Deshaies tide times

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived.

Model-derived from a global ocean grid. Useful indication; expect about ±45 minutes on average vs. a local harmonic gauge, individual stations vary widely. See /methodology for per-region detail. Not for navigation.

Conditions as of 18:00 local time. Refreshes daily.

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived. · Not for navigation.

The angler tradition for major/minor fishing windows: major ≈3-hour windows around moon transit and opposition; minor ≈2-hour windows around moonrise and moonset. Times are America/Guadeloupe local. Folk tradition, not a scientific forecast.

Deshaies (pronounced approximately Deh-AY) sits on the northwest coast of Basse-Terre, the volcanic western wing of Guadeloupe, in a deep and well-sheltered bay. The anchorage — Anse de Deshaies — is one of the calmest in the Eastern Caribbean: the bay opens to the northwest, protected from the prevailing ENE trade wind and swell by the bulk of Basse-Terre. The French TV series Death in Paradise used Deshaies as its principal filming location for over a decade, standing in for the fictional Caribbean island of Sainte Marie. The gendarmerie in the series occupies a building visible from the waterfront; the production's presence brought recognition that the village's natural beauty had not previously generated on a wide scale. The bay is a cruising yacht anchorage of the first order. Vessels transiting the Eastern Caribbean island chain from Antigua south toward Martinique and Trinidad regularly stop at Deshaies; the protection is sufficient to allow a comfortable night's sleep in trade-wind conditions. The anchorage depth runs 6–12 m in the main holding area over good-quality sand and mud bottom. Tidal range is 0.3–0.4 m spring — anchor scope needs are driven by depth and wind, not by tidal swing. The dinghies from anchored yachts land on the beach at the south end of the bay; dinghy dock space and a water source are the cruiser's practical concerns ashore. The beach at the bottom of the bay is the village beach — Plage de Deshaies, black-sand volcanic, roughly 400 m long, calm. The black sand reflects the volcanic geology of Basse-Terre. Water depth from the beach is gradual on the sand; the bottom drops more steeply at the rocky points on either side of the bay. The beach is backed by a small road and a cluster of restaurants and bars facing the water. Afternoon light catches the bay from the west; the tree-covered hillsides reflect into the water in calm morning conditions. The Jardin Botanique de Deshaies sits 2 km uphill from the village, on the eastern flank of the bay slopes. The garden covers 2.5 hectares of tropical and subtropical plantings; the hummingbirds (Trochilidae) present in the garden are the primary draw for most visitors. Antillean crested hummingbirds and purple-throated caribs are the two species most commonly seen; they feed at the flowering plants throughout the garden regardless of weather or tidal conditions. The garden is tide-independent; opening hours are 09:00–18:00 daily. Shore fishing from the rocky points on either side of the bay — particularly the rocky outcrops on the northern headland — gives access to 4–8 m of water at the base of the rock, with the volcanic structure holding snapper, grouper, and jack in the crevices. Incoming tide at dawn is the local preference: the current picks up around the point and the fish feed actively as the water rises over the structure. Cast distances from the rock face of 15–25 m reach the productive depth range. Free-divers work the same northern point for spiny lobster (langouste) in the rock crevices; the season is regulated in the French Overseas Territories — check the current dates before any take. For kayakers, the bay is a calm-water paddling environment in trade-wind conditions. A paddle from the village beach north to the headland and around the point into the next cove (Anse du Souffleur) is approximately 3 km one way and reveals rock formations not visible from the road. The waters around the point become more exposed when the trade wind exceeds 15 knots; the return paddle is into the wind. Afternoon wind patterns should be factored into any departure plan — what is calm at 08:00 may be a 1-knot headwind by 14:00. The town of Deshaies has a small supermarket, bakery, fuel station, and a doctor's office — more complete infrastructure than most villages of its size in Basse-Terre. The waterfront restaurants concentrate on fresh fish and Creole preparation; the catch depends on what the local fishing boats landed that morning. Two or three dedicated fishing vessels operate from the Deshaies quay; their catch supplement is posted on a board at the fish stall on the waterfront. Tide data for Deshaies comes from the Open-Meteo Marine API, a gridded global ocean model. Timing accuracy is ±45 minutes, height accuracy ±0.2–0.3 m. SHOM secondary corrections for Deshaies are applied from the Pointe-à-Pitre reference.