The best sailing area in the world? The Grenadines. Without a shadow of a doubt. I just can’t get enough. Every time I fly in, on a little twin-prop, gazing down at the blue paradise that is Tobago Cays, my heart skips a beat. Then the nervous anticipation of exhilarating sailing in the Atlantic is calmed by the lee of a picture-perfect island sheltering a tropical beach and a rum shack!
What really makes the Grenadines stand out to me is how remote they feel. A far cry from the commercialization of the British Virgin Islands, the Grenadines all have their own, different, authentic Caribbean characters. Scattered in a sparkling arc, stretching some 60 nautical miles from the southern tip of St. Vincent to Grenada, they are the perfect cruising area for an adventurous yacht charter.
The peak season here runs from Christmas to Easter, when the fresh trade winds ease the humidity and there is little rain. Come out of that season, and you can expect a bit more humidity, some rain and lighter winds.
There are various options for a yacht charter. The boats start at around 40ft and go upwards from there in luxury. A good size for a family or small group holiday would be around 45-50ft. Catamarans are popular in the Caribbean as they are more stable than traditional yachts. A typical 50ft catamaran might have between three to five double cabins for guests, all ensuite, with air conditioning. A yacht like this will have a professional skipper and a hostess/chef, so you’ll be well looked after and in safe hands. The yacht will move from island to island each day and show you some of the highlights of the area.
A sensible tip is to start your charter in St. Vincent and finish in Grenada, a service most charter companies are happy to provide. This allows most of your island hopping to be on a southern bearing, heading with the wind and waves, making for a smoother trip.
It’s very hard to pick a few highlights of the area. The Windward Islands cruising area is compact but littered with gems and keeps on giving as you scratch deeper. It’s a water sports paradise really, with excellent diving, kite surfing and sailing. Here are our Overseas Club favourites:
St. Vincent: Fort Duvernette
Fort Duvernette towers above Young Island on the south of St.Vincent, close to Blue Lagoon Marina where many Sail Grenadines charters start. The fort was built in 1790, and if there’s a location that just screams “Pirates of the Caribbean”, then this is it.
The yacht will probably anchor in Young Island Cut, outside the luxury resort where Johnny Depp stayed while filming the pirate classic. The crew will take you to the landing stage below the fort, and you can climb the stone steps that cling to the side of the rock, up to the gun emplacements at the top. Original cannon still sits in place, and the view of St. Vincent’s palm-fringed coast is spectacular.
Bequia: Moonhole and the Plantations
Bequia, the first islands south of St.Vincent, has a stunning harbour, Port Elizabeth, and is a popular destination for Christmas and New Year’s with a great party atmosphere. There are loads of good shops, a Rastafarian fruit and veg market, and many great restaurants and rum bars. Moonhole is a bit of a curiosity just south of Port Elizabeth though. Built in the 1960s as an ecological settlement, the first house was constructed under a stone arch and was built of whale bones and driftwood. Other houses followed and the community now consists of some 20 dwellings, some of which are available to rent. It’s a crazy place to visit. Bequia also has some gorgeous old plantations nestled in the lush interior. It’s easy to find a jeep tour, and take in the Heritage Museum, sugar plantations, visit Firefly plantation and participate in the nearby sea salt tour or tasting. Time ashore here is well spent, to soak up the culture and history of the area.
Tobago Cays Marine Park:
No visit to the Grenadines would be complete without spending time in Tobago Cays. These five islets; Petit Rameau, Petit Bateau, Baradal, Petit Tabac and Jamesby, and the reef that surrounds them, are one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. Scattered on the edge of the Atlantic, you can swim all day with turtles, watch the sun go down over the open ocean, and then dine on lobster at a local beach BBQ shack. It feels as if you are on an atoll at the edge of the world, which, in a way, you are. The snorkelling and scuba diving here are out of this world.
Union Island: Chatham Bay
Union is the main port used to transit between the countries of St. Vincent and Grenada. The town of Clifton is a busy, buzzy place sheltered by the reef that surrounds the harbour. Most cruisers will stop here to get their passports stamped as they leave SVG, and if you do, do not miss taking the dinghy to Happy Island, an amazing reggae bar on the edge of the reef! However, on the west side of Union is the sheltered remote bay of Chatham. It’s a large, easy anchorage, and when I’m there I love to watch the uninterrupted sunset over the Caribbean Sea. This is one of the places where, if you’re lucky, you can see the legendary green flash as the sun sets. It’s an optical effect caused by sunlight refracting in the atmosphere, only visible when the conditions are right. A kilometre of fine sand is home to a few BBQ shacks and a small, upmarket hotel bar. The lush vegetation behind the beach hides many hiking trails, and Union is a great island to explore.
Grenada: The Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park
Grenada, known as the Spice Island, has a wonderfully relaxed vibe. It’s a great place to extend your holiday with a villa or hotel stay as there is so much to do in the interior. Rainforest trekking, a tour of the chocolate factory, sugar plantations and rum distilleries are all great options if you stay on. Before leaving the yacht though, ask to anchor in Dragon Bay on the west coast just north of St. Georges. The waters off the southern headland hide over 60 sculptures on the seabed. Created by British artist Jason Decaires Taylor in 2006, the sculptures are mostly human forms, modelled on local inhabitants. They vary in depth down to 12 meters, and if you scuba dive it’s worth arranging for a local dive company to pick you up from your yacht, otherwise you can snorkel above the figures.
It’s impossible to do more here than scratch the surface of this spectacular archipelago. There are so many more places to see that you shouldn’t overlook. There’s a brand-new luxury marina and Mandarin Oriental resort on Canouan that should be mentioned. Postcard perfect Mopion is an unforgettable tiny sand islet lapped by turquoise waters, with one beach umbrella to relax under. Horse riding at sunset down Macaroni Beach on the ultra-luxury private island of Mustique… Get in touch with The Overseas Club and discuss your first yacht charter!