Sailboat Charter in the Grenadines

Weather in the Grenadines

The Grenadines have a tropical climate year-round typical of the Caribbean. The 8 hours of sunshine are consistent throughout the islands. The weather conditions do not differ drastically between the northern and southern islands however there is one noteworthy difference, rainfall. The northern islands receive on average 97mm to 305mm of rainfall per year whereas the southern islands receive roughly 55mm to 200 mm annually. The southern islands are also warmer during the dry months. The drier months are from February to April then from June to November rainfall is intense as it is officially hurricane season. The Grenadines are in the southernmost part of the hurricane belt, so they rarely experience hurricanes. The average temperatures during the colder months are between 21℃ to 23℃ and 25℃ to 30℃ during the hotter months. Sailing the leeward side of the islands is usually calm and enjoyable. The prevailing winds are from the Northeast so naturally you should start somewhere north and sail south on your sailboat charter in the Grenadines.

Popular uninhabited islands

Most of the islands in the Grenadines aren’t inhabited, making them a favorite among sailors and divers alike because they are only accessible by boat. The most revered is Tobago Cays. There are 5 cays that make up this extraordinary marine park. The marine park is owned by the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The cays are famous because of their rare underwater landscape, white sand beaches, and marine life. One of the islands Petit Tabac, was the filming location for the Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. Petit Nevis, just off the coast of Bequia, is also very famous for it’s whaling history. The first whaling station in the Caribbean opened on the island in 1886. It is now closed, and a new station has been opened just off the coast of Bequia, Semple Cay. However, the remains of the ramp that whales were brought onto and the ovens used to heat copper are still visible on the island today. Visit Ronde Island during your sailboat charter in the Grenadines. It is a popular diving site because of the unspoiled reefs. There are 8 dive sites at Ronde Island. Sister Rocks is a group of rocks where divers can find a cave along with star and brain coral. Rhone reef is a smaller barrier reef made from large coral stars and brain corals, it is home to turtles, rays, and Caribbean reef fishes. Underwater rumbling is often heard, produced by Kick Em’ Jenny, an active submarine volcano, just 2 miles west of the island. Take a stop in Isle a Quatre during your sailboat charter in the Grenadines to explore the 376-acre island just thirty minutes from Bequia. The island once was a source of white cedar for shipbuilding in Bequia and other islands in the Grenadines. Undeveloped and undisturbed by industrialism, you can have lunch on the beach all by yourself. After lunch, snorkel the reefs and be surprised by the amount of rare fauna hiding in the beautiful sea fans and brain coral.

Boat Building history in the Grenadines

The Grenadines have a long tradition of boat building. Specifically, in Bequia, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique the tradition of boat building is still alive today. In Bequia, during the 19th century many of the settlers left on the island were shipwrights and they began to build boats using Bequia’s white cedar. The shipwrights began producing whaling boats and later schooners. It became one of the premier boat and ship builders in the Grenadines. The largest wooden ship to be built in the West Indies was built on Belmont Beach in Bequia., the ‘Gloria Colita’. The schooner “Friendship Rose” was built in 1969 and now runs charters to Tobago Cays and Mustique. In Windward, a village in Carriacou, ship building started in 1783 when Scottish boat builders were brought by the English to build fishing and cargo boats. The craftsmanship and techniques used by boatbuilders today mirrors that of their ancestors. The boats are built using Caribbean white cedar from the rainforests of Grenada. In Petit Martinique, boat building is a special community project. The boats are built from the local cedar and recently marine plywood. During your sailboat charter in the Grenadines, many of the speedboats and cargo boats you will see going back and forth between islands were built on the shores.