Overland Tour, Why Not?

An overland tour of the island is interesting if you have plenty of time and are looking for something different.  It does not compare with tours of Grenada or St. Lucia, so do not come here with these expectations.  Carriacou is a laid-back and sleepy place, and that is reflected in what you will experience.

The simplest way to see the island is by taxi.  Two hours maximum should do it.   Neil Augustin, brother of Troy and son of Diana Augustin of The Twilight in Tyrrel Bay, is a good choice as taxi driver.   Foreign Base is the name of his taxi.  You can make arrangements with Troy when he drops by after you drop anchor.  Talk about convenience.

You could try and take public transportation, but why bother?

Harvey Vale, Tyrrel Bay

Harvey Vale is the village at Tyrrel Bay.  It is essentially a few houses scattered along the shore.  More details of this village are in the Tyrrel Bay section of this site.

The Countryside

Carriacou is an agricultural economy, and evidence of a very rural lifestyle is everywhere.  Free-range animals and crops can be seen everywhere in the rolling hills.

The View From The Top

The island’s only hospital is perched at the top of the highest peak on the island.  While you might question this location, it was placed here many years ago in a time when quarantine was required as a measure to protect the healthy population from some of the diseases of the time.

This facility is somewhat primitive by North American standards, but it gets the job done.  What they lack in equipment, they make up for in personal attention.

The view from this location is outstanding.  You can see most of the leeward side of the island, as well as the surrounding islands of Petit Martinique, Petit St. Vincent, and Union.

Windward

No trip to Carriacou is complete without a visit to Windward, a significant fishing village on the windward east coast.  Be sure to stop and observe the fishing fleet in the harbor.  These vessels rely strictly on sail for power and the skill and experience of the sailors to navigate the extremely tight reef-laden entrance to the harbor. You will really gain an appreciation for their skills once you see it for yourself.  Wooden fishing boats are still built on the beaches here using traditional methods.

There is a road beyond Windward that takes you to the northern tip of the island that is worth a look.  You will see an impressive Mangrove swamp to the north of the road.

Hillsborough

Taxi is a good way to visit Hillsborough, if you anchor only in Tyrrel Bay and want to see it.  If you proceeded directly to Tyrrel Bay and need to clear Customs, a combined tour/Customs taxi trip is a good way to do both.  Details of the sights and sounds are described in the Hillsborough section of this site.

Airport

Flat land is at a premium on this island, so it is no wonder that the runway of the Carriacou Airport cuts across the main road between Hillsborough and Harvey Vale.  That’s right.

As you approach the airport, you pass through a set of gates that control access.  Then, you drive across the main runway before exiting a second set of gates.  Very unique.

You should be asking the question “what happens when a plane lands?”  As it turns out, the procedure for landing is initiated when the aircraft first contacts the tower.  A staff member leaves the tower and closes the gates to road access.  Then the plane is cleared for landing.

Canute Caliste

Canute Caliste is an internationally acclaimed artist who paints in the “naive” style.  A stop in at his studio in L’Esterre is always a treat.  Your expectations must be set properly, as the studio is an old shack at the end of a rugged path amongst numerous free-range farm animals.

A visit to the Canute Caliste Gallery

He claims to have seen a mermaid when he was a young boy.  He has been painting ever since.  His work is the subject of the book The Mermaid Wakes by Lora Berg. Now well into his 80’s he still paints, plays violin, and tends his garden.