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Grenada & Carriacou / Special Interests / Yacht Charters

By James Henderson

Grenada, the southernmost island in the Lesser Antilles, makes a great place to start or to finish a yacht charter holiday. Grenada and the Grenadines up to St Vincent are one of the finest places to sail in the Caribbean. If you are starting in Grenada there are a number of very nice, sheltered bays in the island’s serrated southwestern coastline, where you can sail for the day before returning to the shelter of the main anchorages at L’Anse aux Epines and True Blue, Mt Hartman or St George’s. As you set off for the Grenadines you coast up the island, beneath the massive green rainforested flanks that move so slowly against the tropical sky, and then you cruise into the open water along the island chain, past a number of smaller cays before eventually reaching the first large island at Carriacou. The crossing between Grenada and Carriacou is notorious for its usually choppy seas and strong currents, hard beating to windward sailing. Coming back down with the wind behind you is good cruising.

Based at True Blue Bay close to the south-western tip of Grenada, Horizon Yacht Charters has a small fleet of good quality bareboats for charter. Other alternatives are to pick up a yacht in St Vincent and sail it down (with the wind) to Grenada but there will be a collection charge if you don’t want to take it back to base. Try TMM in Blue Lagoon, St Vincent. Or you could charter a yacht from St Lucia, sail down to Grenada. Again there will be a fee for a skipper to return the boat to base.

Carriacou is an excellent stopover, four or five hours’ sail from the south of Grenada and an hour from Union Island (in the St Vincent Grenadines). During the daytime yachts anchor off the cays in Hillsborough Bay, but even tucked close into the town itself it is a little too lumpy for a night stay. The best anchorage is Tyrrel Bay in the west of the island. A number of restaurants and bars line the shore there. A marina is being built in Tyrell Bay, but it is not expected to open for several years. Looking north from Hillsborough Bay on Carriacou you will see the Grenadines that are politically attached to St Vincent fade to grey on the horizon - Union Island, Petit St Vincent and Palm Island, Canouan and Mustique.

Visiting yachts are required to clear Customs at Hillsborough. This is accepted as clearance for Grenada as a whole and no further checking is required. There is a fee, payable at the time of clearing), that depends on the size of the vessel, the length of the proposed stay). Customs hours are 8-11.45am and 1-4pm, Monday to Thursday and an extra hour until 5pm on Fridays. Yachts are not allowed to anchor in the oyster beds in Tyrell Bay or within 200 metres of any beach. No animals are allowed into the country without an import permit. Vaccination records must be provided and a Government Veterinary Officer notified of your point of arrival and the expected time.

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Looking for inspiration?

  1. Sail the Grenadines from Carriacou to St Vincent
  2. Jab Jab at Grenada's Spice Mas Festival
  3. Dive the Titanic of the Caribbean - the Bianca C
  4. Enjoy Grenada's culinary and cultural history at Belmont Estate
  5. Explore the island's natural beauty around Grand Etang

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