Grenada

Grenada sits at the southern end of the Windward Islands, far enough south — 12 degrees north latitude — to fall below the main hurricane belt. This geography extends the charter season into July, when islands further north are shutting down, and gives Grenada a useful role as a hurricane-season refuge for cruising yachts transiting the Caribbean. The charter base concentrates around the south coast. Port Louis Marina, in the lagoon at St George's, provides a modern facility adjacent to one of the Caribbean's most picturesque capitals — a hillside of colourful buildings above a horseshoe harbour, with the spice market, a fish market, and Fort George providing a morning's exploration. True Blue Bay and Le Phare Bleu, further east along the south coast, offer alternative departure points. The west coast, in the lee of the island's mountainous interior, provides the cruising ground. Halifax Harbour, Dragon Bay, and Moliniere Bay — the latter home to an underwater sculpture park by Jason deCaires Taylor — lie within a short day's sailing north from St George's. The anchorages are calm, the water clear, and the reef snorkelling reliable. North from Grenada, the passage to Carriacou — 23 miles across the Grenada Channel — is the main offshore crossing. Carriacou, a smaller island with a strong boatbuilding tradition and an annual regatta, provides good anchorages at Tyrrel Bay and Sandy Island. Petite Martinique, smaller still, completes the Grenadian chain before the Grenadines begin. Grenada's culinary identity is built on spice. Nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cloves, and cocoa grow across the island's interior, and the Saturday market in St George's is fragrant with them. The island's chocolate — produced from local cacao by several small manufacturers — has gained international recognition. For provisioning, the IGA supermarket near the marina covers standard needs, supplemented by the market for fresh produce. Fuel and water are available at Port Louis Marina and the south-coast facilities. The sailing is not demanding — the west coast is sheltered, distances are short, and the trade winds are lighter here than further north. Grenada suits families, first-time Caribbean charterers, and anyone who values a gentler pace over the intensity of the Grenadines passages.