Mouillage

Les Abysses

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Shelter: NE, E, SE
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed

Anchorage on the north-west coast of Martinique off Le Prêcheur, below Mont Pelée, where the bottom shelves away very steeply close to shore.

Pontoon
Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach from the west. The bottom drops away very steeply, so hold to the shallow sandy shelf 100 to 200 m north of the pontoon, close in along the rock dike that carries the coast road, in 4 to 9 m, charted depths here read too deep. Holding on sand is good and has taken 30 knots, but right in front of the pontoon the bay is very deep. Sheltered from NE, E and SE, it rolls at night and should be left in any northerly. Room for only two or three boats.

Practical

No marine services at the anchorage, the pontoon is used by local fishing boats, so anchor clear of them.

Ashore

The restaurant Le Mélodie on the shore serves Creole cooking and is well liked. The anchorage is a starting point for the climb up Mont Pelée, about three and a half hours on foot. Snorkelling is good over the rock 100 m north of the pontoon, with turtles and reef fish, and the black-sand beach of Anse Couleuvre lies nearby.

History

Mont Pelée, which rises above the anchorage, erupted on 8 May 1902 and destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre a few miles down the coast, killing almost all its inhabitants.