St. Vincent and the Grenadines

The Windward Islands are comprised of four major islands and numerous smaller ones called Cays (pronounced keys). Martinique, furthest north, is still part of France while the others are independent nations with a British tradition. The Grenadines consist of several small islands between St. Vincent and Grenada; some with high hills, others no more than a reef-enclosed sand cay sprouting a few palms. They all have perfect white pristine beaches, crystal clear water, and colorful reefs - like a tropical fantasy. St. Vincent, the most northern island we will visit, is an island of towering mountains, craggy peaks, and dramatic precipices dressed in a tangle of dense green forests. The Windwards almost always have good sailing weather in November.

Executive Summary

We will depart Newark airport on Friday for St. Vincent and board our luxurious yachts (we have four). Early Saturday morning we will do our final provisioning at the nearby grocery store. We then have an easy two hour sail south to Bequia which has a variety of shops and services while keeping a relaxed Caribbean charm. We will spend the next day on Bequia a beautiful island that is fun to explore with snorkeling and wind surfing also on the agenda. Monday we will have a leisurely sail 10 miles south to Mustique. There is plenty to do ashore including jeep rentals, hiking, and exploring the local arts and crafts shops. Wednesday we will sail to the Tobago Cays for an afternoon of spectacular snorkeling (a favorite) and then continue to our evening anchorage in Mayreau. The snorkeling here is the best in the eastern Caribbean. Friday we will sail to Petit Saint Vincent which is a small but very beautiful island. On Saturday we will sail back to St. Vincent. We can easily make our afternoon flight back home on Sunday - arriving back at Newark in the late evening.

Highlights

Passports are required and visas are not for Americans and most other nationals.

Weather is sunny and warm all year in the tropics. The prevailing wind is from the northeast at 10 to 25 knots and it usually rains for a few minutes every day. Temperatures are 78º to 85ºF year around.

Activities include beach combing, snorkeling, jeeping, gourmet dining, scuba diving, wind surfing, horse back riding, shopping, all with numerous photo opportunities.

Currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar in the other Windward Islands. ATM machines available.

Language spoken is mostly English and French (St. Vincent) though all can speak fluent English.

Islands Visited

St. Vincent is an island of towering mountains, craggy peaks and dramatic precipices. The awe inspiring terrain is covered in a tangle of dense green forest. It has a reputation for thieves, con-men, and extortionists. Our experience is that most of the natives are very friendly and the reputation that the island bears is due to a few scalawags. The interior of the island is totally wild with an excellent climb into the bowl of a giant volcano and a boat trip to the Falls of Baleine. The Montreal Gardens in the Mesopotamia Valley is perched on the very threshold of the mountains at the end of a road. There are organized tours to the Botanical Gardens and Fort Charlotte. The Botanical Gardens are the oldest in the western hemisphere. Our favorite place is Wallilabou where you will find a superb restaurant and a exquisite batik shop that sells brightly colored batik depicting local scenes and nature. There is a small local bar, Ashton Hideout, that often has a steel band and good food. My favorite is an early morning hike up the steep, winding road for some excellent photo opportunities.

Northern Grenadines

Tobago Cays, a national park, are a group of small deserted islands protected from the sea by Horseshoe Reef, a kaleidoscope of Caribbean colors. There are remote sand beaches with excellent snorkeling. Scuba diving can be arranged with Dive Anchorage and Grenadine Divers. At nearby Mayreau, a one road island with pristine beaches, there is a fabulous view of the Tobago Cays from the top of the hill. There are paths leading to the many pristine beaches surrounding the island. Ashore is a resort, beach bar, restaurant, and a small village.

Mustique is privately owned with some large estates, including those of Princes Margaret, Mic Jagger, David Bowie, and Raquel Welch. Parts of the island are wild while other areas are manicured. The last remains of the wrecked cruise ship "Antilles" (1971) lies just north of the island. Ashore is a small general store, boutiques, restaurants, and bars. The island is worth a tour on foot, taxi, jeep, motor bike, or horseback. The Picadilli is a most excellent restaurant. Scuba diving can be arranged with Lesley Dunning at Mustique Water Sports.

Bequia is isolated enough to remain relatively unspoiled yet lively enough to be stimulating and entertaining. It is a favorite hangout for many yachtsmen. Bequia's main harbor is Admiralty Bay - a huge well protected bay - with Port Elizabeth at its head. Small hotels, bars, restaurants and shops spread from town along the southern shore, strung together by a tiny path that threads its way along the seashore. Ashore we will find homemade bread at Daphne's, Mac's Pizzeria, Kingfisher Cafe, and the Harpoon Saloon. Solanas and Melinda's have good collections of hand painted T-shirts. Bequia has great hikes to Mount Pleasant and Friendship Bay. A hike to Hope where a lovely remote beach with rather shallow water sets up long lines of breakers often suitable for body surfing (watch the undertow). After dinner we will visit Pat Mitchell's Gingerbread for a drink and enjoy a tune from De Real Ting string band. Scuba diving in Bequia is awesome with two dive shops - Dive Bequia and Sun Sports. They will arrange to pick divers up from yachts and dive at Devil's Table, Moonhole, Anse Chemin, or Pigeon Island. The reefs are between 10 and 40 feet.

Southern Grenadines

Union Island, with its dramatic mountainous outline, is a bit cosmopolitan including several supermarkets, boutiques, and touristy things. Union is where we will check through customs enroute to the British islands. Nearby, Palm Island is a pleasant anchorage with a beautiful beach and not much else. Petite Martinique is the last outpost of Grenada - small but well inhabited. There is a lot of boat building with no obvious tourist attractions. The island is very photogenic and a lovely place to walk. We may stop here for lunch enroute to Union Island.

Special Considerations

• Be sure you have your passport.
• Be sure you have boat shoes.
• Be sure you have a bathing suit.
• Bring some cassette tapes (music).

Sea Sickness

The most popular medications for sea sickness are Bonine and the accu-pressure wrist bands.

Basic Sailing Checklist

Pack the following equipment in a single soft duffel bag or a day pack. All clothing should be light-weight and light-colored.

This Sailing Adventure Includes

Credit Card Calls Not Included

Sign Up

To sign up, contact 908-512-9039. You will have your choice of a Fontain Pujot 42 ($1450), Fontain Pujot 38 ($1400), or Beneteau 44 ($1350). Prices include round trip flight from Newark on American Airlines, accommodations aboard the yacht, and skipper. The cost for departures from elsewhere will be adjusted accordingly. Food is reasonably priced and we eat aboard about every other night.