Sailing the Grenadines: all you need to know

8 Feb

This blog post is all about the Grenadines, why we choose to sail there, if it is safe during hurricane season and about all the cruising spots you should not miss when sailing in the Grenadines.

Sailing and cruising the Grenadines

The Grenadines are a collection of 32 picture-perfect islands, turquoise water and pristine marine life. But where should you throw anchor, and which spots should you avoid? Where to find groceries and where to enjoy the peacefulness of remote islands. After cruising the Grenadines for 3 months non-stop, we share everything we learned about the island chain and how to explore it on a sailing trip.

What are the Grenadines?

Only 8 islands in the Grenadines have permanent settlements; others feature resorts, but most of them are uninhabited. The low, uncertain rainfall makes agriculture and settlement precarious. Both facts can make it challenging to access groceries, so make sure to come to the islands well-stocked. If you are not entering the Grenadines with your private cruising boat but charter a sailboat, stock up wherever you take over the yacht.

Moreover, the barley populated island can make it difficult to find medical help when you need. We highly recommend to have a good medical insurance in place before entering. We personally use Safety Wings. We love the freedom they offer in “switching on and off” the insurance.

Boat Formalities to enter the Grenadines

Sailing to the Grenadines is pretty simple. You can island hop along the Lesser Antilles or sail straight to the Grenadines. We have decided to skip Saint Vincent because we have heard mixed reviews about the island. There seems to be a pretty high crime rate at the moment, especially for Sailors. Dinghies have been stolen, and people have been boarded, so even if they say the island is lovely, we decided not to go there.

Before arriving in the Grenadines, complete the online Sail Clear module to speed up the process at customs. You will not only save yourself time, but everyone will appreciate your efforts. When you arrive in the Grenadines, you must proceed to one of the ports of entry. For an updated list of all ports and procedures, please check Noonsite.

Anchor Spot Awards

Best marine life - Tobago Cays

Turtles, stingrays, sharks, octopuses and more can be your snorkelling partners in the Tobago Cays. And the best part is you do not need to dive deep to meet them. The extensive coral reef of the Tobago Cays is barely one meter under the water, giving excellent access to all levels of swimmers. Just take extra care not to touch the corals by accident. You want to avoid breaking some fish's house accidentally with your fin.

Anchoring is straightforward in 6-9m. If you feel more comfortable, you can use a huge array of mooring buoys. Tobago Cay is a national Parc, so please behave accordingly. Once you arrive at the bay, the Parc rangers will come by and collect a small fee (about 25EC$‎ per boat in 2023)

Best access to services

Access to groceries and services can be tricky in the Grenadines. Most islands are barely inhabited, so you need to make sure to time your grocery runs well. There are four main "cities" we have stocked up in, and all of them have pros and cons.

Clifton, Union Island (good combination of local fruit markets and supermarkets)
Sandy Lane Yacht Club, Canouan (if you are looking for any particular or "western" product this is the place to go. The prices are slightly higher, but still okay for a yacht club)
Charlestown, Canouan (best local shopping experience we ever had. Just remember to time your groceries with the arrival of the supply boat)
Port Elisabeth, Bequia (good combination of local fruit markets and supermarkets)

Best beach bar - Chatham Bay, Union Island

While we loved Jack's Bar in Bequia, we still lost our heart to Chatham Bay. The cocktails and food might be less fancy, but you get real Caribbean vibes with rum punches, which will make you dance around the fire pit. If your head is not drumming too much the next day, dive on the bay's north side or climb the hill to get a 360° of the Grenadines.

Best overall - Bequia

There is a reason why most cruisers stop here. The vast bay offers protection for many sailboats, and the combination of groceries, beach bars, and marine life is unparalleled in the Grenadines. We especially loved Jack's beach bar. Do not miss their pulled-beef burger. To this day, it is one of the best meals we have had in the Caribbean (and the cocktails are also great ;) ).

The town has different grocery stores and a few fruit stalls open most days. If you have time, go on land when the ferry from St. Vincent arrives (around 9am) as locals will bring their fruits and sell them on the streets.

To round it up, Bequia offers great diving opportunities, both for scuba divers and free divers.

Most underrated - Baliceaux

This island is off the beaten path, but we can not recommend it enough. You might have to endure a bumpy sail against wind and waves to get there, and the anchorage might be rolly in the wrong conditions, but the reef and the local land turtles will be worth it. We spent over a week here, caching lobster on both the south and north reefs, hiking the hills, and observing land turtles.

Most Instagrammed - Mopion

I think the pictures say it all. If you are close, you definitely should stop by. Most people anchor in Petite St. Vincent and dinghy over, but we even dropped anchor at Mopion Island. Just take care of the coral reef close by. What you do not see in the picture are the massive swarms of fish that surround the island and the tide, which can be challenging, so time your visit right.

Hurricane Risk of the Grenadines

Before we finish this blog post, let's talk about the hurricane risk of the Grenadines. If the last years have shown us anything is that hurricanes have become more and more unpredictable. It is difficult to say how safe a place is. In 2022, for example, there was a huge hurricane in the ABC islands, which seemed a foolproof option to go to if you wanted to be safe from hurricanes. Generally, the Grenadines have a very low probability of being hit by a hurricane. If the situation occurs, you can always sail north or south to other islands or hunker down in many suitable bays. We are not saying the Grenadines are hurricane-safe, but we have had an excellent hurricane season here.