Getting Around Grenada

There are 3 main islands in the country of Grenada: Carriacou (where we hauled out), Petit Martinique a small resort island just north of Carriacou, and the main island of Grenada which is just south of Carriacou. As we had some time before hauling out we decided to pop down to Grenada and catch up with a few friends who plan to spend hurricane season down this way. There are a  number of south facing bays on the southern end of the island that are popular bolt holes for cruisers and some insurers prefer boats to be south of 12o for the hurricane season. There are several boatyards for haul out but a lot of people stay on board in the water, at anchor or on a mooring.

Underwater action

We left Carriacou in the morning and had a great sail with one reef in the main and full genoa. It was a bit choppy between the islands, as we have come to expect. We steer clear of the submerged volcano called “Kick-em Jenny” as it looks kinda scary, and pull into Grenada just north of St George (the capital) at a place called Grand Mal. Here there is an underwater sculpture park and we pick up a bouy and go to investigate. There are 60 something different sculptures and despite the average visibility we managed to find quite a few. Some are quite substantial and most are  visible for snorkelling. We drop the buoy and anchor close by for the night and it is the calmest night we have had for a long time.

Prickly Bay

The next day we continue south, and around the corner to Prickly Bay, one of the south facing bays which has a popular boatyard and marina. There are already quite a few people dug in here for the “season”. We head ashore and check out a couple of supermarkets and of course the chandlery. With so many cruisers around there are a lot of activities organised, including the all-important shopping bus. I join Andy from Cushla in the excitement of visiting an IGA! There are plenty of opportunities to socialise as well and we catch up for Sunday lunch Whisper Cove with Cheryl and Richie from Serenity Now. We last saw them in Antigua and they are heading to Trinidad to haul out.  After a few days here we head back to Carriacou again, but we return to St George after hauling out and spend a couple of days there before flying out to Miami, and home.

Traffic control, Rasta style

St George has a grungy kind of charm. The small, horse-shoe shaped harbour is enclosed by steep hills lined with some colourful houses. Fort George sits on the SW corner of “The Careenage”- its not much of a fort, just a few canons and ruined buildings but a great view of the surrounds and clearly well placed to protect the harbour entrance back in the day. Colourful wooden fishing boats line the harbour as well and in the eastern bay is the Port Louis Marina Resort. We pop in for a coffee. All too soon it is our last night before flying out and we treat ourselves to dinner at BBs Crab-back restaurant on the harbour. We visited St George again on our return and enjoyed a couple of days recovery from the long journey, including a walk along the lovely Grand Anse beach before catching the ferry back to finally see Carriacou to see ITIKI.