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Hi all. Not BVI specific but I am chartering from St Martin, taking in Anguilla, St Barts, St Kitts/Nevis and, maybe, BVI. I've had enough of trying to get physical SIM cards and as my Samsung supports eSIM thought I'd give them a try. Anyone (Zanshin perhaps?) got experience of using them out in the islands? If so, which providers can you recommend?

@Jeannius - I can't help you now, as I've got my StarLink aboard. If you are in SXM, the local cruiser's net starts on VHF10 at 07:30 and if you ask there I'm sure you'll get an answer. Are you in VHF range? I'm anchored off the Soggy Dollar Bar in the lagoon at present.

Not arriving until May unfortunately. Trying to be prepared in plenty of time and avoid wasting time trying to acquire physical SIMs. There's another question you'll probably be able to help with. Are any of the online clearance systems such as sailclear any use?

Jeannius, we spent time at St. Martin in July. Digicel did not offer eSims then. They are starting to roll them out and now include Anguilla and offer a 10GB plan. You can reload data using the Digicel app. We went to the Digicel store in Marigot to setup an account and get a physical SIM. We had to bring your boat paperwork and St. Martin C&I paperwork to get an account. I am not sure how being on charter would change this.

https://esim.digicelgroup.com/

We used sailclear (you must) for those countries that support it - Anguilla, BVI, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Sint Maarten. St. Martin and St. Barts each have their own clearance processes. If you do not clear with sailclear ahead of time you will need to use the kiosk at C&I. I understand that you can no longer check in/out of St. Martin at Budget Marine or Island Waterworld. Zanshin any new surprises on the French side? Noonsite.com has details on each country.

We did not have any problems heading down to Grenada, but we spent at least a week at each stop and own our boat.

Cheers, RickG

Thanks for the info Rick. 10 years since our last Caribbean trip and a lot has changed in that time! Back then I once spent three days trying to clear in at Isles des Saintes as no one was ever there. They weren't the least bit bothered I'd been on island all that time without clearing. Doubt they'd be the same now.

I'll check out sailclear and Noonsite

Iles des Saintes is probably just as relaxed as it was ten years ago. Clearance is at the internet cafe LMS which is closed Sunday and bank holidays. We managed to check in and out and pay mooring fees on our final day there.

Cheers, RickG

No electronic systems in use for Sint Maarten or the French islands. I now clear into the French side at Anse Marcel at the Capitainerie; the anchorage is good and it is just a short dinghy trip in. Once cleared in I head around the corner to Grand Case. I think you can still clear into the French side at the French Island Waterworld (one could never clear in at Budget Marine). At the Saintes the same people who collect mooring fees run the clearance computers, so I just ask them when I should head in to do my inbound or outbound clearance and they'll tell me when the shop is open. Just a heads-up regarding Deshaies on Guadeloupe. The "Le Pelican" no longer has a clearance computer and the official customs office in Deshaies now does that - but their opening hours are essentially random, according to all recent accounts.