With an abundance of great anchorages in the Grenadine islands, why St. Vincent?  Despite the fact that its lush vegetation and rugged countryside make it particularly beautiful, it is not yet geared to handle large volumes of tourists and does not yet enjoy a reputation as a popular tourist destination.

It is, however, ideally suited as a starting point for cruising The Grenadines.  It is well served by the airlines, has adequate services for provisioning, and is right across the channel from Bequia.  Convenience is the name of the game here.

The Blue Lagoon 

The Blue Lagoon is home to Sunsail, TMM, and Barefoot Yacht Charters, and is most likely the first and only spot you will visit on St. Vincent.  It is a stunningly beautiful and serene anchorage, surrounded by tall stands of coconut trees.  Anchoring here offers a great view of the surrounding rugged and lush countryside.  St. Vincent receives plenty of rain as a result of its mountainous elevations, and its vegetation is very green.  Most charter guests are so consumed with preparing for departure that they fail to notice just how beautiful the Blue Lagoon is.  It’s great to sit out on the deck of the boat with a cup of coffee and watch the sun work its way upward.  The morning colors of the surrounding hills are quite spectacular.

The Lagoon is completely protected by a very formidable reef.  There are two very narrow exits.  One is not marked and should not be attempted unless you are trying to destroy your boat.  The other is well defined by red and green channel markers, so navigation is pretty simple.  First-time charter guests are usually accompanied through this gate by charter company staff, just to make sure.  On your return, the charter company will dispatch a crew to take you back in, so you don’t have to worry at all.

Barefoot Yacht Charters 

Mary Barnard’s Barefoot Yacht Charters operates from the north side of the Blue Lagoon, near the channel entrance.  The main building has been beautifully renovated and is strategically set in the surrounding hillside.  It enjoys a terrific view of the Blue Lagoon, with Bequia and other surrounding islands in the background.

The outdoor restaurant and bar Surfside is set on the veranda.  The view by day is quite spectacular, and the cozy wicker furniture and soft lighting by night make it an enchanting place to hang out and meet other sailors.  The food prepared by Head Chef Sandra Phillips is excellent and the service friendly.  The home-made pizzas are made to perfection.

Other Anchorages

St. Vincent has a number of other anchorages, including Young Island Cut, Petit Byahaut, Barrouallie, Wallilabou Bay, Cumberland Bay, and Chateaubelair.  Given the abundance of outstanding Grenadines destinations, it is not likely that you will have the opportunity visit any of these.  You might consider an overnight stay at one of them if you were planning a trip north to St. Lucia.

Island Tour

If for some reason you do find yourself with a half day or more to spend on the island, you are in for a treat.  St. Vincent is one of the Caribbean’s best-kept secrets.

Because it is not considered a wealthy Caribbean country or home to popular five-star resort accommodations, visitors expect it to be run down and visibly unattractive.  Not so.  The rugged volcanic landscape and lush rainforest provide a stunning backdrop to simple, but attractive residences peeking out from the hills.  It is very green here; the island gets plenty of rain as a result of the high elevations.

One popular day trip requires getting up very early in the morning and hiking to the 3000 foot summit of the Soufrière volcano.  Another day trip involves a boat ride to the north part of the island to experience the Falls of Baleine.  No, you cannot bring your sailing yacht in close enough without endangering your vessel, so the tour is necessary.

If you have the opportunity, arrange for a two-hour taxi tour of the island.  Barefoot Yacht Charters can make arrangements with the ever-popular Phyllis, proprietor of Phyllis Taxi.  The capital of Kingstown, the Botanical Gardens, Fort Charlotte, Young Island Cut, the Mesopotamia Valley, and the Montreal Gardens are all worth a quick look.  But don’t tell anybody - we don’t want the place overrun with hordes of tourists.