Charter destinations selected by round-the-world-sailor Mareike Guhr
Explore the unspoiled Caribbean onboard a yacht
A yachtcharter holiday in the Grenadines and Windward Islands
At the southern end of the Caribbean Antilles Arc between Grenada and St. Vincent is the gorgeous island world of the Grenadines. Here in the Windward Islands, the clocks are still ticking a lot slower than in the northern parts of the Caribbean, which is so much more commercialized and influenced by the US. Charming islands with snow-white beaches and constant, favourable trade winds are waiting for you!
At the southern end of the Caribbean Antilles Arc between Grenada and St. Vincent is the gorgeous island world of the Grenadines. Here in the Windward Islands, the clocks are still ticking a lot slower than in the northern parts of the Caribbean, which is so much more commercialized and influenced by the US. Charming islands with snow-white beaches and constant, favourable trade winds are waiting for you!
Many of the islands are not yet used intensively for tourism, hotel towers are rare and the population is rather poor. This leaves the beaches yet uninfested with touristic beach bars and also restaurants, shops and other amenities are not to be found everywhere. However, "boat boys" are always around with their motorized, open fishing boats. Their names resonate, such as "Jesus", "Skipper" or "Rusty", and they offer crawfish, t-shirts and fruit to the boating tourists.
One of the most popular sailing destinations There are even still quite a few uninhabited islands, spelling out tempting invitations to settle there forever. The constant trade winds, well-protected anchorages and the tropical climate make the Caribbean one of the most popular sailing destinations in the world. And so there are also numerous yachts around. For charter holidays, the multitude of yachts available on the French islands Martinique makes this a perfect starting point to take off for the Grenadines.
Yachtcharter options and flight connections If you seek to avoid the round about 100 miles to the paradise of small islands, you can also charter a few yachts on Grenada or St. Vincent directly. Here, however, the flight connections should also be checked before booking the boat. There are several flights daily from Europe to Martinique and several flights a week to Grenada. Island hoppers provide for further connections.
Caribbean Idyll
Time zones, currency and customs clearing On the Grenadines you are in the time zone MESZ minus six hours. The local currency is Eastern Caribbean Dollars (EC), but US Dollars are generally accepted. Change, however, will be returned in EC. Who arrives at St. Lucia comming from Grenada has to clear inward and outward here. From there on, St. Vincent and the Grenadines up to Union Islands belong together. But you require clearance again for the islands to the south, including Grenada.
Mooring in bays In order to save space, to spare the seabed, and, not least, as a popular source of income for the population, moorings are installed in most bays. Free anchoring is becoming increasingly difficult. The prices for the moorings vary, but for an overnight stay you will pay at about 15 Euros on average. However, after mooring it is advisable to carefully examine the mooring installations as the fact that it was paid for does by no means guarantee for its quality and safety.
Islands - small, pretty and full of surprises
Although no longer really an insider's tip, the island of Mayreau is still absolutely beautiful.It is an ideal starting point for a trip to the Tobago Cays, quite exactly in the middle of the chain of islands.From the popular Salt Whistle Bay, where the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean are only a few beach meters apart, it is only about three miles to the small Cays off the coast. It is absolutely worth it to stay here for more than a day. Not only because the "Cays" are nature reserves, the water is of a captivating and incredibly bright turquoise color or because the big Iguanas can be observed in the undergrowth on the island of Baradal, but mainly because of the grazing turtles to be observed here daily. Get out your snorkel gear and into the water!
Port Elizabeth is a welcome place to sniff a bit the island life, replenish stocks on board, enjoy a meal at a restaurant or hang out in one of the sailor's bars around the cozy town on the island of Bequia. About 4,300 people, whose ancestors are strongly associated with whaling, live on the islands. Bequia is therefore one of the very few places in the world where the locals are still allowed to harvest up to four humpback whales per year using traditional fishing methods. But there is no longer any use made of the permit. However, the construction of traditional whale boats continues to be popular and there is even a whaling museum on the island. Often, the Grenadines are reduced to the area on the Tobago Cays, but actually there are many more and very diverse islands that can be explored here!
