Latitude 38 October 2010

WORLD OF CHARTERING

agriculture, St. Lucia's most famous attractions for sailors are the twin toothlike peaks called the Pitons. Most sailors simply marvel at their verdant beauty from the comfort of their cockpits while anchored at nearby Soufriere Bay. But if you're fit and full of energy, a hike to the top of either pinnacle will give you a spectacular panoramic view.

The large, agricultural island of St. Vincent defines the northern end of the Grenadines. While lush and beautiful, its main attraction for sailors is its charter bases, located in the far south. The Grenadines themselves are a cluster of small islands and cays, renowned for easy sailing in protected waters, with short hops between anchorages.

Like the Virgin Islands to the north, the entire cluster of Grenadine islands, from Bequia in the north to Grenada in the south, are part of one broad archipelago, but somewhere along the line it got chopped in half. As a result, the relatively large island of Carriacou — where islanders still build hand-hewn sloops on the beach — is aligned with Grenada. Regardless of which end you start at,

LATITUDE / ANDY

The Eastern Caribbean is full of curious things, such as this rocky pinnacle near Antigua, which is officially named the Kingdom of Redonda.

it's easy to clear into and out of either country. And given enough time — 10 days or more — it would be wonderful to explore this entire string of gems in one direction or the other.

For us, the highlights here are kicking back in the tranquil anchorages and

friendly beach bars of Bequia, snorkeling on the massive reefs of the Tobago Cays, seeing if we can catch a glimpse of an international celeb at the uniquely upscale island of Mustique, and watching the shipwrights practice their ancient artistry on Carriacou.

Grenada itself is a charming island with one of the most beautiful harbors — St. George's — we've ever seen. If you begin or end your charter there, be sure to take a taxi tour of the island's rich interior and you'll soon know why it's long been known as the 'spice island'.

This once-over-lightly overview of the Lesser Antilles doesn't even begin to describe all that these islands have to offer. But hopefully we've given you enough food for thought to inspire you to expand your research.

There's no doubt about it, winter is on its way. To ease the pain, our advice is to shanghai a crew of spirited sailors and lock in a booking for a winter getaway in the Antilles. We think you'll find that it's the perfect antidote for the gray sky blues.

— latitude/andy

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Page 148 • Latitude 38 • October, 2010

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October, 2010 • Latitude 38 • Page 149