Beautiful Waters of the Caribbean

A vast expanse of crystal clear waters await for a crewed yacht charter through the islands of the Caribbean; an outstanding yacht charter destination choice for your next crewed yacht charter. The Caribbean proper as defined for a crewed yacht charter location extends from the top of Puerto Rico to the bottom of Grenada, within which are a number of yacht charter cruising areas and yacht charter itineraries for a great crewed yacht charter vacation in this beautiful location destination. Each yacht charter cruising area is serviced by an international airport; however each yacht charter cruising area has a unique history for a fabulous yacht charter with a feel of being away from it all.

The Baths

Consider the U.S. or British Virgin Islands or even the Spanish Virgin Islands including Puerto Rico for a crewed yacht charter. The U.S and British Virgin Islands offer the most protected cruising waters in the Caribbean. With over 18 islands in very close proximity, a crewed yacht charter itinerary can include a multitude of different anchorages to explore and enjoy. The British Virgin Islands offer an English feel on shore and are less developed than the U.S. Virgin Islands. There is an international airport on both St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Highlights of the area are The Baths and The Bitter End on Virgin Gorda, the pirate treasure caves on Norman Island, and exploring the Wreck of the RMS Rhone by snorkeling or scuba diving.

St. Martin Beach

The yacht charter cruising area of St. Martin to Antigua includes islands that are part of the Leeward Islands. Around St. Martin are the islands of St. Barths and Anguilla in very close proximity, so that a crewed yacht charter itinerary could start and end in St. Martin and include all three islands. There is an international airport in St. Martin for arrivals and departures. Further “Down Island” are the islands of Saba, Eustacia, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda. There is an international airport on both Antigua and St. Kitts. These islands all have an international feel ranging from a decidedly French chic feel in St. Barths to a colonial English plantation feel in St. Kitts, Nevis and Antigua.

Trafalgar Falls Dominica

The French West Indies and Dominica offer an excellent cruising itinerary through these islands. There is an international airport in both Guadeloupe and Martinique. On the islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique and the Isles des Saintes, including Marie-Galante, a fresh baked hot French baguette is easily available in the early morn. Dominica, also known as the “Nature Island” offers many interesting activities ashore, including river rafting and hunting the Dominican “Mountain Chicken” for photo opportunities. Basket weaving is an art on the island of Dominica where you can purchase your own “man catcher” to take home.

Tobago Cays Caribbean Water Colors

St. Lucia, the Grenadines and Grenada, are part of the Windward Islands and are reflective of the Caribbean in the last century, as time moves very slowly in these islands. The Tobago Cays in the Grenadines offer some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. The island of Bequia has a long history of whaling and boat building, while the islands of Mustique, Petite St. Vincent and Palm Island offer some of the amenities of top end resort islands. Visit Mayreau where electricity was finally introduced in the 1960’s. Grenada, the “Spice Island” has a long history of spice plantations which produce coffee beans, vanilla pods, nutmegs, cocoa beans, and cinnamon bark, all which can be found fresh for purchase in the local market.

Life in the Caribbean

The Caribbean is a yacht charter location destination of warm clear water of various beautiful shades of blue and green offering hours of water fun including snorkeling and scuba diving; however also a myriad of different on shore experiences as each island has a unique history and feel. Choosing a crewed yacht charter is the perfect way to explore a number of islands in the location destination of the Caribbean on a crewed yacht charter itinerary.

Union Island - Clifton

As part of the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Union Island is the southernmost island in this nation of islands and a great stop on a crewed yacht charter while cruising in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean.  With a little over 3,000 residents, Union Island has two main towns of Clifton and Ashton and boasts an International Airport, however the international travel part of the airport description is meant to be international flights within the Caribbean as being to locations outside of the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and no night time flights are allowed as there are no runway lights.  Even with an “international” airport, visiting by crewed yacht charter is one of the easiest ways to visit this lovely Caribbean Island.

Union Island anchorage

Union Island, like many neighboring Caribbean Islands has a colonial plantation history.  However, rather than a colonial plantation history of sugar cane and molasses, the plantations on Union Island were planted with Sea Island Cotton, similar to the lowlands and Barrier Islands in South Carolina.  The Sea Island Cotton Tree can still be found on the island as well as the ancestors of the many African Slaves that were brought to this island during the colonial plantation period to work the Sea Island Cotton fields.

Union Island - Downtown Clifton

After the colonial period, many natives went to work on commercial freighters as Union Island became a hub of commercial shipping business in this part of the Caribbean.  Today the economy of Union Island is based more on services supplied to visiting yachtsmen, day charters offered to the Tobago Cays and a strong ferry service offered throughout this part of the Caribbean, along with tourism. 

Union Island view from Happy Island

Union Island does have two big celebrations, which are the Holy Week of Easter, a weeklong festival called Easterval, with celebrations in both the towns of Clifton and Ashton, and in late May, the one day event called “The Maroon”, which begins before dawn and lasts well into the night, with drums, dancing, feasting, and merrymaking.  The Maroon Festival is designed to entice the Gods to join in and end the dry winter and bring on the rainy season.  Either time period, or anytime in between, is a great time to visit Union Island while on a crewed yacht charter of the Windward Islands of the Caribbean.   

Mayreau

Definitely a “secret” island of the Caribbean, Mayreau is part of the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and also the smallest island of this nation at only 1.5 square miles with 300 residents.  Be sure to stop in at Mayreau on a crewed yacht charter of the Grenadines for a taste of the Caribbean as it once was, and still is, however in just a very tucked away locations.  Only able to be visited by boat, visiting Mayreau by crewed yacht charter is a great way to see this small little island virtually isolated in the 19^th century. 

Mayreau - Saltwhistle Bay

The main village of Old Wall, where most of the local residents live, sits on the southwest end of the island.  The village has a school for grades 1 – 6, several churches and one main road.  Electricity is new to the island as of 2002.  In the center of the island is a salt pond, from which the locals once harvested and exported salt, however while salt is still harvested, it is now for local use only.  The locals of Mayreau now make living from fishing and tourism.  There is one resort on the island in Saltwhistle Bay, a popular anchorage for visiting yachts, called the Saltwhistle Bay Club. 

Saltwhistle Bay Club

Most of Mayreau is still privately owned by the Eustace family who inherited the island from the Saint Hilaire family through marriage.  The Saint Hilaire family owned Mayreau since fleeing France during the Napoleonic wars and grew Sea Island Cotton and cocoa, with the locals farming the land, on a system of land tenure, involving paying a share of profits to the Saint Hilaire family in return for the use of the land for farming and a place to build a home. 

Underwater coral

The Saltwhistle Bay Club, with 10 rooms for overnight accommodation, welcomes visiting yachtsmen and the anchorage in Saltwhistle Bay has lovely crystal clear water over a sand bottom.  The Club also has a beachside restaurant and bar.  Surrounding Mayreau are great coral reefs offering outstanding snorkeling and diving.  Visit Mayreau for a glimpse of the past, very friendly locals, a lovely anchorage at Saltwhistle Bay, and spend time ashore and snorkeling and swimming on the great surrounding reefs. 

Palm Island, Palm Island Resort

Both Petite St. Vincent and Palm Island are tiny islands located in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean, and both have been snagged by developers for luxury private resorts due to the natural beauty, beaches and lovely clear waters found around each island. Visiting yachtsmen, while on a crewed yacht charter in the Windward Islands are invited to stop, visit and enjoy the beauty of each island and the resort facilities. Petite St. Vincent is now home to the private resort of Petite St. Vincent Resort since 1966 and Palm Island is now home to the private resort of Palm Island Resort. Stopping at either island or both is a treat while on a crewed yacht charter in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean.

Petite St. Vincent Beach

Petite St. Vincent Resort is the brainchild of Hazen Richardson, Doug Terman and Mr. H. W. Nichols. This island of 113 acres surrounded by 2 miles of white sand beaches was “discovered” while Mr. Nichols and his family were on a crewed yacht charter in 1966 on the 77’ schooner, Jacinta, owned and operated by Haze and Doug, and soon purchased the island from the private owner. In May of 1966, Haze and Doug returned to Petite St. Vincent and anchored Jacinta off of the beach to begin clearing the island and building the resort. Once the resort was finished in 1968, Haze stayed on to be the Resort Manager and never left, eventually buying out his partners to become sole owner, with his wife, of this award-winning boutique hotel with 22 cliff side and beach front villas.

Palm Island view of Union Island

In 2007, and in 2009, Petite St. Vincent again captured the attention of visiting yachtsmen, first Robin Paterson, sailing in the Grenadines on his yacht Zanzibar and then Phil Stephenson, sailing in the Grenadines on his yacht Galileo. These two men, who were also friends, resolved to own the island and resort and were finally able to purchase both in November of 2010. Petite St. Vincent, already an award winning resort, is scheduled for a significant luxury upgrade with the addition, among other facilities, of a spa and a new beach restaurant designed after Le Club 55 in San Tropez, which will offer just that much more to those visiting while anchored off of Petite St. Vincent on a crewed yacht charter.

Petite St. Vincent Resort Dining

Once known as Prune Island , Palm Island, at 135 acres, is home to Palm Island Resort offering 43 guest rooms and a spa. Palm Island is also home to a vast quantity of Iguanas, and a wide variety of birds, all of which can be seen on the nature trails that wind around the island. Palm Island Resort is one of 5 Caribbean luxury resorts owned and operated by Elite Islands Resorts with the other 4 luxury resorts located in Antigua.

Petite St. Vincent Resort Dock

At Palm Island Resort, there are two restaurants, a tennis court, a small golf course for putting practice, and miles of beautiful beaches. Consistently rating top in national and international travel awards, anchor off of Palm Island and perhaps take a stroll along one of the nature paths before stopping for a cool refreshing drink, while on your crewed yacht charter.

Petite St. Vincent Resort Beach

Canouan - Relaxing on the Beach

Pulled from virtual obscurity in the 1990’s by the building of two major resorts on the island, Canouan now offers those visiting by crewed yacht charter on a yacht charter itinerary of the Caribbean Windward Islands a taste of luxury resort options juxtaposed against the relative wildness of the undeveloped Caribbean of years past.  Canouan is a tiny island, and is part of the island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  Located just 25 miles south of St. Vincent on a crewed yacht charter itinerary, Canouan is an easy island to visit.  Partially surrounded by a coral reef on the Atlantic side of the island, Canouan offers protected anchorages and long expanses of protected pristine sandy white beaches for the visiting guests on a crewed yacht charter cruise of the Caribbean Windward Islands

Originally built as a Raffles Resort, the Carenage Bay Resort and the Tamarind Hotel and Yacht Club anchor the island for resort hotels.  The five star Carenage Bay Resort located on 300 acres features three private beaches, a large fresh water swimming pool, a spa and fitness center, a world class golf course and a Trump Club Privee Casino.  The smaller Italian run Tamarind Resort features 40 hideaway rooms and suites, several restaurants, and a massage room.  Both welcome visiting yachtsmen to make use of various aspects of the two resorts.

Canouan - Scuba Diving on Reef

With the one mile reef along the Atlantic side of Canouan, great snorkeling and scuba diving are available.  There are also miles of protected white sandy beaches to enjoy.  And with Carenage Bay Resort, world class golfing is available or perhaps reserve a relaxing spa treatment.  Canouan, a tiny island of only 3 square miles offers both natural Caribbean beauty on land and underwater, and on land luxury activities for those so inclined while on a yacht charter of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 

St. Vincent Young Island

As the anchor island of the nation, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Vincent is located in the southern Caribbean Windward Islands just south of St. Lucia.  St. Vincent is a natural starting location for a crewed yacht charter out of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with many crewed charter yachts located for yacht charter boarding in the anchorage between St. Vincent and Young Island, which is about a 20 minute drive from the airport in Kingstown.  If you decide to arrive in advance of your charter, staying at Young Island Resort before your yacht charter can offer a very easy boarding of your charter yacht anchored right in front of Young Island Resort for a great start to your crewed yacht charter of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.   

Soufriere Hills

St. Vincent is the largest island in the island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines where the local people are known as Vincentians.  Christopher Columbus “discovered” this island, inhabited then by native Carib Indians, and named this island after the patron said of Portugal, Vincent of Saragossa.  St. Vincent Island is dominated by the still active volcano named La Soufriere.  Erupting violently in known history in 1718, 1812 and 1902, the most recent eruption of the volcano was in 1979.  With active volcanic eruptions, most of the beaches in St. Vincent are covered in black sand, which is quite a contrast to the rest of the islands in the nation, where the beaches are covered in pristine white sand.  St. Vincent is heavily forested and home to rain forests, waterfalls and the St. Vincent Parrot.

St. Vincent Friendship Bay

St. Vincent is a world class hiking destination with hiking paths available for all activity levels, from hiking through forest lands in search of the St. Vincent Parrot to a hike to one of the various waterfalls.  And for the more athletically inclined, a more strenuous hike is available up to the top of La Soufriere Volcano, where on a clear day, from the volcano rim, you can see to the bottom of the crater.  This volcano has left a mark on the land, which can be seen while hiking to the volcano rim as you hike past previous lava flows and around volcanic rocks. 

St. Vincent Squirrel Reef

Back in coastal St. Vincent, spend time in the Montreal and Botanical Gardens on St. Vincent with displays of the tropical flora and fauna of this area, and at any time, relax on the deck of your charter yacht and watch the low cloud cover moving across the top of La Soufriere Volcano for glimpses of the volcano rim.  From St. Vincent set off for a crewed yacht charter of the crystal clear waters of the rest of the Grenadines, a lovely yacht charter location.   

Tobago Cays

Just south of St. Vincent in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean, are the Tobago Cays, a group of 5 small uninhabited islands that should always be a stop on a crewed yacht charter itinerary when cruising in the Grenadines. The islands of Petit Rameau, Petit Bateau, Baradol, Petit Tobac and Jamesby make up the Tobago Cays, 4 of which are part of a 1400 acre land and sea park called the Tobago Cays Marine Park. Encompassing a sand bottomed lagoon and a 4 kilometer coral reef named Horseshoe Reef, the Tobago Cays Marine Park is a “must do” stop on a crewed yacht charter itinerary while cruising this part of the Caribbean Sea.

Tobago Cays National Park

The Tobago Cays were privately owned from at least the 16th Century up until just recently in 1999, when the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines purchased the Tobago Cays and formed the Tobago Cays Marine Park for the general enjoyment of yachtsmen and other visitors. The warm crystal clear waters within the sand bottomed lagoon in the Tobago Cays Marine Park reflect beautiful shades of Caribbean blues and greens and are a great swimming location to enjoy the waters of the Caribbean Sea. Excellent snorkeling is right there on Horseshoe Reef with an outstanding variety of fish and coral in this protected area. And Horseshoe Reef is not the only coral reef in the area as located in surrounding waters are Egg Reef, World’s End Reef, and the Mayreau Gardens. One of the special draws is watching the sea turtles, when there, in the sea turtle watching area that has been cordoned off around the beach on Baradel Cay.

Tobago Cays Local Vendor Dinghies

Of course, commerce still exists even in this uninhabited area, with industrious locals in the Grenadines plying the waters selling everything from ice to lobsters, T-shirts and even jewelry. Commerce even extends to water taxi services and catering beach barbecues, however don’t be surprised if your water taxi driver morphs into your barbecue chef, and offers you a selection of T-shirts.

Tobago Cays T-Shirt Vendor

One of the best ways to visit this area is by private crewed yacht charter. As a national park, there is a 6 mile speed limit, which precludes tender water sports and wave runners. However, there is still plenty to do with swimming, snorkeling, having a beach barbecue, kayaking, watching the sea turtles and in general enjoying these beautiful Caribbean waters in the Grenadines.

Caribbean Conch Shells

Quiet, serene Mustique

Located in the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean, the private island of Mustique is a great island to visit while cruising on a private charter yacht on a yacht charter itinerary of the Windward Islands.  There is a jet runway for private jet travel to Mustique and some local commuter flights, however visiting while on a yacht charter cruise of the Grenadines is one of the few ways to visit the lovely island of Mustique.  Owned by the Mustique Company, whose shareholders are the Owners of the approximately 100 private villas on the island, this little island of only around 1400 acres, and around 500 local islanders, slumbers along in quiet elegance, a perfect location for those that want to slip away from it all. 

Princess Margaret Villa - Mustique

After a busy colonial sugar cane plantation period, the less expensive European sugar beet dominated and destroyed the sugar cane market and many of the sugar cane plantations on Mustique were abandoned or let go and the local population dwindled.  In 1958, Lord Glenconner, Colin Tennant, the 3^rd Baron Glenconner, purchased the island of Mustique to begin developing the island with luxury villas for the elite.  To jumpstart the development, Lord Glenconner gave Princess Margaret, Countess, of Snowdon, and sister of Queen Elizabeth II, a gift of a 10 acre plot as a wedding present, upon which Princess Margaret built the luxury villa “Les Jolies Eaux”.  In 1989, ownership of the island of Mustique was transferred from a private family holding to a private limited company with the villa owners as shareholders.

Basils Bar, Mustique

Today, on this carefully cultivated island with beautiful flora and fauna, life moves slowly.  Cruise into the main harbor of the island on your crewed yacht charter, anchored on one side by a local village and on the other side by the infamous Basil’s Bar, with several boutiques/provender’s inbetween, come ashore and join the locals traversing the island via heavy duty golf carts known as “Mustique Mules”. Or end or begin your crewed yacht charter on Mustique as many of the approximately 100 private luxury villas are available for rent through the Mustique Company, and there is also a luxury 5 star hotel called the Cotton House.  Well known Mustique villa owners and visitors, past and present, other than Princess Margaret, who has hosted her sister Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip several times at her villa on the island are also Mick Jagger, Tommy Hilfiger, Bill Gates, and George Harrison.   Island life centers around Basil’s Bar, which is now home to an annual Blues Festival.  At other times at Basil’s Bar, local Reggae Bands may be playing or someone may be spinning records on the bar record player.    Stop in as you never know who you might meet.  Or stop in at the Cotton House for a drink or dinner, (reservations strongly recommended).  The seven beaches around the island offer ample opportunity for swimming, sunning and snorkeling.  Include Mustique on a crewed yacht charter itinerary of the Grenadines in the Caribbean, visit Basil’s Bar, take a Mustique Mule across the island and in general enjoy this little serene and private slice of the Caribbean.

Mustique Island Boutique

Tucked in just under St. Vincent, Bequia is one of the few places left in the world where the citizens are allowed to hunt whales. With permission from the International Whaling Commission, the natives of Bequia can catch up to four Humpback whales per year. As the hunting has to be done in the traditional method of hand held harpoons launched from open sailing boats, this four humpback whale a year limit is rarely met, and in fact some years, no whales are caught at all. However this island has a history and traditions wrapped around a tropical whaling industry, which can be found throughout the island, making Bequia a very interesting stop on your yacht charter itinerary.

How do you know you are nearing the island of Grenada at the southern end of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean? You can smell the spices in the wind, for Grenada is truly the Spice Island as one of the leading world producer’s of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, allspice, orange and citrus peels and of course, nutmeg. Besides spices, Grenada is also a leading producer of coffee beans and cocoa, however it is the smell of the spices drifting in the trade winds that draw the sailors to the shores of the southern tropical island of Grenada.

Grenada – Spice Plantation

Grenada is the second largest producer of nutmeg in the world after the Banda Islands, once home to the East Indies Trading Company in the 1600′s and where nutmeg was first founded. In the 1800′s nutmeg seeds were transported to Grenada where the crop flourished with trees over 70 feet tall. The nutmeg tree requires certain soil conditions, conditions which are exactly that of the soil on Grenada, and so nutmeg trees grow in abundance on this island, with their cool leafy canopy providing excellent shade for growing the cocao tree which thrives just under the nutmeg tree canopy.

Nutmeg has been highly prized for centuries, and finding a better route to the Far East in search of the nutmeg was one of the incentives of Columbus to undertake the famous voyages of discovery. Once thought to have many curative powers, nutmeg is now usually found in cookery, and on the island of Grenada, expect the nutmeg to be grated into almost everything including rum punches, sweet and savory sauces, jams, and desserts. In fact a household without several nutmeg nuts and a grater is not a truly Grenadian home.

Grenada – Spice Plantation Building

The nutmeg nut grows as the center of a fruit that resembles a small peach appearing after the tree flowers with small yellow fragrant flowers. Often the fruit peel is used in jams and jellies. The nut itself is in the center and is encased in a thin brown shell with a waxy red overlay called mace. The mace is separated from the brown nut shell, dried and also used as a spice with a stronger flavor than grated nutmeg. Break the brown shell and inside is the nutmeg nut, which is a solid nut and prized. Grating the nut produces fresh nutmeg powder, which has a very different flavor than the powdered nutmeg sold in canisters in the store and everyone should try true grated nutmeg grated fresh from the nut. Don’t leave Grenada without your own supply of nutmeg nuts, mace and of course a nutmeg grater to bring home your own bit of the taste and smell of the Caribbean Spice Island of Grenada.

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