Sailing St. Vincent and the Grenadines

In March of last year we flew to Grenada for a vacation we wouldn’t soon forget. We began our Grenada sailing adventure at the Sunsail Marina in St. George Harbour before moving on to St. Vincent and the Grenadines (a separate country), and then back again.

Our first main destination of the trip would be Tobago Cays. However, en route to the Cays we were required to make a mandatory stop. Sailing out of Grenada, we had to pass through customs at Clifton Harbour to enter St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but that’s only one reason the stop is mandatory! We had to visit Happy Island – the island built by one man on a mound of conch shells over the course of a decade. Today it’s a full-service bar providing the region’s best rum punch, great entertainment, and the most famous sunset in the Windward Islands.

Heading north from St. George on Grenada, we laid over for a night in Hillsborough Bay. More of a rest stop than anything else, the town provides an ample dose of local flavor and food. Facing west, it’s a great place to enjoy the sunset while sipping a Carib onshore. Make sure to check out the fish market for the day’s catch. We happily went for the Dorado over the more plentiful King Fish. And if you find yourself in St. George during lent, be sure to check out the local Friday fish fries. They’re a treat not to be missed.

After a few days sailing, we had reached Tobago Cays. This idyllic marine park in the Cays is the main attraction for St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The completely protected park – and its out-of-the-way locale – attracts sailors from around the Caribbean. The diving and snorkeling is some of the best around and the green turtle preserve is even better. Located right at the shore, anyone can wade into the warm water and enjoy a swim with countless turtles grazing on sea grass. Definitely end your perfect day at Tobago Cays with a beach picnic of grilled lobster.

“Boat boys” are an interesting and unusual feature of Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Locals craft colorful homemade boats and spend their days serving the tourist yachts. If you need a ride, the trash taken out, fresh fruit or fish, the boat boys have you covered. They can arrange almost anything and have a way of driving commerce in the area.

A quick sail across the straight put us at Mopion Island, rumored to be the most photographed island in the world. Barely 50-feet across, the island is postcard perfect and features just one palm-lined umbrella. It’s also known as “engagement umbrella” and recently received an upgrade – someone added a bottle opener!

All too soon we ended our trip in the same Sunsail Marina where it all began. The tepid water’s of Tobago Cays long behind us, we enjoyed one last beer and shower onshore before returning home.