcohols) owned by Alain Siosse who is very helpful and will arrange deliveries to your boat. Ice, in 2004, is only obtainable at Hotel Robert.
There is a Tourist Information Center in a small building beside the blue building on the waterfront at the center of town where the ferries land It is staffed by young people who are bilingual and eager to help. They have a good website at www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com which you may consult in advance.
One can fly to St. Pierre directly from Sydney, Halifax or St. John’s on Air St. Pierre. However, due to fog or bad weather, planes have been unable to land for days at a time; so be prepared for delays. A more reliable alternative is to fly to St. John’s and take the SPM Tours bus to Fortune and then the ferry from there to St. Pierre.
Visa and Master Cards are accepted at most stores and restaurants; the American Express Card was not. There are now cash machines (ATM), but US or Canadian dollars are accepted in many places. There are several good restaurants, which don’t start serving until 1900 or 1930. You really should make reservations, particularly on weekends.
RESTAURANTS: Those recommended in 2007 included La Voilerie (across from the Yachting Center), LeMaringoin’Fre, and the restaurant in the Hotel Ile de France. [Editors Note: As in most cities, restaurants change chefs and ownership; new ones open while others close; so quality varies from year to year] There are several bistros and a discotheque which stay open till the wee hours of the morning.
MUSEUMS: Just up the hill from the Yachting Center, a museum has been put together with great imagination by the curator, M. Fontaine. Practically across the street from the Institute de Peche is Hotel Robert, owned and operated by Jean-Pierre Andrieux who has been a friend to yachtsmen since his youth. In a front room of the Hotel are some artifacts and wonderful photographs of St. Pierre during the height of the rum running days. A trip over to the Ile aux Marins, the former fisherman’s village which has been largely restored, is worthwhile. For those who get weathered in, or wish to hike, there are paths along the western side of the island that are "a very great treat". The library also has an interesting collection of old photographs. Le Bus Tour runs a 1-1/2 hour tour of the island.
TIME: In 1987 St. Pierre changed to being one hour head of Atlantic Time (Nova Scotia) and a 1/2 hour ahead of Newfoundland time.
CAUTION: RETURNING TO CANADA: One must clear back into Canada after leaving St. Pierre (or Miquelon). The closest Canadian Customs Office is in Fortune (there are also Customs offices in Argentia/Placentia and Sydney, NS). CANPASS (1-800-225-7277 FREE) now does apply in Newfoundland, although if a nearby Customs office is open, they are likely to direct you to clear in person. Customs will drive, from Fortune, to Marystown, Burin or St. Lawrence, but the skipper will have to make prior arrangements (by phone at 709-832-2000) and they may charge travel expenses. If you dock in Grand Bank rather than Fortune, Customs will usually accommodate you without an extra charge. In 2007 the limits on alcohol which may be imported into Canada without duty are 1 bottle of hard liquor (1.27 liters), OR 2 bottles of wine per person.
ADVICE: Take a full day tour to the islands of Miquelon and Langlade using one of the ferry services. We used Junot (green trawler) and the ladies in particular were taken by his Gallic charms and encyclopedic knowledge of the islands’ history and natural environment. His prices at the time were somewhat better than those offered by the high speed catamaran; his tour can be booked at the tourist office.
Bastille Day, July 14, is a big holiday here. In the past, the festivities have been postponed due to bad weather or fog, to the next clear weekend - often weeks later. It is a fun time to visit the island, unless you want services of one sort or another.
HISTORY: The history of St. Pierre is long and involved, and we won’t attempt to summarize it here, but one of the most notable and interesting periods was during Prohibition in the States. St. Pierre was the staging area for much of the spirits smuggled into the U.S.A. and you’ll find many exhibits and pictures that address this period as you explore the island.