As the chill of the winter season begins to descend on Europe, the superyacht industry will inevitably turn its attention towards the Caribbean. With its famously beautiful beaches and coastlines, delicious and diverse cuisine and consistently favourable weather, the enduring popularity of this region shows no signs of changing anytime soon, with yachts flocking in their droves to marinas throughout the region.

One such popular spot can be found tucked away on the north side of the island of St. Lucia: IGY’s Rodney Bay Marina. Currently offering the lowest berthing rates in the southern Caribbean, the marina is celebrating its 15-year anniversary this year.

Here, we go behind the scenes with the marina’s general manager, Sean Devaux, to discover the highs and lows of his tenure so far, his insider’s guide to the best of St. Lucia, and why Rodney Bay is the perfect stop off point for your next Caribbean adventure.

No place like home

For Sean, securing the role as Boatyard Manager (2012) and then General Manager (2015) at Rodney Bay Marina meant more than a typical job: it was a true homecoming experience. 

He continues: “I was born and grew up here in St. Lucia and my father owned a marina within the Castries basin. I was down there from a very young age, probably from when I could first walk, and I think that is where my passion for the water really started. I always love being out on the water, whether it be sailing or fishing or spending quality time with family and friends. Fortunately, I was able to return to a job that put me back on the water, and in my homeland too – that was both highly convenient and a real privilege!”

Weathering the storms

Naturally, Sean’s 10 years at IGY – proudly celebrated earlier this month – have not been without their challenges. “We have certainly had quite the journey while I have been at the helm! In recent years, we have suffered the crippling effects of COVID-19 which hugely affected the tourism industry upon which the region’s economy depends, as well as hurricanes Irma and Maria which also caused so much devastation to the region.

“That said, I also want to emphasize how proud we are for weathering these numerous challenges as a network and IGY team. It is helpful to be part of a global network such as IGY which offers expertise and knowledge that you can lean on when times get difficult, and to be able to offer that support to other properties.

“Six of our facilities were severely damaged during Irma and Maria. Fortunately, Rodney Bay Marina was one of the few that did not, meaning that we were still able to service our clients while offering support to neighboring islands and other facilities. All in all, getting through these challenges has shown us how strong we are when we work together, and how close we are as a global team.”

Furthermore, Rodney Bay’s fortunate position in avoiding the brunt of the hurricane’s damage also enabled the marina to take an active role in relief efforts, as Sean explains: “We were able to help organize and coordinate relief efforts to get to Dominica. We had boats coming in and out of the marina 24 hours a day which we would fuel up and help provision for their rescue mission to Dominica. The strength of the community in these efforts was truly amazing.”