No Rental Car and No SIM Card in French Guiana

(January 10, 2018) Upon arrival in French Guiana, we cleared our entry at the Main Port (Degrad des Cannes). The Harbor Master near the anchorage kindly drove us to the French Customs Office. He also showed us a series of animal pictures we can look for in French Guiana: Jaguars, Monkeys, Birds, Snakes, and more. We were excited to meet the exotic jungle animals.

On Saturday, we hitchhiked to a town (Cayenne) to get a rental car. It turned out we needed an International Driver’s License. With a US Driver’s License, we couldn’t rent a car. We didn’t have enough time to get a SIM Card because they were closed for their long lunch hours. We browsed a busy colorful produce market (Fruits and Vegetables) and had lunch in a Chinese restaurant nearby. Interestingly, I see most local people were eating Vietnamese Noodle Soup ‘Pho’.

The marina and anchorage are in such a remote location, it is difficult to do anything without a car. Taxi ride might be an option but it cost 30 Euros (USD36) just to get a main town (Cayenne). Besides, jungle bugs started attacking me when there is no wind. I frequently sprayed bug repellent on me. I wore long sleeve shirts and long pants in this tropical humid hot weather. In the meantime, John is topless but bugs didn’t bother him.

On the following Monday, we cleared out at the Customs and had a nice local Creole lunch with French Wine near the port. We left the next day at 1am, timing with outgoing tide on the river, we lifted the anchor and drove the boat for 7 hours to Salut Islands (Iles de Salut, Salvation Islands). This is the island where the old movie “Papillion” was based on. After seeing the Salut Islands, we will sail to Suriname.

We often have pouring rain here. It cleaned our boat nicely washing off the salt and thick yellow dust from cruising in the Atlantic Islands for last six months. It is nice to walk and sit on the deck without feeling crispy salt or fine sandy dust.