Directly quoting from the Grenada Board of Tourism website:

“Grenada is a rolling, mountainous island, covered with fragrant spice trees and rare tropical flowers.  Bordered by stunning beaches, and dotted with picturesque towns, this verdant island has long been a major source of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and cocoa.  The seductive drifts through the colorful Saturday markets and Grenada’s dense forests.  In the interior of this volcanic island are cascading rivers and waterfalls, lush rainforests, and one of the most breathtakingly beautiful mountain lakes imaginable.  The capital, St. George’s, is widely held to be the loveliest city in the Caribbean. Its horseshoe-shaped harbor is surrounded by a pastel rainbow of dockside warehouses and the red-tiled roofs of traditional shops and homes.

Grenada’s physical beauty is complemented by its rich history and vibrant, living cultural heritage.  Local festivals, fairs, and markets remain an integral part of life on Grenada.  Its centuries-old spice plantations and rum distilleries still use traditional methods, emphasizing quality rather than quantity.  Although the tourist industry has become more substantial in recent years, the island’s easy rhythms and the friendly openness of its residents evoke an atmosphere that has long since vanished elsewhere.

For many visitors, of course, the measure of any island is taken by its beaches and coral reefs, and Grenada offers plenty of both.  The island is ringed with miles of picture-perfect strands, including both entrancing black and sugar-fine white sand beaches.  Grand Anse Beach, a smooth expanse stretching for two miles around the curve of a gentle bay, is world famous.  Grenada has plenty to offer those interested in offshore pleasure as well, with easily accessible and pristine reefs off the coast of both Grenada and its sister island, Carriacou.

This small nation consists of three islands: Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique. Grenada is by far the largest of the three, with a width of twelve miles (18 km) and a length of twenty-one miles (34 km). Its 133 sq. miles (440 sq. km.) are mountainous, volcanic terrain, reaching heights of over 2,750 feet atop Mount St. Catherine.  This topography provides Grenada with one of the loveliest and most varied environments in the Caribbean, including crater lakes as well as a startling variety of plant and animal life.  Dwarf forests high atop Mount St. Catherine descend to the mountain rainforests of middle altitudes, which give way in turn to the dry forests of the lowlands.  Those forests shift to mangrove at the coast, giving way to stunning white sand beaches, brilliant blue water, and exquisite coral reefs.”

So What’s Different About This Destination?

Grenada rivals St. Lucia in natural beauty, rugged countryside, crystal waterfalls, and tropical rainforest.  St. George’s is unquestionably one of the prettiest cities in the islands.  A visit to Grenada is a must for anybody serious about experiencing the wonders of the Caribbean.

It is not, however, your first choice for deserted white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters, so do not come here with these expectations.   In fact, the anchorages are only average when compared to the magnificent Grenadines, just a day’s sail away.  Charter companies in Grenada send their guests directly to The Grenadines, and recommend touring the island either before or after.

If you’ve never been to The Grenadines, I recommend that you go there first and give it your full attention.  Start and end in St. Vincent, as it is a more convenient gateway to The Grenadines, in order to maximize your vacation time.  Starting from Grenada, you are faced with a day’s sail to Carriacou/Union, plus the added inconvenience of clearing in and out of customs, twice.  Seven days will only let you visit the lower Grenadines without feeling rushed.

If you have already been to The Grenadines, want to go back, but would like to add something new, then I strongly recommend taking in Grenada.  The smartest plan that maximizes your time is the one-way trip.  Start in St. Vincent, work your way down through The Grenadines, then spend several days in Grenada.

A Wise Strategy for Visiting Grenada

The Grenada 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 limiting your stay to only three or four days.  This provides plenty of time to tour the island by taxi, sample the best restaurants, walk around St. George’s, spend an afternoon on Grand Anse Beach, and maybe lay around the boat for a day.  If you plan to just hang around the anchorage, do it in The Grenadines.

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 east from Prickly Bay must be considered 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.

I recommend establishing a base of operations in one place, 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 avoids that horrible patch of water beyond Prickly Point.   Moving around is not really worth the bother. 

Navigation and Passage Making

The charter company always provides a chart briefing that describes each of the passages and anchorages in detail, as well as any hazards.  Grenada is relatively simple, with the exception of a few submerged shoals in the south and the approach to Mt. Hartman Bay.  You have line-of-sight navigation in all conditions except thunderstorms, so a GPS is really not absolutely necessary.  I usually bring a hand-held GPS along for self-amusement purposes only.  The shoals on the south coast are not marked, so you must be aware of them.

Here are the various points of sail you will experience between destinations:

• Union Island to Hillsborough, Carriacou – 1.5 hour broad reach.
• Hillsborough to Tyrrel Bay – 40 minute motor.
• Tyrrel Bay to northern tip of Grenada – 2.5 hour broad reach.
• Northern tip of Grenada to St. George’s – 2 hour beam reach.
• St. George’s to True Blue Bay – 45 minute beam reach followed by 30 minute motor.
• True Blue Bay to Prickly Bay – 10 minute motor.
• Prickly Bay to Mt. Hartman Bay or Hog Island – 30 minute motor.

You can safely expect 12 to 20 knots winds on average.  The windiest time is from mid/late January to late February when 30 to 40 knot trade winds and correspondingly large seas are sometimes experienced.  The lightest period is summer, when winds taper off to 10 – 15 knots.

Suggested Itineraries

I have put together a few suggested itineraries for 7 and 10 day cruises.  These are not cast in stone.  You should instead be flexible – remember, you are on vacation.

Seven Day Cruise - St. Vincent to Grenada (one-way)

This itinerary requires that you arrange for a delivery skipper to return the boat to St. Vincent.  This plan is recommended for those who prefer to spend more of their time at anchorages and less time sailing.

To turn this into a ten day cruise, add a stop in Salt Whistle Bay, Mayreau, on Day 2, or a second day on Tobago Cays.  Then add two days in Prickly Bay, Grenada, taking in a day at the beach or a day lounging around on the boat in Prickly Bay.

Seven Day Cruise - Grenada to The Grenadines and Back

This itinerary uses Grenada as a gateway to The Grenadines.  If The Grenadines are your sole interest, you are better off starting out in St. Vincent.  The reasons are described in the Grenadines section of this site.

As you can see, the seven day cruise from Grenada involves a lot of sailing, a lot of Customs formalities, and only takes in the lower Grenadines.  If you add on 2 or 3 days (at a hotel) in Grenada to make it a 10 day vacation, then you really get your money’s worth.  Depending on the number in your party, it might be less expensive to keep the boat as a residence and stay at anchor in Prickly Bay for those few days, using it as a base of operations.

Financial Planning

Most of the restaurants accept major credit cards, however be sure to check first.  Calls for authorization are generally quite reliable in Grenada.  Some supermarkets accept plastic.  You can use small denomination ($ 20 or lower) U.S. currency everywhere, but expect change in local $EC.  The exchange rate is fixed - banks will give you $EC 2.6882/$US dollar for travelers cheques, $EC 2.67/$US dollar for cash, and everybody else will give you between $EC 2.5 and $EC 2.6 per $US dollar.  Personally, I recommend using local $EC currency for cash transactions.

The National Commercial Bank of Grenada has several branches in St. George’s, Grenville, and at the rotary where the roads to True Blue Bay and Prickly Bay converge - all have ATM machines.  They reliably accept a credit card or bank card and PIN,  if your bank is on the PLUS network

Security Concerns

I felt very safe in Grenada.  The southern anchorages are nestled in with the most upscale residential communities on the island, so there is a more affluent look to it.  You will not find hoards of youths sitting around the docks, hustling you for money, and there are no Boat Boys.  Despite this, I continue to hear rumors of boat theft, which I find hard to believe.

I continue to hear of ongoing problems in St. George’s with thieves targeting anchored boats in the Lagoon.  You can significantly reduce the risk by locking everything down.

I cannot absolutely guarantee that your trip will go without incident, but I can say with confidence that there are no specific dangers that you need to be aware of.  Common sense applies here, as with any travel destination.  Don’t flash large sums of money around.  Lock your boat, dinghy, and motor when you are not around.  That’s about it.

I don’t like to carry large sums of cash with me.  Instead, I carry enough to get me to the next bank location, then go for the cash withdrawal on my bank card or credit card.  To avoid interest charges on a cash advance, I pre-pay an estimated amount on the credit card.  That way, I never worry about losing cash or being robbed – I never carry enough to matter.

I also never bring any personal articles with me that would result in a major crisis if I lost them.  I pack T-shirts, shorts, and disposable personal articles.  Why bring expensive jewelry down if you’re going to spend your entire vacation petrified about losing it?   I feel safer knowing that I don’t have anything worth stealing, and if I am robbed, it’s a minor inconvenience to have the items replaced.  The peace of mind gained through this approach enhances the vacation experience.