When they say the Grenadines are «the paradise of sailing», they are right. Sailing is a pleasure, driven by the gentle (but sometimes also imperious) breath of the trade wind among a myriad of islands all different from one another: from the green and volcanic St Lucia and St Vincent, through the unforgettable lagoon of the Tobago Cays, to the typical postcard beaches (white, very fine sand, palm trees, sea in incredible shades) of the southern islands of the archipelago (Pam Island, Petit St Vincent..).
Finally the day x, the day of our departure for Martinique. From there we will board the Sideral, a 17-metre monohull sailing boat to sail towards the Grenadines. We chose a monohull because we love sailing very much and the sensations that in our opinion a catamaran cannot give. The boat is a prototype built for cruising: it favours convivial spaces, has a large central cockpit where on our arrival we settle for a ti punch, a typical local aperitif made with rum, cane sugar and lime, the first of a long series. We arrive in Martinique in the afternoon, after a low-cost flight from Milan, a night in Paris (which is always Paris) and a flight on a French airline that doesn't seem to be sold in Italy but has interesting prices.
At the airport our skippers, an Italian-Martinican couple, were waiting for us. We really must thank the kindness, hospitality and experience of our two skippers who accompanied us with willingness and always gave us the necessary «tips». As for the organisational details, we tell you that we chose a cruise formula including galley and cooking service, so as to make the most of our 11 days of holiday, but that it is possible to take care of the shopping and cooking personally. Day 1. Our first sail, from Martinique to St Lucia, Rodney Bay, lasted almost 4 hours. The sea of the channel, where the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea meet, sometimes giving rise to a bit of roughness, was beautiful: waves of 1.5 metres, wind force 4/5, just enough to push our boat forward at an average of 9 knots.
In the evening we go ashore at Rodney Bay: lively, full of little bars and restaurants of every cuisine in the world. We choose an Indian restaurant and eat well, but spicy. A good night's rest awaits us in the quiet of the canal port, surrounded by beautiful colonial-style villas. Day 2. After the customs declarations we set off by collective taxi (minibuses of 8 passengers) towards Castries, the capital of the island. The taxi atmosphere is fantastic: loud reggae and friendly, smiling people. The market of Castries is what you imagine a Caribbean island market to be: messy, noisy, colourful. Exotic fruit, palm-leaf handicrafts, the smell of spices. Back on the Sideral we set sail for Marigot Bay, an oasis of peace, a bay set between sheer mountains and surrounded by mangroves.
The presence of American investors is evident (a large complex, fortunately well harmonised into the landscape), but the authentic little local restaurants by the sea remain, which in the evening come alive with live bands, accompanying our dinner on board. Tomorrow a long sail to Bequia awaits us. Day 3 Departure at 7 after breakfast for Bequia. We sail along the island of St Lucia up to the Pitons, two cones of impressive majesty, then we tackle the St Vincent channel, still clement, sail along St Vincent, meet a pod of dolphins that accompany us for a few minutes playing with the bow of the boat. We all take a turn at the helm like any self-respecting crew. Incredible, but on our arrival we still find energy and enthusiasm for a stroll ashore.
Bequia is a port of entry to the Grenadines, and an important stopover for local sailors: there are a bank, supermarkets, water and fuel, a fruit market, lots of pretty places to dine and the typical contrasting British/rasta atmosphere of the islands. We take a walk, eat an ice cream, return to the boat for a Lucullan dinner. Day 4 Bequia lived in the past, among other things, off whaling. Even today the activity is practised in a regulated way and with strictly traditional means (harpoon, etc).. We hire a pick-up for a tour of the island: they take us to the turtle farm, to the house of an old whaler in the style of «the old man and the sea», to a panoramic point from which the whole bay can be seen, and to a beautiful beach. After lunch departure for Mustique. We moor to the buoy (compulsory, to protect the seabed) and set off for the first snorkelling of the holiday.
Then, in the evening, an aperitif at the Basil Bar, a stilt house over the water, informal look, where we are served excellent cocktails. At the table we discuss: someone finds Mustique too «prissy»: grass cut to perfection, little Creole houses in pastel colours, etc..and then mega-villas for the rich…This doesn't stop us, after dinner, from returning to the Basil: tonight is Saturday and there's live music. Day 5: After a tour of the island in little golf-style cars we set off for the legendary Tobago Cays. What can I say? truly one of the most beautiful places I have seen… and on this point, my travel companions agree with me. We drop anchor in two metres of water and can do nothing but dive in. A myriad of colourful fish welcomes us...and we haven't even been to the reef yet, our skipper tells us…. For dinner half a lobster each, garlic potatoes, white wine and a dessert.
What more do you want from life? Day 6: Coral reef. We follow our skipper, who so far has never ceased to surprise us: now we confirm it, he is also a man/fish. He leads us swimming, attentive to everyone's difficulties, because there is a bit of current, up to the drop-off of the reef. Corals, fish of every size and colour, even a little shark. After an hour and a half we return to the boat in the tender, but we can't bring ourselves to get out of the water. We come close to sipping the traditional ti punch aperitif right in the sea. After lunch we set sail for Union Island, another supply stop. On Union Island music is omnipresent. The rasta culture here is more marked and the inhabitants are extremely kind. The island is colourful, sunny and offers beautiful viewpoints from which the sea really seems to contain every shade of green and blue. We spend the evening at Lambi's,.
Meeting place of the crews, it is a typical colourful restaurant, with a local flavour, enlivened by a noisy steel band, offering a self-service rich in local specialities of Creole cuisine, certainly not refined, but authentic and abundant. We ate, we drank, we danced, and we returned to the boat by tender when the restaurant closed. We were the last ones. The die-hards. Day 7 Departure for Petit St Vincent, a private island occupied by a honeymoon-style resort, with waters as beautiful as those of the Tobago Cays. An unmissable stop at Morpion, an atoll in the middle of the sea. I won't tell you anything. It's a surprise. At Petit St Vincent we continue our relaxing holiday and don't give up the aperitif ritual, this time on land, in the hotel bar, which they say makes the best piña coladas in the area.
Day 8 We set sail after breakfast, under sail, back towards Union, then Palm Island, with exceptional colours, towards Mayereau. The road home begins. After a stop in the beautiful Salt Whistley bay, we stop in the large bay furthest north, and once ashore, we walk towards the village at the top of the hill, where we have an aperitif accompanied by fried shrimps and the inevitable reggae music. Dinner on board,
Day 18 Mar 2006
Day 8 We set sail after breakfast, under sail, heading back toward Union, then Palm Island, with exceptional colours, toward Mayereau. The return journey begins. After a stop in the beautiful Salt Whistley bay, we stop in the large bay further north, and once ashore, we walk toward the village at the top of the hill, where we have an aperitif accompanied by fried prawns and the inevitable reggae music. Dinner on the boat, as always splendid and abundant, and well-deserved rest. Day 9 Given the proposed choice of pushing on to St Vincent or going back via Bequia, we choose Bequia. We feel like having dinner ashore, something we haven't done very often on this holiday, and it seems to us that Bequia can offer plenty of opportunities. The sea is lively, and for a good hour, coming out of Mayereau, we have head seas, and we have fun riding the waves, which don't spare us a constant shower.
Then, once past Canouan, the sea calms down, and finally, after attempt after attempt, we troll and catch a huge king fish. We're proud and satisfied with our performance, and, once in Bequia, we take the ritual photo on deck with our huge and envied fish. I say envied because the scene doesn't escape a group of Italians present in the place, who on the beach approach us to find out what, how, and when. But we don't give up our evening at the restaurant. The fish will end up on the barbecue tomorrow evening. Day 10 Departure at dawn for the long return crossing. By 12 we're already in sight of St Lucia, of the Pitons. A crossing of mixed fortunes: sun, rain, waves coming out of St Vincent (it seems to be the "hottest" point of the cruise), but nothing impresses us.
It feels like we're different people from those who set off 10 days ago: the boat no longer holds any secrets for us, and we feel like real sailors. At dinner we enjoy our catch, partly cooked on the barbecue, partly in the oven. What a satisfaction!! Day 11 return to Martinique. Tomorrow we have the return flight. We set sail early in the morning because we want to take advantage of a few beautiful bays in Martinique: our skipper again at Anse d'Arlet, a typical village on the Caribbean coast of the island, with intensely turquoise waters rich in coral for snorkelling. A turtle swims around the boat. What a marvel! Last evening on the boat: aperitif, dinner, music, digestif. We go to bed late and don't want to leave. It was a splendid cruise.
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