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Day Five
Today we headed to the Tobago Cays, a beautiful archipelago running down to Grenada. You can almost walk from one island to the next. The water is so intensely blue that the most beautiful aquamarines would pale by comparison. There is very little in terms of development on these islands so you should come prepared with anything you may need such as food, water, ice and supplies. However, the local entrepreneurs with their fast boats seem ready and very capable of bringing fresh lobsters and even making quick runs to nearby Union Island – the largest island in the area – for supplies including things like fresh baked bread. We spent out first night in Mayreau in a quiet lagoon with a beautiful beach called Saltwhistle Bay. We met some people from France who have visited this area four to five times a year for the past fifteen years!! Ashore there is a small hotel with five cottages (eight rooms), a beach bar and restaurant. For more info on this resort go to: www.saltwhistlebay.com.

Day Six
The next day we continued winding down through the Cays – stopping for lunch and a leisurely swim on one of the many white sand beaches. You can even arrange with one of the locals to prepare lunch of grilled lobster, fresh fish and local side dishes for you and have it waiting for you on the beach when you arrive.
   
We ended our day at Union Island, the largest island in the Cays and anchored in Clifton Anchorage. The water is myriad shades of blue caused by the sand bars and reefs. Beautiful to look at but something you probably don’t want to navigate after dark. Arrive early and head to Happy Island, a restaurant and bar on a tiny little spot in the middle of harbor owned and operated by Janti, a most delightful host. There are tables and chairs on the beach, hammocks and more tables and chairs under the thatched roof. With just four hours notice he’ll prepare an island BBQ for you and your guests on the island – a fun way to spend the evening ashore on your own private island. Janti monitors VHF channel 16 and can be reached at happyisland@unionisland.com. Happy Island was the perfect place to end our cruise through the St. Vincent Grenadines. Tomorrow we would cross the channel to Carriacou – the Grenadan Grenadines.

Day Seven
Carriacou is a pretty, well developed island. Nice houses dot the hillside and the town of Hillsborough offers all the conveniences you might need when pulling into a port.
   
We stayed in Tyrell Bay where Johnny Walker – the man, not the scotch - is building a new marina/yacht club that will accommodate the largest of yachts and offer the finest in yachting facilities. Tyrell Bay is one of the best sheltered anchorages in the Grenadines and the marina will be a perfect place for yachties. The approach is easy and there will be great facilities. The marina portion should be complete by the start of the 2005/2006 winter season. There will also be approximately 30 very upscale residences built when the marina is complete.

Day Eight
Our last stop before Trinidad was Grenada. Known as a safe haven during hurricanes, Ivan in 2004 caused major damage to this beautiful island. This was the first hurricane to hit in the area in more than fifty years. We were pleasantly
surprised to see that the island is back to normal and that most of the damage has been repaired or is being repaired. The economy is booming and this is a great stop on your island tour and the perfect place to begin or end your cruise of the Grenadines. Grenada offers wonderful facilities for yachts – we stayed at the Grenada Yacht Club – and has wonderful stores for stocking up with anything you might need. Of course there is also the local marketplace – a colorful place with lots of fresh local vegetables and spices. Don’t forget, Grenada is known as the “Spice Island”, so this is also a great place to stock up with the freshest of spices.
   
During the afternoon we visited Grand Anse Beach, one of the most beautiful in the islands, then toured St. George’s University, a sprawling modern campus offering a myriad of degrees to students from all over the world (www.sgu.edu). What started as a medical school has grown to include degrees in many different fields.
   
The evening brought us back to the Grenada Yacht Club. We were joined by friends from Grenada for drinks on the upper deck and enjoyed the refreshing sweet breezes of the island. The day – and our exploration of the Grenadines – was over. Tomorrow Velista would go home, to Trinidad, and we would say goodbye – until the next time. 

Information
If you would like more information regarding booking a charter aboard Velista, please contact Rebecca Riley at Paradise Yacht Charters, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, FL. You can email her at: chartermail@bellsouth.net or call her directly at 954-462-0091

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