We're doing a bareboat charter in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. It's our
2nd charter in the Caribbean (1st was in BVI), a few details about our plans
is below.

1) How is the availability of moorings? Is it primarily anchoring?

2) I've read some alarming reports about crime in St. Vincent. Any
suggestions or experiences you'd like to share? Places to avoid?

3) Any particular "must sees" or "could skip" suggestions?

4) We didn't have to deal with boat boys in BVI. Is this going to be
hassle?

5) We're going at the end of rainy season. Any comments?

6) Should we take the time for a land tour of St. Vincent?

7) We are scuba divers. Any particular recommendations on sites or dive
operators to use or avoid?

8) Did I ask the right questions??

Thanks

__________________________________________________ __

We're chartering with Sunsail out of Blue Lagoon, St. Vincent. We're going
the first half of October. Yes, I know it is still hurricane season but
it's our only opportunity. We took most of the hurricane season discount
and applied to a super insurance policy that let's us cancel in the event of
a named storm and is a very solid policy. It's just my wife and I (double
handing) on a Sun 35. We have solid and current sailing skills, we're not
experts. We have the boat for 10 days and we're staying one night in the
Lagoon Hotel.

We bareboated out of Martinique, and sailed south to Grenada about 10 years
ago. The boat boys were a nusance, but nothing was stolen, nor was the
harrassment very high. We took the trouble to close the hatches that were
below deck level, as boat boys were reported to reach inside them when tied
alongside (and I would encourage you to do the same).
A must is 'Lambies' on Union Island - the steel band jump up starts as 7:30
pm and shouldn't be missed. The skipper eats free (at least he does on a 50
footer) and the lobster is delicious. Have a look in the bar, and notice all
the pirates and other flotsam that seem to inhabit the place - words can't
describe the scene!
A miss is Carriacou Island, however if you skip the place (we cleared
customs there) you will miss interesting things like this story:
We went ashore while the skipper cleared customs (he had to go to the
airport), and (yes, it was probably illegal, but no one was watching) we
were directed to get ice. So we went into this bar and asked about ice, and
were told to go next door (I was glad they didn't have any - that place was
dirty). We walked into a fairly clean place, was asked for ice, and this
little old lady walked back to the deep freeze, pulled out a one gallon
plastic bucket, and dumped the contents (a one gallon piece of ice) on the
floor. I said, 'Do you have a box?' and she got a cardboard box, put the ice
in it, and off we went (after paying). I used to tell the story better after
a few 'painkillers'.

"news.rand.org" wrote in message
...
We're doing a bareboat charter in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. It's our
2nd charter in the Caribbean (1st was in BVI), a few details about our
plans is below.

1) How is the availability of moorings? Is it primarily anchoring?

2) I've read some alarming reports about crime in St. Vincent. Any
suggestions or experiences you'd like to share? Places to avoid?

3) Any particular "must sees" or "could skip" suggestions?

4) We didn't have to deal with boat boys in BVI. Is this going to be
hassle?

5) We're going at the end of rainy season. Any comments?

6) Should we take the time for a land tour of St. Vincent?

7) We are scuba divers. Any particular recommendations on sites or dive
operators to use or avoid?

8) Did I ask the right questions??

Thanks

__________________________________________________ __

We're chartering with Sunsail out of Blue Lagoon, St. Vincent. We're
going the first half of October. Yes, I know it is still hurricane season
but it's our only opportunity. We took most of the hurricane season
discount and applied to a super insurance policy that let's us cancel in
the event of a named storm and is a very solid policy. It's just my wife
and I (double handing) on a Sun 35. We have solid and current sailing
skills, we're not experts. We have the boat for 10 days and we're staying
one night in the Lagoon Hotel.

On the southwestern corner of Mayreau Island is the wreck of a WWI gunboat.
The water is particularly clear, and the location is marked with a white
buoy. And there might be a cruise ship nearby to help ID the place. I was
able to snorkle the wreck w/o tanks and found it very interesting, and worth
the stop.
I looked up the location with Google Earth, and put it at:
12 Degrees 38 minutes 04 seconds North and
61 Degrees 24 minutes 19 seconds West.
Unfortunately, the wreck is not in a 'high def' area, so you can't see it
with Google Earth (which is a free program, and worth the time to download
it).

"pe.rhodes" wrote in message
...
We bareboated out of Martinique, and sailed south to Grenada about 10
years ago. The boat boys were a nusance, but nothing was stolen, nor was
the harrassment very high. We took the trouble to close the hatches that
were below deck level, as boat boys were reported to reach inside them
when tied alongside (and I would encourage you to do the same).
A must is 'Lambies' on Union Island - the steel band jump up starts as
7:30 pm and shouldn't be missed. The skipper eats free (at least he does
on a 50 footer) and the lobster is delicious. Have a look in the bar, and
notice all the pirates and other flotsam that seem to inhabit the place -
words can't describe the scene!
A miss is Carriacou Island, however if you skip the place (we cleared
customs there) you will miss interesting things like this story:
We went ashore while the skipper cleared customs (he had to go to the
airport), and (yes, it was probably illegal, but no one was watching) we
were directed to get ice. So we went into this bar and asked about ice,
and were told to go next door (I was glad they didn't have any - that
place was dirty). We walked into a fairly clean place, was asked for ice,
and this little old lady walked back to the deep freeze, pulled out a one
gallon plastic bucket, and dumped the contents (a one gallon piece of ice)
on the floor. I said, 'Do you have a box?' and she got a cardboard box,
put the ice in it, and off we went (after paying). I used to tell the
story better after a few 'painkillers'.

"news.rand.org" wrote in message
...
We're doing a bareboat charter in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. It's our
2nd charter in the Caribbean (1st was in BVI), a few details about our
plans is below.

1) How is the availability of moorings? Is it primarily anchoring?

2) I've read some alarming reports about crime in St. Vincent. Any
suggestions or experiences you'd like to share? Places to avoid?

3) Any particular "must sees" or "could skip" suggestions?

4) We didn't have to deal with boat boys in BVI. Is this going to be
hassle?

5) We're going at the end of rainy season. Any comments?

6) Should we take the time for a land tour of St. Vincent?

7) We are scuba divers. Any particular recommendations on sites or dive
operators to use or avoid?

8) Did I ask the right questions??

Thanks

__________________________________________________ __

We're chartering with Sunsail out of Blue Lagoon, St. Vincent. We're
going the first half of October. Yes, I know it is still hurricane
season but it's our only opportunity. We took most of the hurricane
season discount and applied to a super insurance policy that let's us
cancel in the event of a named storm and is a very solid policy. It's
just my wife and I (double handing) on a Sun 35. We have solid and
current sailing skills, we're not experts. We have the boat for 10 days
and we're staying one night in the Lagoon Hotel.

Thank you!

The wreck is shown on the chart in the cruising guide I just received.