While the Tobago Cays are the number one snorkeling spot in The Grenadines, Bequia is clearly the best of the populated anchorages.  Charter companies out of St. Vincent recommend that you leave this destination as the last stop of your trip.   When you enter Admiralty Bay, the beauty of the place overwhelms you, with the brightly colored rooftops poking out from the rugged and lush green hills surrounding the harbor.  There is a more affluent look and feel to it, and after spending a few days in some of the more quiet anchorages, it feels like you are “back in civilization.”  

Port Elizabeth in Admiralty Bay is a bustling little port, very clean, and has plenty of excellent restaurants, as well as yacht services.  You can see the difference here.  The buildings are more upscale.  People in the streets rarely hustle you for things.  They don’t have to – there’s more money here.  The economy of this island relies very heavily on tourism and it is shown in the attitude of the local people.  They are friendly and hospitable.  Even the Boat Vendors keep their distance.  You feel safe here.

Canadian Russ Filman, now a resident of Bequia, has developed an impressive website that covers most aspects of  life on Bequia - be sure to check out Russ Filman’s Bequia Island.

Another excellent website that features Bequia and numerous Caribbean destinations has been compiled by Lynn McKamey, also known as ScubaMom.  This is a thoroughly professional site that features great writing and spectacular photography.

Getting There

Port Elizabeth is about a three to four hour close-hauled sail or motorsail from Canouan through some rather large ocean swells.  This is the most difficult of the passages in The Grenadines.  You are looking at a two-hour broad reach and beat from Mustique, and an hour and a half broad reach from the Blue Lagoon, St. Vincent.

If you are approaching from St. Vincent, be sure to give the Devil’s Table reef a wide berth.  Approaching from the south, you will be fighting strong gusts and current that will be right on the nose as you round West Cay.  This can be resolved by furling the sails, pressing the “start” switch on the diesel, and opening the bar.  You can follow fairly close to shore, as the water becomes very deep very quickly.

About a mile in from West Cay, you will see a community of unusual houses built under a natural arch in the cliffs. – the Moonhole.  You can get quite close with your boat, and will be treated to a rather unusual sight.  Peculiar looking homes built of stone jut out from odd angles.  The stones used in construction were lowered down over the cliff.  Not something you see every day.

There is one good reason you might consider keeping your sails up as you enter Admiralty Bay - to get a photo of your boat under sail.  Photographer Tim Wright waits in his dinghy near Devil’s Table every afternoon for boats sailing in, then buzzes around taking photographs.  In order to capture that perfect face shot, he alerts you with a whistle so that you look up at exactly the right time.  He finds you at anchor later on to show you the proofs.  There is no obligation to buy, but his work is excellent.

Charter companies generally encourage their guests to anchor near the cliffs at Tony Gibbons Beach.  It’s usually not a bad idea if you don’t want to be tightly jammed in with everybody else inside the harbor.  The only down-side is that it is a five minute dinghy ride to the dinghy dock at the Frangipani.  I do not recommend anchoring real close to the beach, as the swell coming in from the bay is side-on with the direction of the boat, resulting in a wicked roll and a sleepless night.  Be sure to dive on your anchor, as I have found Admiralty Bay one of the more difficult anchorages to get a good hold on the first time.

You might optionally prefer to moor closer to town, but only to avoid the long dinghy ride.  You can easily secure a mooring through African Pride Waterfront Services or Spice.

Watching the World Go Slowly By

You could spend a whole month at anchor here.  There’s so much to do, or if you prefer, there’s no need to do anything.  Bequia has to be the top destination in the Caribbean to just sit and watch the world go by.  Sit on your boat and watch other boats come and go.  Sit in the open-air patio at The Bistro on the main drag and watch the people stroll by.  Sit out in front of the New York Bar in the center of town and observe the locals as they go about their business.  Sit on a lounge chair on the front lawn of the Frangipani during Happy Hour and watch the sun go down.  It’s great for those suffering from stress-related illness.

A Stroll Through Town

This island is loaded with interesting things to do.  The obvious place to start is the town of Port Elizabeth.  You can safely tie your dinghy at the dinghy dock in front of the Frangipani.  From there, a pleasant stroll along the beach in the direction away from town will take you by some charming restaurants, shops, and guest houses.  Pick any one and go right in – that’s why you’re on vacation.

At the far end of the walkway, you will find the quiet and quaint Plantation House resort hotel, now abandoned.  An unfortunate bankruptcy has left this beautiful property in a state of neglect.  Hopefully, a new owner will restore it to its former glory.  There is a clump of restaurants lining the shore along the walkway, including the Green Boley, Mac’s Pizzeria, the Gingerbread, the Frangipani, and L’Auberge des Grenadines.   The Gingerbread, the Frangipani, and L’Auberge are also guest houses.  Dive Bequia is situated in the middle of all this.  Noah’s Arcade is a fine boutique that should be checked out, just to say you did.  You never know what might strike your fancy.

As you double back towards town, the beachside path will converge with “main street”.  Once there, you will pass by a brigade of taxis waiting to take you somewhere, or everywhere.  The Garden Boutique is set back off the street a little further on your right.  Be sure to stop in and check out their exquisite hand painted batik shirts and other exotic clothing.

Continue on, past the fishing boats on the beach to your left, the church on your right, a number of small shops, grocery stores, a few local bars and restaurants,  until you get to the “shopping center”.  The Customs office is located next door in a new government building.  Keep going, you’re on a roll.  To the left is the Tourist Office, the garbage disposal depot, and the ferry pier, which will be bustling with activity.

There are some interesting local T-shirts, jewelry, and other “tropical” clothing at the T-shirt market.  Some of the clothing is quite unique, and is worth a look.  If you have loved ones at home that are expecting you to return bearing gifts, a quick stop here will get you off the hook.

Beyond that is the vegetable market, where you will meet a number of enterprising grocers.  Mr. Time, a Rastafarian with an impressive crown of dreadlocks, is a real source of entertainment.  Do not venture into this establishment with the intent to purchase unless you are well armed with small bills of local currency.  These grocers never have any change, of any currency!  Instead, they offer you a deal on fruits or vegetables equal to the amount of the change they would have provided.  Small bills of the correct amount are the only defense.  Ignore this advice and you will find yourself scratching your head wondering what just happened.

Continue past the Shell station on your left and follow the road around the bend.  On your right you will find Sargent’s Model Boats.  Do not miss the opportunity to stop in.  These craftsmen fashion beautiful model boats by hand that are world famous.  The Queen shops here.  There are always one or more craftsmen at work, and they are happy to chat with you and show you around.

Time to head back.  You have worked hard and will want to stop in for a cold beverage at the New York Bar, back in town.  This is a hangout for locals, and their beer prices are the cheapest in The Grenadines at $3 EC.  Another great place to stop is The Bistro, which always has a few people seated there to start a conversation with.  A third beverage stop at the Frangipani is mandatory, before boarding your dinghy back to your boat where you will open the bar for Cocktail Hour.  So many places…so little time…

Around The Island

A trip around this beautiful island is a must.  The more you see of the island, the more you will like it. The rugged terrain offers stunning views of Bequia as well as the surrounding islands.  The natural beauty of this island has for years prompted development of personal vacation and retirement villas for foreigners.  They can be seen peeking out of the lush vegetation on the hillsides surrounding Admiralty and Friendship Bays.  What is different about this development is that the architecture of these homes follows more local tradition rather than importing some over-the-top “monster home” designs.  You are left with a community that seems to blend very well with the natural environment, creating the more easy-going atmosphere that is desired by the inhabitants.

The best way to see the island is to hire a taxi for the afternoon, and I recommend at least 3 hours minimum.  Negotiate a fixed price for 3 or 4 hours with the driver before leaving.  Depending on the personality of the driver, he will likely be able to provide you with a lot of valuable information, and maybe provide some interesting insight into life of the island.  Simply ask a lot of questions, and the driver will warm right up and start talking.

The tour will include a number of stops.  A popular favorite is the Fort lookout to the north of Admiralty Bay, which provides a panoramic view of the harbor from about 400 feet up.  The steep and narrow twisty road used to get there provides plenty of hair-raising excitement as it snakes its way through the village just below.

Bequia homes have an interesting design, with a number of features adapted to the local environment.  Because there is no running water on the island, each home must collect its own rainwater, and a six-month reserve supply of water is the norm.  The roofs are made using ceramic tiles that drain into gutters and channel the rainwater into a large cistern.  This cistern, measuring 16 by 16 feet, is the foundation of the house.  A large concrete pad is built over the cistern and forms the base for the main floor.  The main floor has a balcony that completely surrounds the living area, providing more barbecue capacity than anyone could ever need.  The large shuttered windows can be opened to allow the cool breezes of the trade winds to flow through.  The construction of each home is a community affair, and the pouring of the concrete pad requires 15 to 20 “close friends” on a single day.  Everybody pitches in.

A road takes you over the top to the windward northeast side of the island.  There you will find a beautiful coconut plantation, as well as the beach at Spring.  There is a small beach bar there, fully equipped to facilitate a mid-trip beverage stop.  Spring is a residential community for wealthy foreigners who have built luxurious villas in the hillside.  The community is equipped with recreational and dining facilities for their exclusive use.

Be sure to visit the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, just past the village of Industry on the east side.  It is operated by Orton “Brother” King, who collects turtle hatchlings (not eggs!) from beaches all around The Grenadines, then raises the young turtles for several years before re-introducing them to the wild.

The highest point on the island, Mt. Pleasant, is 760 feet and is reachable following a steep climb up another narrow winding road.  The 360-degree view from the top is stunning and well worth the terror experienced getting there.  Your thoughts however, quickly switch to brake maintenance as you must pass down this same road.

At the foot of Mt. Pleasant, the road takes you over the top of the island to the windward east side.  The first stop is Friendship Bay, which is a fishing village as well as a vacation and residential community for foreigners.  The villas are beautifully simple but not extravagant; the same people have owned them for years.  They return a few times a year, and often rent them out when they’re away.

Friendship Bay is also a small yacht anchorage, however it is not a busy as Admiralty Bay.  It can get busy when yachts leave Admiralty because of uncomfortable northern swell.  I have yet to anchor here.

Unfortunately, the Whaling Museum in Paget Farm near Friendship Bay is no longer open.  It contained a small display of whaling implements used by Bequia’s greatest harpooner, Athnael Ollivierre.  The museum had been run by his harpooning successor, Bentley Corea, however he no longer had the time to dedicate to keeping it open.  A real shame, as Bequia is known worldwide for its whaling heritage.

The road continues along the coast, through a number of small fishing villages.  The water to the left, between Bequia and Mustique, is where the whaling activity occurs.  This tradition has been going on here for decades, and the locals are currently permitted to take exactly two whales; the meat is shared by the community.  Once every other year, the whalers venture out into small open sailing vessels for the hunt.  The skills required to complete this mission are staggering!  They must sail the vessel, harpoon the whale, then get dragged around by the creature for hours without swamping or upsetting the boat. Most of us cannot complete a tack without some sort of minor foul-up – now strap a 40 foot, pissed-off whale to your bow-line and try the drill again – a full appreciation of their skills should by now hit home.  The whale is slaughtered in a small bay off the leeward side of Petit Nevis, which is the small island you can see from the road as you continue your tour.

The final stop on the tour is the new airport, built on reclaimed land off the south shore of the island.  I am told that the approach to the runway requires a quick last minute dip after the final elevations have been cleared.  The length of this runway is short enough to allow only small aircraft to land.  This fact goes a long way to  preserving the existing community as-is for years to come, as it is not financially feasible for developers to construct huge hotel complexes without an airport that can land a jumbo jet.  Thank God!

Easter Regatta

Bequia is world famous for its locally built fishing boat fleet, and the sailors who sail these vessels.  Each year, they get together and race against each other for four days at the annual Easter Regatta.  If you happen to be in Bequia during this event, you are in for a special treat!

Dining Out

There is an abundance of excellent restaurants of various price ranges and specialties.  I have grown fond of a few, and just keep going back to these places, so I don’t have much in the way of first-hand knowledge on the rest.

Mac’s Pizzeria – Yes, that’s right, pizza!  In The Grenadines.  Tucked away just off the beach near the Frangipani dinghy dock, this charming little place is popular with visiting yachties and the locals, so a reservation is advised.  You can call in on VHF Channel 68.  The décor and soft lighting of the semi-outdoor dining porch make this place feel real comfortable after a day out in the sun.  The lobster pizza (available in season only) or the Venezuelan shrimp & garlic pizza are both excellent.  This will probably be your least expensive night out while in The Grenadines, as the price is very reasonable.

The Gingerbread – This establishment has somehow earned a reputation of being too upscale and expensive.  Neither is true.  The food, service, and ambiance in this beautiful establishment is first-rate, and the prices are more than reasonable.  If you happen to be dining on a night when the vocal group Ferrin is playing, you are in for a special treat.  From Bequia, this group will enlighten you with a fine repertoire of local Caribbean favorites.

The Green Boley – Right on the beach near the Frangipani dinghy dock, this place has the best chicken and conch roti in the entire Caribbean!  Served up with a couple of ice cold Hairouns, nothing beats The Green Boley for lunch.  The only drawback is that it is closed Sundays in low season, so plan ahead.

L’Auberge des Grenadines – If you have a hankering for lobster, this is the place to go because they are the only ones with a live lobster tank on the premises.  Caribbean spiny lobster tastes substantially better when cooked from a live, not refrigerated, source.  The French cuisine is first-class and not too expensive.  This place was previously known as The Old Fig Tree before owner/proprietor Jacques Thevenot and his Vincentian wife Eileen acquired it.  They previously owned The French Restaurant in Young Island Cut on St. Vincent.  There is an excellent bar that is often the “happening” place, thanks to a weekly jump-up and the dynamic bartending of Andy Williams.  Andy is also known for his musical talents in the Bequia band New Direction.

The Whaleboner – The Whaleboner is a very reasonable alternative to The Green Boley for lunch as they are open Sundays in low season.  Owner/operator Ruth Hinckson serves up excellent roti and pizza.  You must walk under a giant whale jawbone to enter this comfortable beachside establishment.  Sit at the bar on stools made of whale vertebrae.  One night each week, this place has a jump-up and is the hot-spot in Belmont.  Music goes well into the evening and is heard clearly by those moored nearby.

“The Circuit”

If you are socially-minded and are looking for fresh ears to listen to your stories, you will have to seek out establishments that are busy.  This requires more skill in Bequia because only a few places are “happening” on any given night, most are not.  There is a reason for this.

Essentially, only one bar will be busy because of a Happy Hour, a jump-up, or some special entertainment.  It will seem that everybody on the entire island is crammed into that one place, while every other place will be totally empty.  This changes every day on a rotational schedule, a phenomenon I refer to as “the circuit.”  The trick is to find out that schedule from a local, then make your plans accordingly.  The Frangipani, L’Auberge des Grenadines, Coco’s, The Whaleboner, and De Reef are all on “the circuit.”

Strategic Departure Point

If you have an afternoon departure out of St. Vincent, it is possible to spend your last night in Bequia, haul anchor at about 7:00 AM, motorsail an hour and a half to the Blue Lagoon, check out, and make it to the airport.  It is a strange feeling when you wake up the next day in your own bed and realize that, 24 hours earlier, you were at anchor in a beautiful Caribbean harbor.