Grenada is a perfect example of a Caribbean island. There’s sun, sea and sand and so much more besides.

ST GEORGE’S

The new mooring field at St George’s is well maintained with an online payment system. Moorings are $15US per night and it’s just a short dinghy ride into one of many dinghy docks in or near the marina. There is a chandlery (Island Water World) on shore and several other services nearby (including Wholesale Yacht Parts who can ship in boat parts for you).

GRAND MAL

Just north of St George’s, you can anchor at Grand Mal, just to the South of the local boats. The bottom has lots of dead coral and rocks so there’s not great holding but it’s very well protected from the hills nearby. The wind is often minimal here but you can swing 360 degrees. You can take your dinghy round the corner to the Underwater Sculpture Trail and there are a few moorings if you want to move your boat closer. Many day boats visit this area with snorkelers and it’s a fascinating excursion to see the sculptures (mostly about 5-10m deep).

MOURNE ROUGE

A small anchorage, there is only space for three boats. The wind comes in from all directions so you need plenty of swing room. It’s a beautiful anchorage but not very well protected from swell.

PRICKLY BAY

Next to Spice Island Marine, Prickly Bay is a large bay that is very popular with cruisers. It is quite deep (10-12m) and can get very rolly from a Southerly swell, particularly on the outer edges of the bay. There is a chandlery (Budget Marine) and a restaurant on shore with a dinghy dock and you can take your trash into the boatyard for a small fee. There are buses over to St George’s but you need to walk along to the main road to the bus route.

WOBURN BAY

Another popular anchorage, Woburn has many bays all interconnected. Clarke’s Court boatyard has a dinghy dock and a restaurant (which holds a weekly Farmer’s Market at 10am on Wednesdays) and there are two dinghy docks on the opposite shore that give access to Treasure Trove (a secondhand marine consignment store) and a sailmakers, as well as a path that leads up to the road where the Number 2 bus will take you into St George’s for $2.50EC.

On Hog Island, there is live music every Friday night in Roger’s Bar and there are also plenty of social gatherings in La Phare Bleu – you can dinghy through the cut past Calving Island, keeping close to the reef markers to make sure you don’t run aground.

There are plenty of reefs at the entrance to Woburn but the markers are all accurate and the channel is safe to use. The area is usually well protected, although it is quite a deep anchorage (10-12m).

RONDE ISLAND

A small island to the north of Grenada is a great stopover on your way to Carriacou. It is a small, uninhabited rocky island with fantastic diving. You can take your dinghy to shore and land it on one of the sandy beaches. There is also a hiking trail marked on the stony beach on the north end of the bay which leads over the hill to a beautiful white sandy beach on the North of the island. You can follow the path onto the East coast but the beach is not as picturesque. The trail is short but quite steep and it’s difficult to land your dinghy on the rocks. Stern anchoring and perhaps swimming to the rocky beach might be easier.

CARRIACOU

The smaller island of Carriacou, to the north of Grenada, is a hotspot for cruisers during hurricane season. There are two boatyards in Tyrell Bay and plenty of space for hundreds of boats. The local supermarket and bars along the beach serve the community well and you can also take a bus to the nearby town of Hillsborough ($2.50EC) where more stores and services are placed.

You can clear into the country at Carriacou Marine, although the customs and immigration officers are often at the airport so you may face a bit of a wait. There is also a small fuel dock here.

Sandy Island is well worth a visit for the pristine sandy beach and clear waters. You can moor right next to the island and snorkel the reef to the north, although there can be a bit of swell in the channel. Paradise Beach Club is a beautiful spot for brunch and their Sip n Paint events are a great way to leave your mark as you paint your boat name on their wall of fame!

Tim’s BBQ on the beach at Anse La Roche is not to be missed. You can anchor in the calm waters of the bay and dinghy right up onto the beach. Everything here has been built by hand, brought in by boat and beautifully designed for a perfect beach experience. Tiki torches light the thatched huts on the sand where you can sip on cocktails as the sun goes down. The wooden bar is next to the BBQs where Tim cooks huuuuge lobster to perfection! 

EXPLORING INLAND

With so much on offer, there are many inland tours which will take you to the famous sites – a cocoa plantation, a rum distillery, the rainforest and the beach. We found this is a good way to get a sense of the island as a whole but it can be a tiring day trying to do it all!

WATERFALLS

We love exploring nature and so hiking to a waterfall was high on our list and there are loads to choose from. We visited Concord Waterfall and enjoyed a swim in the cool waters as well as the opportunity to buy a few locally made items from the gift shop at the top.

OLD AIRPORT

If you drive up to the North East of the island you can visit the old airport. There are two planes left in the grass which you can wander around and explore. One is a large passenger plane which still has a few seats inside. The windows are busted out and you can peek right inside the main cabin as well as the cockpit. Someone has even decorated the wings with colourful bunting!

There’s also a bi-plane with its old propellers and two sets of wings. There are no barriers or ticket offices so you are free to just wander through the field and get as close as you like to these pieces of history. Fascinating to get up close and have a good look around. And rumour has it the old runway is now used for drag racing!

RAINFOREST

You don’t have to travel very far from the coast to find yourself in the heart of Grenada’s rainforest. There are lakes to walk around, paths to hike and even monkeys to feed. If you’re lucky, the Monkey Man will hold out some small bananas and call the mona monkeys down from the tree tops.

His careful placement of the fruit and his specialised call invites the animals to crawl along your arms, over your head and round your shoulders to reach their prize. A small tip is gratefully received by the Monkey Man and it’s well worth it for the experience of getting up so close and personal with these wild animals.

SPICE ISLAND

Grenada is known as the spice island and their major export is nutmeg. There is a Spice Shop on the hill outside of St George’s with fabulous views over the tree tops, plenty of local treats to buy and you can even have a demonstration of how nutmeg is harvested and used.

We learned a lot about this versatile plant and it’s many uses – I never knew the centre of the nut is the part that gets ground up and used to flavour food but the red aril surround can also be used as a preservative as well as the fruit being turned into jam!

HOUSE OF CHOCOLATE

A surprise find, we stumbled across the House of Chocolate in St George’s one day. It is a very small, unassuming building with a tiny entrance but inside is beautiful. One half of the space is filled with signs and props that explain the history of chocolate and its production in Grenada and there’s even a few machines where you can try grinding your own cocoa beans. 

If you’d rather leave the chocolate making up to the professionals, there’s an array of treats for sale from flavoured chocolates and cakes to ice creams and milkshakes, all very reasonably priced. 

And beyond that, there are also some local crafts for sale – jewellery, clothing and souvenirs all locally produced and supporting local artists. It’s quite a wonderful space and we highly recommend a visit if you’re nearby!

TRADITIONAL OILDOWN

If you really want to experience local culture in Grenada, you need to find yourself an oildown. These community meals are prepared for hours and the social scene seems to last all day. The chef will start early in the morning by placing a huge pan over a fire and filling it with all sorts of meat and vegetables. Mars, who cooked for us, started preparing at 5am and chopped up 15 breadfruit and what seemed like hundreds of coconuts. At lunchtime, people came to eat at his shop or take portions away, and the party lasted well into the evening.

When we asked Mars what other ingredients were in the food he talked about ocra and dumplings as well as meats including pork, chicken and fish! The breadfruit made the food very heavy so none of us managed to eat a full portion but we were more than glad to take it home for lunch the next day. 

As the celebrations continued past sunset, the drinks started flowing and Mars was good enough to let us in on a little Grenadian secret. Every bar makes their own alcohol, called Under The Counter. A range of herbs and spices are added to a large glass jar and then it is filled with rum. Usually a scorpion or a centipede is also added. The jar is left to mature and then shots are served to enquiring customers.

As every bar makes their own, the mix of spices is different every time and we are led to believe that the presence of a scorpion can be an indicator that there are more potent ingredients added to the mix. Locals often ask to taste the Under The Counter but be warned – it is usually VERY strong and should be tried with caution!

RECOMMENDATION

Grenada has a rich cultural heritage and there are lots of important places to visit on land while you are there. Local busses run frequently for just EC$7 although you will need to rent a car or organise a tour if you want to reach some of the places further inland or off the beaten path.

Many cruisers live in Grenada year-round and many more visit annually during Hurricane Season as it is outside the hurricane belt which covers the islands further north. For this reason, there is a great sense of community here, particularly at Halloween and Christmas when fancy dress parties and dinghy-trick-or-treating take place in Woburn Bay.

Whenever you have a chance to visit Grenada, get ready for a true Caribbean experience full of colour, wildlife and culture. It really does have everything – don’t miss out!