Bermuda

Yacht Pre-arrival form via email / fax

Yacht Pre-arrival on-line form


Bermuda dockage will be provided by The St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club

Contact the rally coordinator for dockage and rate details by clicking here-->: IPBPR Coordinator
Link here to the St George's Dinghy & Sports Club Website

Visiting Yachts and Their Crews

H.M. Customs may give permission for a vessel to remain in Bermuda waters for an extended period. Yachtsmen are advised not to confuse this permission with the separate and specific permission required, from the Department of Immigration, by each individual to remain in Bermuda beyond the usual 21 days.

During the Hurricane Season, from 1st June to 30th November, visiting yachtsmen may be given permission to stay in Bermuda for up to five months so as to provide safe haven. A yachtsman wishing to avail himself or herself of this privilege must submit, to the Department of Immigration, proof:

• of citizenship

• of the means to repatriate himself or herself by air, should the need arise

• of health insurance

• in writing, that he or she will not seek or take up employment in Bermuda.

Crew arriving by air

Visitors entering Bermuda are normally expected to have a return ticket. However, those who wish to fly into Bermuda and depart by yacht should follow this procedure: The captain of the yacht, should give a letter to each crew member who will be arriving in Bermuda by air on a one-way ticket and leaving on the vessel. The letter should include the full name, date of birth, address and nationality of the crew member, as well as the name of the vessel he or she will be joining. The Landing Permit fee must be paid on arrival at the airport to an Immigration Officer in either U.S. or Bermuda dollars. Cheques should be made payable to the Accountant General. If a crew member has bought a round-trip airline ticket, he or the skipper or owner of the yacht can contact the Department of Immigration upon arrival in Bermuda and submit written verification that he or she will be leaving by yacht. The Chief Immigration Officer may then validate the airline ticket so that a refund of the return portion can be obtained from the airline concerned. It must be emphasised that the above arrangements should be made directly between the captain of the yacht and the Department of Immigration, on behalf of any crew member concerned. Responsibility for the departure of crew members by yacht or air lies with the captain of the yacht concerned.Anchoring and dockingSafe anchorage is available for yachts in both St. George’s and Hamilton harbours. Advice may be obtained at any time by radiotelephone through Bermuda Harbour Radio. Yachts must adhere strictly to berthing instructions on arrival and should not proceed to any berth or anchorage unless directed to do so by Harbour Radio or the Harbour Master. Boats wishing to shift berth or sail must receive prior clearance as above. Berthing is prohibited in St. George’s at Ordnance Island (South Side) and Penno’s Wharf, except in an emergency, and is chargeable. Berthing space alongside the North side of Ordnance Island and Market Wharf in St. George’s is restricted and available on a first-come, first-served basis with a time limit, and is chargeable.Click here to see anchoring charts.Short-term Docking in Hamilton. The Corporation of Hamilton has made available a floating dock at Barr's Bay Park for visiting yachtsmen to tie up their dinghies while running errands in the City of Hamilton area.
FirearmsUnder this Act, the importation of any firearm, part of a firearm, or ammunition into Bermuda is forbidden except under the authority of a permit granted by the Commissioner of Police. Such a permit will not ordinarily be granted other than in exceptional circumstances. Spear guns and a variety of dangerous weapons are treated as firearms, as are Verey Pistols and signal guns. No spear fishing whatsoever is permitted within one mile of any shore. Outside the one-mile area, only Hawaiian sling-type devices may be used when free diving. Spear fishing with SCUBA gear is not permitted. Spear guns may not be used in Bermuda or imported at any time.Nonetheless, it is recognised as normal that most non-commercial vessels entering Bermuda will have on board, at the very least, a Verey Pistol or other signal gun, and perhaps a firearm of some type. Since a permit for such firearms is not likely to be granted, the procedure is that the ship’s master or the yacht’s captain must declare all firearms and ammunition to the Customs clearance officer as soon as he comes aboard the vessel. Depending on the circumstances, the Customs officer will either remove all such firearms and ammunition and store them ashore, returning them when the vessel leaves, or he may decide to seal the weapons on board in some appropriate place. When the vessel leaves, he will check the seal to ensure it has not been broken. Assuming that a voluntary declaration of firearms possession is made initially and that, if they were sealed on board, the seal is unbroken upon departure, there will be no problems. (Note: antique weapons manufactured over 100 years ago can be imported into Bermuda with a permit, provided the importer can prove that they are antique and not able to be fired. If in doubt about the provenance

of a firearm, it is always best to declare it to Customs anyway.) It is a serious criminal offence to import firearms or ammunition into Bermuda without a permit and anyone seeking to do so may be imprisoned or fined heavily, or both.

DrugsImportation of, possession of, or dealing in unlawful drugs are serious offences in Bermuda. Anyone who contravenes the law is liable to fines of up to $10,000 or five years imprisonment, or both. Conviction on indictment carries a maximum penalty of a fine or imprisonment for life, or both. This includes marijuana and other “soft” drugs as well as “hard” drugs. All medically-prescribed drugs and medications must be declared to the Customs officer on arrival in Bermuda.

Some Bermuda Passage Photos

.         No five hours of the trip.