The first day after our arrival, we motored the boat through each of the anchorages on the south coast.  I had been told that these anchorages were absolutely stunning.  We were in search of that “one particular harbor.”

The blue line on the map below shows the path we took with the boat.  This was not a difficult trip, as the distances are extremely short.  We visited Clarkes Court (Woburn) Bay by dinghy later in the week.  We observed the St. George’s anchorage by taxi only.  The red circles on the map below show the popular anchorages.  Click on a circle for more information about that specific anchorage, or continue on to read about them all.

True Blue Bay

We spent several days at True Blue Bay, which served as our base of operations for overland excursions.   We used one of the moorings owned by the True Blue Bay Resort, provided free of charge as long as we patronized their facilities.  The VISA corporation can confirm our compliance in this matter.

It was an extremely quiet and reasonably well-protected anchorage, although we experienced a bit of roll that was easily overcome with a stern anchor.  When I say quiet, I mean it - there were only two other unoccupied boats belonging to the local yacht charter company.  The water was never very clear, so it was not an ideal place to hang out and swim.  The land surrounding the Bay was not developed, contained no beaches, and was not really all that pretty.  However, it was secure and convenient because of the close proximity to the Resort and their facilities.  A swim in their pool at the end of each day was always a very welcome treat.

The Resort had an extremely charming outdoor restaurant and bar built on stilts over the water’s edge.  Excellent food and impeccable service was their trademark.  The soft lighting and close proximity to the water made for an absolutely enchanting dining experience.  An evening out at this establishment is highly recommended as a result of our experiences. 

True Blue Bay backs right onto St. George’s University Campus.  This was the place where the American students were captive in 1983 which sparked the U.S. invasion and rescue mission, Operation Urgent Fury. [*Americans always have tough-sounding names for their military operations.  I'm not certain I would want to be in command of Operation Wimps 'R Us].  Sitting in the cockpit of my recreational vessel seventeen years later, I could not imagine American gunships, fighter jets, and Navy SEALs crawling all over this peaceful patch of water.  I could not match images of war with the palm trees, red tiled roofs, and whitewashed buildings that surrounded me.  When I later read the detailed historic accounts of the American Invasion and what they did in this very Bay, I really become spooked.

Prickly Bay

We motored a mile or so to the east, around True Blue Point, into Prickly Bay (L’Anse Aux Epines).  This was the most beautiful of the southern harbors, in my opinion.  It was home to a fairly large number of year-round cruisers, but that was compensated for by the sheer size of this anchorage.  It did not feel crowded.

There were a number of great places to anchor, but we observed the prettiest spot in the northeast corner of the Bay, beside the “no mooring” buoys near the Calabash Resort.  The stretch of golden sand at the resort and the backdrop of expensive whitewashed villas poking out of the surrounding hills matched our vision of the perfect Caribbean anchorage.  We returned to that spot later in the week, and spent three glorious days at anchor.

During that stay, we were able to explore Prickly Bay more completely.  We found that  Spice Island Marine provided excellent facilities, with easy access to the rest of the island.  We were somewhat disappointed by their restaurant and bar.  The food and service was just not up to par.  We attended their highly-publicized Happy Hour, only to find cruisers between the ages of “retired” and “deceased”, arguing for hours over the best way to kill cockroaches.  The only other crowd in attendance were questionable characters with patches over one eye and tattoos covering 98% of their bodies.  We were afraid to ask too many questions for fear of being killed later as a result of what we had learned.

The giant J-Class America’s Cup sloop Velsheda was tied up at the Spice Island's marina while we were there.  An absolutely stunning craft, this boat was sailed over from the U.K. for the winter, in preparation for the Antigua Classic Yachts Regatta in March.  The restoration work on this boat is nothing short of spectacular, and the super high-tech carbon fiber mast and rigging is quite impressive.  The J-Class website has more information on this incredible yacht.

J-Class sloop Velsheda

A small base for the Grenada Navy is located at the northwest arm of Prickly Bay.  At the time of our visit, there was a Patrol Boat tied to the dock.  Some official-looking buildings were guarded by a few Military Police.  It was peculiar to see an events tent bearing advertising for Heineken Beer in the middle of the lawn.  The Round Man and I buzzed the base in the dinghy and were intercepted by two Police patrolling the pier who were clearly not pleased with our presence.  The existence of automatic weapons confirmed this.  I shouted as I raised both hands high in the air, “We surrender, we want to be held in protective custody in the Heineken Tent.”  They did not know what to think, but we were released on our own recognizance, provided that we promised not to drink any of that Carib beer.  The following intelligence photo shows clearly what we were up against.

Water From Hell

Between Prickly Point and Mount Hartman Bay lies some of the most grisly water anyone would want to encounter while on vacation.  The decision to proceed to the next bay must be weighed carefully.  The southern coast of Grenada seems to funnel all the prevailing wind and current into this shallow patch of water.  Steep choppy waves and extreme current are the result, making the upwind, up-current passage, somewhat uncomfortable.  Thankfully, you only have to put up with it for about a mile before heading in to the more protected waters of Mount Hartman Bay.   If you plan to sail this water, give your head a shake, then press the start button on the iron jib before selecting 2200 RPM.  Please.

Mount Hartman Bay

The approach to Mount Hartman Bay is protected by a number of reefs, some of which are marked.  Buoys have gone missing and the rest are all the same color as a result of the birds.  It was an interesting challenge trying to determine exactly where we were during our first attempt to navigate these waters.

Mount Hartman Bay is set back into some fairly high hills.  We discovered a lovely and quiet anchorage along the mangroves in the northeast corner.  Apart from that, we found the only attraction to be the massive and noisy marina belonging to the Moorings.  We ended up docked there for the final night of our trip, only to be bounced around by the cross chop and strong gusts of wind that came roaring through every few minutes.  We felt like we were trapped inside a large cement mixer, and awoke the next morning bruised, battered, and tired.  The facilities however, were excellent, as we found it quite convenient for taking on water, fuel, supplies, and disposing of garbage.

The Moorings’ Secret Harbour Resort is strategically perched at the top of the hill, offering a view of Mount Hartman Bay that is quite remarkable.  We dined at their restaurant and found the food, service, and ambiance to be first-rate, although more on the expensive side.

Hog Island

The Hog Island anchorage is about a half mile to the west of Mount Hartman Bay.  It is also protected by a number of unmarked reefs that you must safely navigate around.  It is considered by the cruising establishment to be the crème-de-la-crème of anchorages for those who want to get away from it all.  The trouble is, the place is chock full of cruisers wanting to get away from it all.  It is like New York City.  

During our anchorage tour, we encountered dozens upon dozens of every type of cruising slug ever built, resembling a heavily overpopulated trailer park that had yet to experience its first tornado.  No thanks; I’ll anchor in Hong Kong Harbor instead - it's quieter.

Clarkes Court (Woburn) Bay

Clarkes Court Bay is just to the west of the Hog Island anchorage.  It is rather unprotected from the strong gusts of wind that whip up over the surrounding hills.  You could anchor anywhere in this large bay and be away from everybody else.  It’s not spectacular, has no beaches, but it is definitely secluded.

St. George's Harbor

We never anchored in the busy harbor of St. George’s, but we did drive by in a taxi.  It appeared to be very noisy and there was really not much room.  I do intend to anchor here someday and report on it because it has the potential to be quite interesting.

A Wise Strategy

The anchorages are indeed beautiful, as with any Caribbean destination, however none of them hold a candle to any anchorage in The Grenadines.  Charter companies in Grenada send their guests directly to The Grenadines, so what does that tell you?

Not to sell Grenada short, the island is definitely worth a visit, but I would recommend staying for only three or four days.  This provides enough time to tour the island by taxi, sample the best restaurants, walk around St. George’s, spend an afternoon on Grand Anse Beach, and lay around the boat for a day, before high-tailing it back to The Grenadines.

After more than a week in Grenada, I think I have a developed a reasonable strategy for visiting by boat.  I would recommend establishing a base of operations in Prickly Bay for the entire stay.  It is the prettiest of the bays, offers all the required services, provides easy access to the rest of the island, and you avoid that horrible patch of water beyond Prickly Point leading to a few average anchorages.