Extra: Sailing from Saint Lucia to Grenada
We went on a two-week sailing trip aboard a 22 m two-masted yacht, starting in Saint Lucia and ending in Grenada. Along the way we visited Saint Vincent and ten islands of the Grenadines. It is one of those routes that looks almost too easy on a map: a string of green islands dropping south through blue water. At sea, however, the gaps between the islands are open Atlantic passages, the trade wind can strengthen abruptly around the headlands, and every anchorage has its own character. That contrast is exactly what makes the trip memorable.
The Sailing Yacht
The yacht was the SY Barbarella. At the time of the trip, the owners described her as a modern 22 m aluminium offshore yacht with two masts and a sail area of 288 sq m. She had four double cabins, two bathrooms and an Italian-style interior, with meals prepared on board. This description is retained as historical information from the time of the voyage rather than as a statement about the yacht's current equipment or ownership.
The Route
| Start | Rodney Bay Marina, Saint Lucia. |
|---|---|
| Saint Lucia | Rodney Bay → Marigot Bay → Soufrière. |
| Saint Vincent | Soufrière → Saint Vincent. |
| Grenadines | Saint Vincent → Mustique → Bequia → Tobago Cays → Mayreau → Union Island → Palm Island → Petit St Vincent → Petite Martinique. |
| Grenada | Petite Martinique → Carriacou → Sandy Island → St. George's. |
| End | St. George's, Grenada. |
The order reflects our original voyage. Sailors planning the same general journey today often choose a slightly different sequence according to wind, sea state, clearance formalities and how much time they want in the Tobago Cays. Forum contributors regularly advise against turning the trip into a race from island to island. A nine- or ten-day itinerary may technically cover the route, but two weeks gives the islands room to breathe.
Why Southbound Is the Pleasant Direction
The prevailing trade winds in this part of the Caribbean usually blow from the northeast through east to southeast. That generally favours a southbound voyage from Saint Lucia toward Grenada. The islands themselves complicate the simple picture. Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent are high enough to create large wind shadows on their western sides, followed by acceleration zones where the wind pours around the northern and southern ends of the islands. One moment the sails can be hanging in the lee; a few miles later the boat is heeling hard in stronger wind and Atlantic swell.
Experienced cruisers describe the passages between the Windward Islands as genuine open-ocean sailing rather than protected island-hopping. The sea has a long Atlantic fetch, and the channels north and south of Saint Vincent can become uncomfortable when wind, swell and current oppose one another. A useful lesson repeated in the forums is simple: reef before the acceleration zone, not after it. The same sailors who praise the route as some of the finest sailing in the Caribbean also warn that it is not the ideal place to learn basic boat handling for the first time.
Rodney Bay: The Last Easy Place to Organise Everything
Rodney Bay is a practical starting point because it combines a sheltered marina with provisioning, fuel and yacht services. Sailors in German and English forums repeatedly mention Rodney Bay as one of the better-equipped stops in the southern Windwards. That matters because supplies become less predictable as the route moves through the smaller Grenadine islands. A recurring piece of cruising advice is to buy the less romantic things before departure: drinking water, breakfast food, spare batteries, sunscreen, basic medicines and enough provisions to remain at anchor for several days if a place turns out to be too beautiful to leave.
Marigot Bay and Soufrière: Saint Lucia from the Water
Marigot Bay is compact, steep-sided and almost hidden from the sea until the entrance opens. Forum sailors often describe it as a pleasant stop with limited technical services compared with Rodney Bay. Farther south, Soufrière and the Pitons provide one of the classic sailing views of the Caribbean. From the water the two volcanic spires rise almost directly behind the coast, giving the approach a scale that photographs rarely convey.
The Soufrière coast is managed as a marine area and yachts should use authorised moorings or follow current local instructions rather than simply drop an anchor wherever convenient. Boatmen may approach arriving yachts offering assistance. The best practical advice from experienced cruisers is neither to fear them nor to accept every service automatically: agree on the task and the price before anyone starts handling lines or arranging transport.
The Longer Passage toward Saint Vincent
Once south of the Pitons, the next stretch feels different. The open channel to Saint Vincent is long enough for the rhythm of a real sea passage to develop. Sailors describe days when the trade wind provides fast reaching conditions and others when the combination of swell and current makes the trip much harder than the chart suggests. As the high northern end of Saint Vincent approaches, the wind can accelerate suddenly around the island.
Many charter crews now sail directly toward Bequia instead of stopping on Saint Vincent itself. That is partly a matter of time and partly personal preference. Wallilabou and other west-coast bays have enthusiastic local boatmen, and forum experiences range from helpful and friendly to persistent and irritating. Petty theft has also been reported over the years. If stopping, the sensible approach is to use current cruising information, secure the dinghy and outboard, agree prices in advance and avoid leaving attractive equipment in the cockpit overnight.
Bequia: The Island Sailors Keep Recommending
If there is one island that repeatedly survives every forum argument, it is Bequia. Admiralty Bay gives visiting yachts a proper harbour town rather than a resort constructed around yachts. Port Elizabeth is walkable, provisioning is relatively easy, waterfront restaurants and small bars line the bay, and the island still has a strong boatbuilding tradition. Several long-time cruisers simply call Bequia one of their favourite Caribbean islands.
The danger here is not the navigation but the calendar. Sailors planning a one-night stop often stay two or three. That is why the most useful forum advice about Bequia is not a restaurant recommendation but a warning: leave spare days in the itinerary. The island is also an official port of entry for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which makes it a logical place to complete clearance when arriving from Saint Lucia.
Mustique: Beautiful, Expensive and Not Everyone's Favourite
Mustique divides sailors. Some enjoy the immaculate island, famous houses and polished beach bars; others feel that the Grenadines become more interesting again as soon as they leave. Forum reports also disagree about the anchorage: some crews have found it comfortable, while others complain about rolling swell. That difference is a useful reminder that anchorage reputation is never independent of the weather on the day.
For a first passage through the Grenadines, Mustique is therefore a choice rather than an obligation. If the aim is celebrity history and an unusually manicured private-island atmosphere, it is distinctive. If the priority is reefs, village life and long quiet anchorages, many sailors would spend the time elsewhere.
Tobago Cays: The Place Everyone Says Not to Rush
The strongest consensus in the forum reports concerns the Tobago Cays. Sailors who disagree about almost everything else repeatedly describe the cays as the essential stop. Horseshoe Reef encloses shallow turquoise water around Petit Bateau, Petit Rameau, Baradal and Jamesby, with Petit Tabac lying outside the main reef. Green turtles feed in the seagrass, and snorkeling can begin almost from the boat.
The cays reward time rather than mileage. Two or three nights allow the anchorage to change with the light: bright reef colours in the morning, trade-wind chop in the afternoon, then an anchorage full of mast lights after sunset. Local boat vendors may arrive with bread, fish, ice, T-shirts or offers of a beach barbecue. For some visitors this is part of the character of the Grenadines; for others it can feel persistent. A friendly but clear “no, thank you” works better than irritation.
The current marine-park rule is more precise than some older forum posts suggest. Yachts should use moorings where provided or anchor only over suitable sandy bottom in designated areas, never on coral or seagrass. Fishing is prohibited in the protected zone, and lobster should not be bought during the closed season from 1 May through 31 August. Park and mooring fees are used for management of the reserve.
Mayreau: Five Miles Can Change the Mood Completely
Mayreau is close enough to the Tobago Cays for the move to feel almost lazy. Salt Whistle Bay is one of the famous postcard anchorages of the Grenadines, but fame has a price: it can become crowded. Saline Bay is the obvious alternative. Sailors who walk up through the village are rewarded with broad views over the reef and islands, and many forum contributors rank Mayreau almost as highly as the cays themselves.
This is a good place to understand why rushing the route makes little sense. On a chart the Grenadines are close together. The real pleasure is not covering the distance but stopping long enough to see how different two islands only a few miles apart can feel.
Union Island: Clifton or Chatham Bay
Union Island offers two very different experiences. Clifton is busy, useful for supplies and important for customs and immigration. Chatham Bay on the western side is much quieter, with a broad beach and high hills behind it. Sailors often recommend Chatham for the anchorage and Clifton for practical business.
Union Island was badly hit by Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. Cruisers returning in 2025 reported visible destruction and ongoing rebuilding, but also beaches, anchorages and local businesses operating again. By 2026 the island should be approached neither as a disaster zone nor as if nothing happened. Tourism money matters to the recovery, but current information on individual restaurants, jetties and services is more reliable than any pre-2024 cruising guide.
Palm Island, Petit St Vincent and Petite Martinique
These short hops demonstrate how quickly national borders and island personalities change in the southern Grenadines. Palm Island and Petit St Vincent are small resort islands. Visiting sailors have reported very different reactions to Petit St Vincent, from memorable lunches and cocktails to a feeling that the atmosphere is too exclusive. Again, the useful conclusion is not that one report is right and another wrong; it is that the island suits some travellers better than others.
Petite Martinique belongs to Grenada, which means that the informal sense of sailing through one island chain should not obscure the legal border. A yacht leaving Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for Grenadian waters must complete the proper clearance procedures. Forum discussions contain old anecdotes about crews ignoring formalities. That is poor advice. Clear out and clear in correctly.
Carriacou and Tyrell Bay
Carriacou has long been a favourite among cruising sailors because it feels more like a working island with yachts than a yacht destination created for visitors. Tyrell Bay offers anchoring, marine services and an entry point into Grenada. Forum contributors also point toward Windward on the eastern side of the island, where the tradition of building wooden Carriacou sloops survived into the modern era.
Hurricane Beryl passed directly over Carriacou in July 2024 and caused catastrophic damage. Sailing reports from early 2025 described wrecked boats still visible around Tyrell Bay and widespread rebuilding, while later reports showed cruising life returning. The recovery itself has become part of the contemporary story of the island. Anyone sailing there now should check current marina, customs and shore-service information rather than relying on memories from before the storm.
Sandy Island: A Small Stop Worth Making
Sandy Island, just off Carriacou, appears repeatedly in sailors' favourite-stop lists. It is little more than a thin strip of sand and vegetation surrounded by clear water, which is exactly the attraction. In settled conditions it can provide the kind of swim-and-snorkel stop that makes an ambitious itinerary suddenly seem unnecessary.
The Final Run to Grenada
The passage from Carriacou to Grenada again exposes the yacht to open water. Sailors discuss two broad choices. The eastern route gives more reliable trade wind and can provide excellent sailing, while the western side of Grenada brings the boat into the island's wind shadow and may require more motoring. The correct choice depends on wind, swell, destination and crew.
Grenada's underwater volcano Kick-'em-Jenny lies between Grenada and Carriacou. Its exclusion zone can change with volcanic activity, so no static travel page should give a permanent waypoint or fixed safe distance. Before the passage, check the current alert level and navigational notices. That is one of the clearest examples on this route of why a travel story and a nautical pilot are not the same thing.
Approaching St. George's brings a final change of scale. After the small Grenadine islands, Grenada feels large and mountainous. The voyage ends in a proper capital, with the horseshoe-shaped Carenage, markets, roads disappearing into the interior and enough yacht services to deal with whatever two weeks at sea have revealed.
Boat Vendors: Part of the Route, Not Just a Nuisance
One detail appears in many sailing accounts from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: small local boats approaching yachts before they have even finished anchoring. They may offer help with a stern line, fruit, bread, fish, ice, souvenirs, taxi rides or lobster barbecues. The experience depends heavily on attitude and expectations. Some sailors find the approaches intrusive; others develop lasting relationships with reliable boatmen.
The best rule is practical: decide what you want, agree on a price before the service begins, pay fairly for work actually performed, and say no clearly when you do not need anything. An arriving yacht represents income in islands where formal employment can be limited. At the same time, buying something out of discomfort helps neither side.
Clearance: The Invisible Borders between Beautiful Islands
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada are different countries. The sea makes the chain look continuous, but customs and immigration do not. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines requires arriving yachts to proceed to a designated port of entry before cruising onward; Bequia and Union Island are among the useful clearance points. Grenada has its own entry procedures, including a clearance facility in the Carriacou area for yachts arriving from the north.
Paperwork changes more quickly than geography. Use current official information or a recent cruising guide immediately before departure. Old forum posts are excellent for discovering anchorages and understanding what sailors enjoy; they are poor substitutes for current immigration, customs or marine-park rules.
What Sailors Repeatedly Recommend
| Do not rush | The most repeated advice is to visit fewer islands and stay longer. Bequia, Mayreau and especially the Tobago Cays reward spare days. |
|---|---|
| Expect real sea passages | The gaps between the high Windward Islands can have strong trade winds, Atlantic swell, gusts and current. This is more exposed than sailing in the BVI. |
| Reef early | Wind acceleration around the ends of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent can arrive quickly. |
| Provision before the cays | Water, food and fuel are easier to organise in the larger centres than in the Tobago Cays and small islands. |
| Secure the dinghy | Long-time cruisers routinely advise locking the dinghy and outboard at night and lifting them when practical. |
| Arrive with daylight | Reef-fringed anchorages and unfamiliar moorings are much easier to read in good light. |
| Respect the reef | Use moorings where provided and never drop an anchor on coral or seagrass. |
| Keep the itinerary flexible | Weather, swell, crowded anchorages and simple enjoyment are all good reasons to change the plan. |
After Hurricane Beryl
Any modern account of the southern Grenadines has to acknowledge Hurricane Beryl. On 1 July 2024 the storm devastated Union Island and Carriacou and badly damaged other nearby islands. Sailing reports from 2025 describe the uncomfortable sight of wrecked yachts and damaged buildings alongside beaches, anchorages and local businesses gradually returning to life. For visitors, the most useful response is neither disaster tourism nor avoidance. Spend money locally, ask what is open now, and understand that a restaurant or jetty remembered from an older cruising guide may no longer exist in the same form.
Two Weeks Is About Right
Forum sailors have completed Saint Lucia to Grenada in much less time. That proves it can be done, not that it should be. The islands are close enough to tempt you into collecting them. The better journey is the one that leaves time to abandon the schedule: another night in Admiralty Bay because nobody wants to leave, a second morning among turtles in the Tobago Cays, an unplanned swim at Sandy Island, or simply an afternoon when the anchor stays down because the wind is up.
The route succeeds because the sailing and the islands keep changing. Saint Lucia is high and volcanic. Bequia is a harbour island. The Tobago Cays are reef and sky. Mayreau is tiny and inhabited. Union feels rougher and more practical. Carriacou belongs to a different country and carries a strong boatbuilding tradition. Grenada finally brings mountains, roads and city life back into view. Two weeks are enough to understand the pattern, but not enough to exhaust it.
Expanded and reviewed: 26 August 2026.