| All are volcanic in origin and deeply embellished with | | | | early part of the evening harbour personnel will come |
| inlets where the sea washes up on fine white sandy | | | | up to your boat by launch and collect the overnight |
| beaches. St Vincent has lush green mountains. A | | | | fee. The most comfortable spot to get a mooring is |
| yacht charter in St Vincent and the Grenadines also | | | | just south of a small cargo dock. When the wind |
| offers the opportunity to visit some of the sites | | | | blows out of the northeast, the waters in the bay |
| used in the making of the film xPirates of the | | | | can become choppy. Lagoon Bay, a golden sand |
| Caribbeanx. St Vincent and the Grenadines is a yacht | | | | beach, lined with palm trees and picnic tables with |
| charter destination for those looking for peace and | | | | wood umbrellas, is a 25 minute walk from the village |
| seclusion. | | | | in Britannia Bay. A great spot for a romantic picnic as |
| The choice of yacht charter in St Vincent and the | | | | there is virtually no one else in sight. |
| Grenadines is wide including both sail and motor yacht | | | | Macaroni Bay on the east side of the island is the |
| charter, bareboat yacht charter, skippered yacht | | | | best swimming beach on Mustique. A half a mile of |
| charter, luxury crewed yacht charter and both | | | | fine white sand, with turquoise waves rolling in from |
| monohull and catamaran charter. | | | | the Atlantic offers safe swimming, a picnic area, and |
| Carib Indians aggressively prevented European | | | | even a few hammocks slung in the palms on the |
| settlement on St Vincent until the 18th century. | | | | southern end of the beach. It is too far to walk from |
| African slaves, either shipwrecked or having escaped | | | | the yacht anchorage, so for fun people rent a |
| from one of the neighbouring islands and seeking | | | | xmulex, a gas powered mini golf cart. |
| refuge in St Vincent, intermarried with the Caribs and | | | | Gelliceaux Bay is marine conservation park where the |
| became known as Garifuna or Black Caribs. In 1719, | | | | diving and snorkelling are magnificent. It is illegal to |
| French settlers cultivated coffee, tobacco, indigo, | | | | fish or remove anything from the waters surrounding |
| cotton, and sugar on plantations worked by enslaved | | | | the island. |
| Africans. In 1763 St Vincent was ceded to Britain. It | | | | The Tobago Cays are a cluster of small deserted |
| was restored to French rule in 1779 but regained by | | | | islands sheltered from the ocean by Horseshoe Reef. |
| the British under the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Conflict | | | | The reefs offer fish and coral in a dazzling array of |
| between the British and the Black Caribs lasted until | | | | colours. There are small sand beaches and clear |
| 1796, when General Sir Ralph Abercromby crushed a | | | | water almost everywhere you look. The Tobago |
| revolt fomented by the French radical Victor Hugues. | | | | Cays offers some of the finest diving in the world. |
| More than 5,000 Black Caribs were deported to | | | | This is the perfect place to anchor your charter |
| Roatán, an island off the coast of Honduras. | | | | yacht for a few days to soak up the sun, sand and |
| After slavery was abolished in 1834, labour shortages | | | | sea. Anchoring your yacht is permitted behind |
| on the plantations resulted in the immigration of | | | | Horseshoe Reef and around the islands in sand only. |
| indentured servants. Portuguese came from the | | | | The sand provides excellent holding reducing the risk |
| Atlantic island of Madeira and shiploads of East Indian | | | | of damage to the coral from a dragging anchor. |
| labourers arrived between 1861-1880. Conditions | | | | Anchoring is not permitted within 60 feet of coral or |
| remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant | | | | sea grass. Also yachts must anchor in water deeper |
| agricultural workers, as depressed world sugar prices | | | | then 1.5 meters. Sailors should note the presence of |
| kept the economy stagnant until the turn of the | | | | sea grass around the Island of Baradal, and the |
| century. | | | | patches of reef just beyond the beaches of |
| St Vincent was granted associate statehood status | | | | Jamesby and Petit Bateau. |
| on October 27th, 1969, giving it complete control | | | | Local boat vendors spend time in the Cays selling |
| over its internal affairs. Following a referendum in | | | | everything from ice, bread, and lobsters to jewellery. |
| 1979, under Milton Cato St Vincent and the | | | | They are a friendly group of locals and are very |
| Grenadines became the last of the Windward Islands | | | | accommodating if you need them to bring you ice or |
| to gain independence on the 10th anniversary of its | | | | bread the next day. If you want to be left alone, |
| associate statehood status, October 27th, 1979. | | | | they will oblige your request. It is best to avoid |
| Year round winds in St Vincent and the Grenadines | | | | vendors offering barbecue fish lunches as they may |
| make for the perfect yacht charter holiday. During | | | | have taken fish from the reef. A recent problem to |
| the summer months a prevailing 10? 20 knot wind | | | | be on the look out for is youths offering to dump |
| from the southeast blows. The winter months will | | | | garbage for a fee from the charter boats at anchor. |
| see more challenging winds of 20? 25 knots generally | | | | Do not give in to their request; they have been |
| from the northeast. Although St Vincent is below the | | | | dumping the trash illegally off the windward side of |
| hurricane belt there is always a possibility during the | | | | Baradel Island. One will pay a premium for anything |
| months of July to October. Check this with your | | | | you purchase at the Cays since the vendors need to |
| yacht charter company. Average high temperatures | | | | cover their fuel costs and earn a few dollars. |
| range from 25°C to 30°C with the highest | | | | Canouan is a crescent shaped island surrounded by |
| in July through October. | | | | wide shallow waters and coral and is a scuba diver's |
| The major airport in St Vincent and the Grenadines is | | | | dream. Canouan is an island in transition. Just ten |
| Joshua Airport on St Vincent. There are flights from | | | | years ago it was a sleepy island that time forgot. A |
| Barbados, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Martinique and | | | | new era of development began when Italian |
| Grenada. Both US Dollars and x Euro are used. Major | | | | contractors purchased the northern part of the island. |
| credit cards may be accepted in hotels, restaurants | | | | The considerable addition of new money has rapidly |
| and some shops. There are many places throughout | | | | transformed the island, with many fancy new homes |
| the yacht charter area to change money. English is | | | | built by locals. The new development is a gated one, |
| spoken throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines | | | | with guards at the entry points. The spacious, |
| Many yacht charters start at the Lagoon Hotel and | | | | elegant new hotel and golf course opened again, with |
| Marina on the southern tip of St Vincent. There is a | | | | Trump running the casino, luxury apartments and |
| swimming pool for a refreshing dip on shore before | | | | Raffles running the resort end. From the visitorxs |
| or after your yacht charter and good supermarket | | | | point of view there are spectacular beaches, great |
| for provisioning. This is a well protected yacht | | | | views, and lovely walks almost anywhere. |
| anchorage nicely positioned to sail south to the | | | | Union Island is about 40 nautical miles from St |
| Grenadines and for land trips around the island of St | | | | Vincent. The island boasts a dramatic outline of ridges |
| Vincent. Take a day ashore and follow the foot trail | | | | and peaks, the highest being Mount Parnassus some |
| along the windward coast, through banana and | | | | 900 feet above sea level. Clifton, the main harbour, is |
| coconut plantations to La Soufriére volcano. | | | | protected by a coral reef that reveals brilliant colours |
| On the leeward side Trinity Falls can be reached by | | | | and patterns as you sail in. The town is clean and |
| following the trail from Richmond. | | | | picturesque with several new, locally run stores |
| Bequia lies just nine miles south of St Vincent and it | | | | catering to visitors. A couple of bars provide perfect |
| the gateway to some of the best sailing in the | | | | street-side viewing points for watching the world go |
| Caribbean. The history of Bequia Island runs deep | | | | by. The market, with many colourful stalls, has been |
| with age-old seafaring traditions of boat building, | | | | rearranged round a pleasant green square. There are |
| fishing and whaling. The main port of entry is Port | | | | many good restaurants and the provisioning is |
| Elizabeth in Admiralty Bay. The quaint waterfront of | | | | excellent with a really wide choice of fresh produce. |
| Port Elizabeth is lined with bars, restaurants and | | | | Basic services like docking, water, laundry and |
| shops selling local crafts. This yacht anchorage is | | | | Internet connections are readily available. Located in |
| extremely popular with mariners from all over the | | | | the northwest corner of the harbour you will find |
| world because of its ample and clear waters that | | | | Bougainvilla Marina and The Anchorage Yacht Club. |
| allow deep-keeled boats to arrive for repairs and | | | | Give them a call on the VHF (Channel 68) to let them |
| services. Bequia has an excellent selection of marine | | | | know that you'll be coming in. You can get fuel, ice |
| services with amenities that include showers, laundry | | | | and water at either of these places. There have |
| services and internet access. Bequia offers great | | | | been occasional reports of visitors being hassled by |
| beaches, spectacular snorkelling and diving and great | | | | kids in boats. These xtown hustlersx try to sell |
| food. Princess Margaret Beach is the best yacht | | | | anything to make a buck. If they tell you that the |
| anchorage in all of Bequia. It boasts calm clear waters | | | | Yacht Club is closed or that therexs no diesel or |
| and a beautiful golden sand beach. The beach has no | | | | water available donxt believe them. What theyxre |
| road access and as a consequence is virtually | | | | trying to do is to sell you their own moorings or |
| deserted. A short dinghy ride around the bayxs | | | | someone elsexs fuel and water at inflated prices. |
| northern headland and you will come find Frangipani | | | | Petit St Vincent is about 5 nautical miles from Union. |
| bar, a popular meeting place for a cruisers xHappy | | | | This 113-acre island resort is privately owned and |
| Hourx. | | | | offers private cottage-type accommodation and a |
| Mayreau lies west of the Tobago Cays and is | | | | wide range of sporting and marine activities. It is |
| perfect for those seeking privacy and a romantic | | | | almost entirely surrounded by white sand beaches |
| Caribbean hideaway. With no roads, cars, electricity | | | | and has excellent anchorages for yachts. A walk up |
| or many of the familiar sounds of civilization, it is a | | | | the hillside will find a bar in which the ambience is |
| last frontier in an unspoiled tropical paradise. There | | | | extraordinary. Hummingbirds fly through the tropical |
| are hiking trails that will lead you to some of the | | | | vegetation and the best fresh tropical frozen fruit |
| most spectacular panoramic views of the Grenadines. | | | | daiquiris in the Grenadines are served here. |
| Salt Whistle Bay is one of the most exquisite yacht | | | | From the anchorage, you can swim directly towards |
| anchorages in the Caribbean and only reachable by | | | | Mopion Sandbank but will come up to a reef. Follow |
| boat. Sweeping white sand beaches rim the entire | | | | the reef round until you come to a wide opening. You |
| island and are perfect for snorkelling and sailing. The | | | | can swim or dinghy through, straight up on to the |
| bay is a hot spot for sailors so yacht moorings are in | | | | sand bank. This is the ultimate desert island and if |
| short supply. Enter Salt Whistle Bay through the main | | | | you stand on the south-west corner, you can get a |
| channel, as there are reefs on either side in shallow | | | | photo with the sea on the left, on the right the |
| waters, the southern one being particularly dangerous. | | | | hump of sand with the triangular thatched shelter in |
| Anchor at the head of the bay in 8 to 10 feet of | | | | the middle and nothing in the background except for |
| clear water. It's a sand bottom and offers reasonably | | | | the ocean. The snorkelling around the reef is very |
| good holding. Be especially careful about anchoring | | | | good and you may see rays, large parrotfish and |
| too close to the reef on the southern shores. | | | | even groupers. This is a terrific lunch stop but not an |
| Mustique has a wonderful ambience and a calm | | | | overnight anchorage as the holding is poor. |
| atmosphere, great beaches and a couple of excellent | | | | Chatham Bay is a very secluded yacht anchorage. It |
| restaurants. Mustique is a privately owned island that | | | | is rare to find more than 5 yachts anchored here |
| has been developed as an area of holiday homes for | | | | even in high season and in the low season you could |
| the wealthy. Mansions with tennis courts and | | | | well be the only yacht. At Chatham Bay there are no |
| swimming pools sit on rolling grassy hills and long | | | | bars, no restaurants, no buildings, no roads, and no |
| lawns that stretch to sandy beaches. There is no | | | | people. |
| place to get water or diesel fuel in Mustique. | | | | One way yacht charter options are available from St |
| Britannia Bay is the commercial heart of Mustique. | | | | Vincent to Union, Saint Lucia, Grenada and Martinique. |
| There is a small general store, grocery and bakery. | | | | Consult with the yacht charter company for more |
| Provisioning on Mustique is very expensive and so are | | | | details. |
| the boutiques. Donxt miss the Wednesday night | | | | Diving: St Vincent and the Grenadines have a large |
| barbecue buffet and the xJump Upx party at the | | | | number of recognized and enthusiastic diving schools |
| famous Basilxs Bar and Restaurant. Although the | | | | on St Vincent, Bequia, Mustique and of course the |
| food and service leave something to be desired, | | | | Tobago Cays. Spectacular underwater seascapes |
| Basilxs promises a great deal of fun with wonderful | | | | include the wreck of Jonas on the eastern side of |
| ambiance and spectacular surroundings. When arriving | | | | the Montezuma shoal near Mustique and there are |
| in Britannia Bay it is mandatory for yachts to pick up | | | | many drift dives offering a changing panorama of |
| a mooring buoy rather than anchor. There are plenty | | | | soft corals, turtles, Creole wrasses and the occasional |
| available on a first come first serve basis. During the | | | | sighting of an eagle ray. |