ABOUT THIS CHART

This chart has been compiled by DM Street Jr using official sources and additionalinformation acquired over more than 60 years of cruising, racing, exploring, charteringand charting the eastern Caribbean on his 46’ engineless yawl Iolaire, built in 1905. He isthe author of many yachting books and articles, first of which was ‘Going South’Yachting, 1964. His Cruising Guide to the Lesser Antilles is regarded as ‘the book thatopened the Caribbean to the cruising yachtsman and made bareboat charteringpossible’. It is worth reading for its nostalgic view of the Caribbean in the 1950s and‘60s. Over the years it has been expanded to cover the entire eastern Caribbean, fromthe western end of Puerto Rico east and south through the islands to Trinidad, thenwestwards along the Venezuelan coast and offshore islands to Aruba.INTERISLAND SAILING AND HARBOUR PILOTAGE Use Street’s Guides for interislandsailing directions, harbour piloting directions and interesting anecdotes about people,places and history. They are the only guides that cover all the anchorages in the easternCaribbean. Patience Wales, editor of Sail, once said, ‘Circle in red all the anchorages thatStreet describes that are not in the other guides and you will have a quiet anchorage’.PILOTAGE INFORMATION Shoreside information dates but pilotage information inStreet’s Guide is timeless. Where harbours have changed or been dredged, the latestinformation is shown on Imray-Iolaire charts, which are constantly referred to in Street’spilots.Street has also been in the marine insurance business, placing insurance for yachts of allsizes and ages sailing in all parts of the world with Lloyds, since 1966. Visit www.street-iolaire.com. Email streetiolaire@hotmail.com.The author and publishers believe that this chart is the most accurate and up to dateavailable of the area it covers. It can, however, only remain so if mariners notify thepublishers of any inaccuracy or need for correction of which they may be aware.The pilotage information on this chart is taken from Street’s Guide: Martinique to Trinidadto which page numbers refer. It may be ordered from Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd www.imray.comInternet sales for current and out of print editions can be found atbkorders@authorsolutions.com, alibris.co.uk and Amazon.comFive popular sailing videos made in the late 1980s/early 1990s featuring DM Street Jr,including Transatlantic with Street, the story of Iolaire’s 1985 transatlantic via Vigo,Madeira, Canaries, Cape Verdes which has been highly recommended by HerbMcCormick and Tom Cunliffe are available at: TheSailingChannel.TV which offers all fivevideos in one digital package, The Complete Street. The five segments may be orderedindividually.https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thecompletestreet

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B311 Middle Grenadines

Edition date: 2017

Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson LtdWych House The Broadway St Ives Cambridgeshire PE27 5BT England

+44(0)1480 462114

www.imray.com

Carriacou

Petite Martinique

Union I.

Tobago Cays

Palm I.

Petit St Vincent

Mayreau

Canouan

Imray-IolaireCHARTS FOR THE

EASTERN CARIBBEANCompiled by DM Street Jnr

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B311 Middle Grenadines GENERAL CAUTIONSYachtsmen navigating this area arereminded that whilst most of the region hasbeen resurveyed in the last 50 years, much ofthe data is of 19th-century origin. Since then,topography above and below the water maywell have been altered by natural causes,such as volcanic eruptions, sandbankshifting, coral growth etc. This chart must,therefore, be used with caution. Inshorenavigation should only be undertaken ingood light when the sun is high.Navigational aids (buoys, beacons and lights)are notable for their absence and/orunreliability.It is important to read the sailing and pilot

directions for the area concerned the nightbefore, in order to plan the next day's run,and to calculate your departure toguarantee arrival at the next anchoragewhile the sun is still high.It is also important on interisland passages

to allow for the set of the current. Stay towindward of the rhumb line. Take backbearings until you can see the island ahead.Take GPS readings every half hour and plotthem on the chart, make sure you stay towindward of the rhumb line between yourstarting point and your anchorage. Allcourses given in the text are rhumb lines.Do not enter strange harbours at night. Many lights are unreliable.Norie and Wilson Sailing Directions to theCaribbean (1817) state, ‘When passing toleeward of the high islands stay within twopistol shots distance of shore or sevenleagues (21 miles) off.’ Still as true today asit was in 1817.

Tides and Currents (see also Street’s Transatlantic CrossingGuide)Heading north or south, the current is on thebeam, setting you off your rhumb line coursean appreciable amount. When headingnorth or south, the Equatorial current issetting you to the west. It is negated (andoccasionally, with spring tides, eliminated) bythe tidal current. You must remember thatthe flood tide sets to the east, the ebb tidesets to the west. Current (knots)Boat Speed 1.5 1.2 1.0 0.8(knots) 2 37º 31º 27º 22º 3 27º 22º 18º 15º 4 21º 17º 14º 11º 5 17º 13º 11º 9º 6 14º 11º 9º 8º 7 12º 10º 8º 7º 8 11º 9º 7º 6º 9 9º 8º 6º 5º 10 9º 7º 6º 5º Degrees of set leeway

It is extremely important to allow for theset of the current which is made up of theeasterly wind blown Equatorial current,reinforced by the ebb tide or partially (andoccasionally completely) negated by theflood tide. Taking advantage of a weather-

going current can change a passage frombeing a real hard slog, to a glorious reach.With tide and current setting you toleeward, you will have to sail 010° to 015°above the rhumb line, but if it is setting youto windward you will be able to sail a course010° to 015° to leeward of the rhumb line.This makes a difference of 020° to 030° oftenchanging a dead beat to an easy close reach.This often makes the difference betweenslamming into it, or an eased sheet reach,really flying. This is particularly true from StVincent to St Lucia, Martinique to Dominica,Deshaies (Guadeloupe) to English Harbour(Antigua). If you plan your passages so that you have

the flood tide helping you it can make alarge difference to your sailing time. Thedifference from setting off on a lee-goingtide to a weather-going tide is generally020°, often as much as 030°. There is a briefrule of thumb method. The tide startsrunning to the east soon after moonrise,continues to run east until about an hourafter the moon reaches its zenith (overhead)then it runs westward, reinforcing thewesterly current. Then as the moon sets, thetide starts running again to the east, turningwestwards again about an hour after themoon passes its nadir (directly underneath),see sketch. In the Eastern Caribbean during the

winter months, the wind will vary from east-southeast to east-northeast, occasionallygoing all the way around to north. Thecurrent sets generally west at a knot or more.Thus the greatest problem encountered bythe yachtsman new to the area is that ofallowing his boat to sag below the rhumbline course. At the end of the day, hesuddenly realises that the anchorage is wellto windward – a hard slog against wind andtide. To avoid this situation keep a hand-bearing compass handy and take continualbearings or GPS fixes; if you cannot see theisland ahead, take stern bearings or GPSfixes. The tides trom Antigua south are semi-

diurnal, (twice a day) but from Antiguanorth, the tides are diurnal, one tide a day.However, if you check very accurate tidalgauges you will discover two tides, onemajor, a second one so small to be barelynoticeable, thus the tide tables refer to it asdiurnal. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands area is

further complicated by the fact that on thesouth side of Puerto Rico and St Thomas,there is one tide a day, while on the northside of both islands there are two tides a day;east coast of Puerto Rico, Vieques andCulebra have two tides a day.

At one part of the year, the highest tide isduring the day, at other times of the year thehighest tide is during the night. Schomberg,the Danish naturalist, explained that duringthe equinox, September and October, Marchand April, the evening tide is the highest, therest of the year the daytime tide is thehighest. In periods of spring tides especially if the

trades have not been blowing hard, theflood tide will overcome the Equatorialcurrent and give an easterly set. In normalcircumstances in the passages the tide runseight hours west, four east. However withinthe Virgin Islands in Pillsbury Sound andDrakes Passage which are largely shelteredfrom the Equatorial current, the tide ebband flood is six hours each direction.

Warning The Caribbean is 0·4m to 0·6m lower in May,June, July and early August than it is inwinter and in these months shoal channelsinto various harbours should be used withcaution. Tortola - Nanny Cay, Manuel ReefMarina, Fat Hog/East End Bay, Jolly Harbour,Mamora Bay - Antigua, Christophe Marina -St Kitts, Blue Lagoon - St Vincent, andRodney Bay - St Lucia do not have tidegauges and require particular care. Yachtsare increasing in size and whilst shoalchannels can be used safely in winter, insummer, especially at low water springs,there have been incidents when large yachtshave grounded completely blocking thechannel for others. The author hascampaigned for many years for gauges to beintroduced to prevent these incidents.

HIGH WATER FULL AND CHANGEThe time of High Water at each locationduring full and new moons (full & change)occurs at a set time after the meridianpassage of the moon for each location.The time of the meridian passage for eachday can be found in Nautical Almanac, andin Compass magazine.eg Location X – HW F & C 2h30m (from thetable on the chart) Meridian passage at X for Y date is, say,0200hrs (from Nautical Almanac or Compassmagazine)Thus HW on Y date will be at 0430hrs. HWwill be approximately 50mins later eachfollowing day.

WINDIn the eastern Caribbean during the wintermonths, the wind will vary from east-southeast to east-northeast, occasionallygoing all the way around to north when abig winter cold front from the states worksits way eastwards to Puerto Rico.It generally blows 15 to 18kn, but at times

it will drop off to 8 to 12kn for days at atime. It can also pipe up to a steady 20 to25kn with higher gust and stay this way fora week or ten days. Be prepared for heavyweather.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration’s National Data Buoy Centeroperate a variety of stations throughout theworld. Eight such stations exist in the EasternCaribbean recording a wide variety ofmeteorological information. Much of thisdata is available to the yachtsman via theNOBC website. Go towww.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/Caribbean andclick on the station you wish to access.

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EAST TIDE

WES

T T

IDEW

EST

TID

E

EAST TIDE

NADIR

ZENITH

1Hr

1Hr

1Hr

1Hr

Pilotage notes by DM Street, Jnr

Wind velocities from shore stations in theEastern Caribbean give little indication ofwinds expected offshore. The weather buoysto the east of the islands give a much betteridea of weather and sea conditions to beexpected in the islands 24 hours later.Buoys to the north will give you

indications of the approach of a groundswell condition but remember that theground swell will approach at 25-30kn perhour, so lock on to buoys well north of the islands.Every year Caribbean Compass puts out an

updated version of their list of radio stationsthat give weather information of interest tothe sailor.

HURRICANES The central Grenadines are at the bottomedge of the hurricane area. They are seldomhit by a hurricane but a hurricane hitting StVincent or the southern end of St Lucia willproduce a very good blow in the centralGrenadines. There are no so-called hurricaneholes or marinas from Grenada north to StLucia, in which a proper seaman would eventhink of taking refuge.Thus, if a hurricane is forecast to hit

anywhere from the south end of St Luciasouthwards, head to the south coast ofGrenada. If a hurricane is aimed anywherenear Grenada or Carriacou, do not stop inGrenada, head south to Trinidad. Do notstop at Chagaramus, where the anchorage isovercrowded, has poor holding and a strongreversing current. Continue on south toPointe à Pierre at the south end of Trinidad.You will then be at 10° north, well south ofany hurricane danger.

Ground swellsWhen ground swells are expected on thenorth coast of Puerto Rico, they arepredicted quite accurately on El Oso SanJuan, Virgin Island news. Add roughlytwenty-four hours for the predicted groundswell to reach the southern end of theCaribbean.On any beach open to the northwest as far

south as Antigua, there is a danger ofground swell, especially if the beach ashoreis quite steep and the sand very soft. Istrongly advise either a Bahamian moor ormoor bow-and-stern when anchoring off it.If ground swell comes in during the night

when on a single anchor, the boat will pivotaround in the surf and be driven ashorewithin a few minutes.Ground swells are completely

independent of the Caribbean weathersystems; they are generated by storms in thenorth Atlantic. The season is mid-October tothe end of March though very occasionallyground swells will appear in April.Therefore, for cruising, May is fine: no

hurricanes, no ground swell. June the same,though there is a risk of hurricanes. July isgood but watch out for hurricanes.

BAHAMIAN MOORBahamian moor is useful if you are anchoredwhere there is a reversing tide that willovercome the wind when the tide is runningeastwards, or anchored off a beach that isexposed to ground swell. If you are on aBahamian moor you will swing in a circlethat is equal to the length of the boat. Once anchored, back down with the

engine on, slacking the anchor line or chainuntil you have veered (eased) plenty of scope(line) then take a second anchor, carry it backto the stern, drop it, shorten up on bowanchor until you have the correct amount of

scope, then take a strain on the anchor youhave dropped off the stern (but lead therode through the bow chock), and secure.Now that you have moored between twoanchors there is no danger of swingingashore when the wind dies out at night.

RIG FOR DOWNWIND

Take a spare line (spare sheet or dock line) atleast the length of the boat, secure it to theend of the main boom, pull it tight andsecure the line to the goose neck, coil andhang up the excess. Once underway andrunning downwind, broad off, free it fromthe goose neck, take it forward outside allthe rigging through a bow chock and secureit to mooring cleat or anchor windlass. It isthen almost impossible to jibe. Rig theheadsail to a spinnaker pole of the oppositeside, sail down wind wing and wing. If youdo not have a spinnaker pole and thepreventer is rigged really tight, a goodhelmsman can sail slightly by the lee andkeep the headsail filled. A useful rig whenheading westward in the Virgins, Puerto Ricowestwards from Antigua. The above is a jury rig that can be done

with the material found on a bare boat. Ifyou own your own boat do a proper job asdescribed below.If heading westwards from the eastern

Caribbean to Columbia or Panama rig aproper, easily rigged and unrigged, mainboom preventer.

Main-boom preventer/foreguyEvery year, numerous sailors are injured, andsome are killed, as the result of inadvertantjibes. These accidents can be avoided withthe use of a preventer/foreguy on the mainboom.For downwind sailing, the first and most

essential piece of gear is a strong preventeron the main boom that can be easily riggedand unrigged. To set up an effectivepreventer, you need a strong bail on the endof the main boom, preferably angledforward at about 45°.If you don’t have a suitable bail, you can

use a loop of line to make a strop. Make theloop long enough that you can wrap it twicearound the boom, tuck one end of the loopthrough the other, and work it tight. (Thetwo wraps will ensure the strop doesn’t slipalong the boom.) To make the loop, take apiece of line of the appropriate length, tiethe ends together with a sheet bend, andmouse the tails of the knot with electricaltape.Secure a wire (or a length of high-tech line

like Spectra or Dyneema) to the bail or strop.This is the permanent part of the boompreventer. It should be about a foot shorterthan the distance from the bail to thegooseneck and have a thimble spliced intoits gooseneck end. A lashing line tied intothe thimble will allow you to snug thepreventer up to the gooseneck and tightunder the boom when it’s not in use.Lead two spinnaker-pole foreguys, one

each side of the boat, through blocks at thestemhead or the end of the bowsprit. Clipthe snap shackles to lifeline stanchionsabreast of the mast and run the other endsaft to the cockpit.To set up the preventer when you’re

sailing, all you have to do is untie the lineunder the boom from the gooseneck and clipthe snap shackle of the leeward foreguy intothe thimble eye. Make the lashing line longenough that you can tie it loosely to thelifeline and use it as a retrieval line when it’stime for a jibe.Once the wind gets on the quarter and the

boom is well eased, connect the preventerand set it up tight using a winch. If no winchis available, over-ease the mainsheet, take upon the foreguy, then re-trim the main tomake the foreguy tight. A jibe is now all butimpossible.

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Arc of Swing

BAHAMIAN MOOR

When the shore is steep-to, an anchor off the stern will be pulling uphill and will hold well. The bow can be secured by an anchor ahore or in shoal water. This typeof anchoring is essential to all anchorages that are open to the northwest ground swell.

BOW AND STERN MOORING

Key to the diagram1. Main boom2. Mainsheet3. Bail or strop4. Wire preventer5. Light line

Downwind rig with jib and mainThis rig is for normal downwind sailing withthe mainsail secured to leeward with apreventer on the boom and the jib poled outto windward.

Key to the diagram1. Main boom preventer2. Lee spinnaker pole foreguy3. Light line4. Headsail5. Lazy sheet for headsail6. Working headsail sheet7. Foreguy

The working sheet (#6) is run through theend of the spinnaker pole. If the wind goestoo far forward for the headsail to be poledto windward, this sheet is eased and the sailtrimmed to leeward with the lazy sheet (#5).

WEST COAST OF CANOUANThe whole north end of the island isoccupied by a very high end resort. Aftermany changes, the luxurious resort is nowcalled Mandarin Oriental Canouan. Visitorsare not welcome.Charleston (Grand Bay), the main

anchorage, has a large hotel on its shores.Limited supplies are available ashore. You

will find a small village with local rumshops/grocery stores.If approaching from the north, leave the

northern green beacon (Fl.G.4s) to port,head eastwards and anchor in the northeastcorner of the harbour. Here you will findsmooth water and a small Coast Guard base,which should minimize the risk of beingboarded by a thief or having your dinghystolen. Stay clear of the conspicuous whiterock and the shoal extending southwards.If you anchor off Tamarind Beach Hotel,

you will most likely end up facing west androlling. Onboard theft and dinghy stealingare common occurrences in this area. CheckCaribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN) forinformation. It is best to anchor off thenortheast corner and dinghy to the hotel.If coming from the south, when beating to

windward to the head of the harbour stayclear of the shoals north of Nens Bay and offBachelors Hall Point and leave the redbeacon (Fl.R.4s) to starboard.

Nens Bay According to the charts, there isgood anchorage in this bay due east of TaffiaHill. From the air, it also looks like an idealanchorage. However, the reef on the eastside of the bay affords less protection thanthe charts indicate. There is about half ametre of water over the reef - enough to letthe ground swell from the north comerolling in. For the winter months, therefore,I would have to rule out this spot. Only in thesummer, when there is no ground swell andthe wind is in the southeast, is this adequatefor anything more than daytime stops. The bottom is grass, and the holding

wretched. The reef appears excellent forsnorkelling, and there is an attractive smallbeach in the cove on the eastern side of thebay. Over the bar at the entrance, the wateris 2·3m deep, but you must stay within 50mof the eastern point as you enter. When thesand beach falls abeam to port, bear offtoward the middle of the bay. There is plentyof water inside the reef; anchor anywhere,but don’t plan to stay the night.The southern shore of the bay has been

infilled with rip-rap to facilitate theextension of the airport runway. It is atragedy that when they were building therunway extension they did not take some ofthe material they removed from Glossy Hilland pile it on top of the reef to create abreakwater. If this had been done, it wouldhave created a wonderful sheltered marina,a great improvement on the anchorage offCharlestown, which is always rocky and rolly,and an asset to the island. Sometimes it is sobad that you can get seasick at anchor. Canouan Resort Development (Now theMandarin Oriental.) For the last ten years thenorth end of Canouan has been developedas an international resort with limited access.It has gone through a series of ownerships.What the status will be when you arrive I donot know. Enquire locally as to whether ornot you can visit the resort and avail yourselfof the facilities, restraurants, tennis, golfcourse and swimming pool. The nice littleone-boat anchorage in Corbay is no more asit is now the landing point for supplies forthe resort. The planned marina at the resorthas never materialised.

SOUTH COAST OF CANOUANSouth Glossy Bay This anchorage is splendidif there is calm water and no swell. A placeto spend a pleasant afternoon, evening ornight, enjoying crystal clear water, the whitesand bottom, long stretches of beautifulbeach and, hopefully, no other boats. The marina offers fuel, diesel and gas,

plug-in electricity at all berths, water, wifi,showers, restaurant and customs andimmigration clearance at the nearby airport. The marina is large enough to

accommodate megayachts to 100m long.There are so many berths that it will be along time before sailors will have to reservespace in Glossy Bay Marina. Reliable dockside power is hard to find in

the Caribbean and Glossy Bay has reliableelectricity and water supply. They have theirown generator and reverse osmosis plant.Both units have been built with an eye to thefuture. Glossy Bay is part of a very up market high

priced development, villas on the canal withtheir own dock others between the canaland the sea, with their own beach front aswell as dock on the canal. Other villas will bebuilt on Glossy Hill overlooking the airport,Marina and the southern Grenadines. Havingopened so recently, the marina is still in theprocess of shaking down. Emailmarina@glossybay.com +1 784 431 2828

There is good exploring along the southand southeast coasts of the island. If theground swell is not running or if it is notblowing too hard, there is sometimes ananchorage between L’Islot (Dove Cay) andthe mainland. Due north of L’Islot isexcellent. Sail in and check it out. If it lookscalm, drop the hook and enjoy yourself.

FRIENDSHIP BAY Further east, between Taffia and Jim Hills, isanother anchorage, but the approachrequires careful eyeballing. Post someone inthe rigging and stand in cautiously underpower or on starboard tack. There is goodholding here on a white-sand bottom,excellent swimming, and not too much of aswell unless the wind is from the southeast. A dock and fisherman’s co-op financed by

the Japanese government has beenestablished in this area. Send the dinghy inand you should be able to buy really freshfish and lobster.

EAST COAST OF CANOUANMooring & anchoring restrictions applyalong the entire East Coast of Canouan.For the seasoned sailor, deep water can becarried to windward around Friendship Pointand a good way north inside the reefs. Boatsdrawing 2·5m have gone up through here.Within the reefs the current is alwaysrunning south, at times too strongly for aperson to swim against. Riley Bay at thesouth end of Windward Bay is full of coralheads but you can thread your way betweenthem. The north part of Windward Bay wasre-surveyed by Don Street in the spring of2015. There are numerous coral heads, easily

avoided in good light, at the southern endof Windward Bay and at the north end ofRiley Bay. North of Riley Bay the coral headsthin out to almost nothing as you sail north.There is a full 2·4m of water all the way tothe north end of Windward Bay and inCarenage Bay. There is a break in the reef, achannel, at the north east corner ofWindward Bay that is estimated to have2·1m of water through the break. The seacoming in over the reef flows south throughthe entrance. To minimise the roll, anchorbow and stern. Yawls and ketches can leavethe mizzen up so the boat is on an east-westaxis, gently pitching rather than rolling. There are wonderful, isolated sand

beaches, unreachable from ashore. Each oneis absolutely pristine because, with Africa asthe first land east of Canouan, no rubbishcan float in from windward.The whole are has been declared a marine

protected area (MPA). Whether this wasdone to protect the marine environment orto protect the privacy of the very expensiveresort at the north end of Canouan isdebatable. It is hoped that in the years tocome a half a dozen sand screws will beinserted and moorings established so that asmall number of yachts can enjoy this superbanchorage. Sand screws have workedextremely well in the US and British VirginIslands as an alternative to anchors.

APPROACHES TO THE TOBAGO CAYSApproaching the Tobago Cays from theNorthPass to windward of Mayreau Baleine, trimsheets, and skirt to leeward of the reefssoutheast. Take care here, as a number ofboats have clipped this reef too close andbounced off. Luckily, there is an inner andouter reef, and the latter breaks most of the

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swell, so the boats were not badly damaged.Hold a course of approximately 144°mag tothe southwest tip of Petite Rameau and allwill be well.If, however, you approach the cays from

the north but wish to pass through them andon down direct to Palm Island or Petite StVincent, use Snake Channel. Sail towindward of Mayreau Baleine and hold acourse of around 215°mag to the reefs towindward of Mayreau; pass between thereef east of Mayreau and the reef to the eastagain of that. The channel is narrow butdeep; there is no water, port or starboard,but about 12m beneath. Continue on thiscourse with a crew member in the rigging,not just on the bowsprit - this is essential, asthe channel takes a sharp turn to port andyou enter it on a beam reach. Start sheeting-in halfway along the channel. At the end youwill be almost hard on the wind, since theaxis of the south end of the channel issoutheast-northwest. Once clear of the reefto starboard, you can ease sheets and headfor Palm Island, Petite St Vincent, orwherever.

Approaching the Tobago Cays from theWestIf coming under power, no problem. Pick upthe newly established range, the course is143°mag. This leads directly to theanchorage in the slot. If, however, you arebeating to windward under sail and cannotlay the range, be careful of the 1·5m spotapproximately 800m south-southwest ofMayreau Baleine - indeed a case of eyeballnavigation.In the good old days prior to 1975, the

anchorage in the ‘slot’ (the channel betweenRameau and Baradal) was a favourite forthose seeking peace and quiet. Nowadays itis so crowded, and the reversing tide sostrong, that it is an anchorage to be avoided.

Approaching the Tobago Cays from theSouth Not allowed by most bare boatcompanies.When approaching from the south, youshould work well to the east until the middlehill on Palm Island is directly under HighNorth on Carriacou (Range 11). This leadsbetween the two disappearing sand islandsand into the Tobago Cays. As you approachthis narrow channel, you can get into troubleif a rain squall blocks out either Palm Islandor Carriacou. Thus, a bow range is useful. Toreach the same opening, put the southeastcorner of Petite Rameau just closing with thenorthwest corner of Petit Bateau (Range 7);you are then set to go through the channelbetween the two disappearing sand islands.Once through the channel, it is a case ofeyeball navigation. One problem with thisrange is that unless the wind is well aroundto the south, you will have to motorsail touse it. If you are approaching Tobago Cays from

Petite St Vincent, sail west until the peak ofPetite Martinique bears 163°mag over thestern, come to course 343°mag (Range 13),eyeball your way between Punaise andMopion. Once clear of these two islands,come hard on the wind until the easternpeak of Petite St Vincent bears 192°mag.Stay east of this line of bearing until UnionIsland Airport bears due west, then bear offuntil the middle hill on Palm Island lines upwith High North on Carriacou (Range 11).Stay hard on this range until you have passedbetween the disappearing sand islands. Thewestern one may be spotted by a small sand

island. However, remember that these sandislands are prone to disappear at irregularintervals. Once between the islands, eyeballnavigation is essential.

TOBAGO CAYSThe Tobago Cays are now a national parkand fishing and lobster gathering by anymethod is illegal. The park is beingdeveloped, check at Union Island or PalmIsland to find the latest regulations.Anchoring is no longer permitted - you

must pick up a permanent mooring buoy.Park rangers will outline the latestregulations and stop by each day to collectthe fee. Vendors pass by with fruits andvegetables and some will offer to doshopping for you in Clifton, Union Island ifyou give them a list. A garbage collectionsystem is being organised.I recommend sailing around inside the

Cays and then deciding where to pick up amooring buoy. Once you have picked one up,dive the line and anchor to see if it is suitablefor a boat of your size. There have beencomplaints that the moorings are not wellmaintained and boats have been known togo adrift.For those who value privacy and wish to

be close to a reef, an anchorage can be madeclose behind Horseshoe Reef. It is cool,breezy, calm, and bugless.

PETITE TABACPetite Tabac is outside the main Tobago Caysreef and was seldom visited in the past. Thelate Gordon Stout would visit it in in shoaldraught motor sailor and reported there wasonly 4ft of water inside the reef. Theanchorage was only suitable for very shallowdraught boats so he essentially had his ownprivate anchorage. On seeing an ariel photoof the cays I realised there was more waterinside the reef than Gordon had reported.Kristian Norgaard, a retired Norwegian navalofficer check the anchorage out for me andthe imray iolaire chart is now correctly shows2·8m at the entrance, a good pilot cansqueeze a boat drawing 2m into shelteredwaters.I am told that the park rangers seldom

visit Petite Tabac. Good divers will like thisanchorage as it is within dinghy reach ofWorlds End Reef.

WORLDS END REEFExpert divers and good small boat handlerswho want some exciting diving, should go tothe outer edge of Horseshoe Reef andWorlds End Reef. If the weather is not toorough, you can reach them by dinghy via thesmall-boat pass through Horseshoe Reef.You’ll need to line this range up verycarefully - north points of Baradal and PetitBateau in line with south side of flat land onMayreau (Range 5). It is easy enough toremember this range when going out, butwhen you are coming back, tired and wet,you may miss it as you are come downwindthrough the surf. If you do miss the pass, youwill be swamped. East of Tobago Cays, it provides a good

anchorage under its lee if it is not blowingtoo hard (Range 6). Anchor south of EggReef. Worlds End Reef will break most of theswell but not all . This anchorage is good forlarger boats, 25m and over, with really goodheavy ground tackle that won’t be toobothered by any chop that occurs in thisanchorage. However, this anchorage should only be

attempted by very experienced yachtsmen

who can handle their boats in tightsituations. You must be good at eyeballnavigation and have plenty of ground tackle.If you want to spend the night at Worlds EndReef, you should be moored on a chain withat least two anchors out - if you started todrag during the night, you’d be in serioustrouble, as eyeball navigation simply doesn’twork in the dark, even with a full moon.

LEAVING THE TOBAGO CAYS When leaving the Cays to the north, justreverse the entry procedure. For boatsheading south, a route out of the Caysmarked by the northern end of Range 11 ismost favoured.

MAYREAUSaline Bay A beautiful white sand beach butrather a rolly anchorage. Good holding onwhite sand bottom and two docks to whichyou can tie your dinghy. Be sure to bring adinghy anchor to hold your dinghy awayfrom the dock; the ever-present surge causesthe docks to ‘eat’ dinghies unless you arevery careful. Some days cruise ships anchor off Saline

Bay and send their passengers ashore. Avoidthe bay on these occasions as the beach, barsand restaurants become flooded with cruiseship passengers. Mariners are advised thatthe pillar Lt buoy Fl.R.4s to the west of GrandCol Pt is often missing. If this is the case, theRange 15 transit should be used to clear thedangerous rock.Salt Whistle Bay is an excellent anchoragebut do not go too far into the bay; checkdepths carefully so you do not go agroundat low tide. It can be very crowded here,especially on holiday weekends. There is ahotel at the head of bay. Windward Bay A wonderful place to getaway from it all. Strictly for the experiencedreef pilot using eyeball navigation. UseRange 19 Ten Shilling Hill (Mayreau) bearing022° (mag) (back bearing Middle Hill Palm I.202° mag). Feel your way in and tuck up veryclose behind the reef. Moor bow or stern-toor Bahamian moor, make sure your anchorsare well set, then sit and enjoy the solitude.A mile to windward you will see the TobagoCays crowded with yachts. Take your dinghy ashore, land on the

beach, walk across the low land to the roadup the hill. Hitch a ride or hire a taxi to theCatholic Church at the top of the hill. It is aninteresting church, and there aremagnificent views north and east. Walk backdown the hill past the restaurants and bars,many of which will be blasting out loudmusic.

PALM ISLANDAnchor west of the island in sand with goodholding. Keep close to shore as the bottomdrops off very steeply. The tidal current runsstrong on a north-south axis, you may findyourself tide rode and though it is a safeanchorage, it tends to be a rolly one.Originally the island was named Prune

Island and was uninhabited except for thelargest and most vicious mosquitoes in theCaribbean and tremendous numbers of landcrabs. However, in about l968 Johnny ‘Coconut

John’ Caldwell, wife Mary, and sons John andRoger obtained a lease on the island for a‘pepper corn’ rent. The name was changedto Palm Island, the land crabs andmosquitoes were eliminated, and a resortwas built that became internationallyfamous.

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Under the Caldwell ownership sailors werewelcomed. However, when Johnny died, along legal fight ensued, which the Caldwell’slost, and the island ended up in the hands ofland developers who did not like visitingsailors. The news in June 2009 is thatyachtsmen are now welcome again.The story of the island, and the Caldwell’s

adventures leading up to their settling onthe island is well told in Mary Caldwell’sbook Mary’s Voyage (Sheridan House), andlocal Caribbean bookshops. It is an excellentread.

UNION ISLAND Clifton Harbour Do not try to enter Cliftonharbour at night. Newlands Reef is markedby lighted beacons (Fl(2)R) but they are notto be relied upon. The best anchorage istight up behind the reef. Nudge up as closeto the reef as your draught will permit, dropanchor, back down and set it. The holding issuperb. If it is too crowded behind the reef,anchor anywhere in the main harbour, butremember it is deep, most of the harbourbeing about 12m so you will need about 50mof anchor line. Roundabout Reef in themiddle of the harbour marked by a beacon(Fl(2)R) at its southeastern end is clearlyvisible and steep-to on all sides. An enterprising Union Islander noted that

there were always dozens of boats anchoredbow on to the reef, a long dinghy rideashore to the nearest bar. He startedcollecting conch shells and piling them up onthe reef. The conch shells started collectingsand until there was finally a very smallisland. He drove a few stakes in the ground,rigged a roof to give shade and openedHappy Island Bar. It is almost always amongthe top ten beach bars in the world. This is a port of entry to St Vincent and the

Grenadines. Immigration is usually at theairport. Customs is a long walk away in theCustoms building at the head of the dock inthe northeast corner of Clifton harbor.Frigate Island, Ashton Harbour An excellentanchorage if you stay close to shore. 2m canbe carried north of Frigate Island to wherethe land is low so you will get a cool breezeat night. Go slow, feel your way in (or sendthe dinghy ahead) and anchor at a suitabledepth. Work on the marina has stopped andthe partly constructed piers are collapsing(2009).Deep draught boats can anchor west of

Frigate Island and enjoy the sight of theFrigate Birds for whom the island is a nestingground. Set a Bahamian moor as the windbounces off the high land of the island, theboat will drift in circles and may pick up itsanchor if only a single anchor is dropped.Chatham Bay Excellent anchorage. This usedto be a great place to get away from it all,but an increasing number of boats now usethe anchorage. The solitude is lost and realestate development was on the horizon, butluckily has come to nothing. Chatham Bay isnow connected to Ashton by a road,passable only in four-wheeled drive vehiclespiloted by a good bush driver. A couple ofsmall beach restaurants have been built. A man rows around the anchorage selling

fruit and vegetables from his own garden.He was born completely deaf and mute onUnion island. Needless to say there is noschool for the deaf on the island. However,he has created an excellent fruit andvegetable garden and also sells the fish hecatches. Please give your business to him.Good holding in 3·7m. There is one

danger, Water Rock. It is difficult to spot andhas nailed a number of boats that draw 2mor more. For reasons no one can explain, it

frequently blows so hard in Chatham Baythat boats hole up in there for days waitingfor the weather to improve only to discoverthat outside of Chatham Bay it has only beenblowing the normal 12/15kn trades.Bloody Bay Excellent anchorage when thewind is in SE. Anchor in 3-4m in NE cornerunder Bloody Head.

PETITE ST VINCENTBetter known as PSV, this is aninternationally famous resort. Theuninhabited island was bought by DougTerman and Hazen Richardson, owners ofthe 77’ Crocker-designed Schooner Jacinta,with backing from one Mr Nicholson in 1966.From the beginning, the resort has beenfriendly to yachtsman. Hopefully this willcontinue despite all three founders having,as we sailors say, ‘crossed the bar’ for the last time.To approach Petite St Vincent from the

north, you must pass between Punaise andMopion (Range 13). These are two sand caysoff Petite St Vincent. Mopion means ‘crablouse’, and the translation of Punaise is‘bedbug’; perhaps both are distant relativesof Las Cucarachas (cockroaches) off thenortheastern tip of Puerto Rico. Whenpassing to leeward of Mopion, be careful, asthe sand reef is continually extending to thesouth and southwest, and it may be furtherwest than is shown on the chart. Many yachtshave struck this shoal, as several Lloydsunderwriters will attest. Punaise is alsoreported to have extended considerablysouthwestwards.To pass between Punaise and Mopion, pick

up the larger island (Mopion), then line upthe peak of Petite Martinique (Piton 225m)on a bearing of 163° mag. (Range 13). Youmay have to sail high of the course tocompensate for current and leeway. Take outyour hand-bearing compass, keep on thisbearing, 163° mag, and it will lead youbetween Punaise and Mopion. Be sure to puta crew member on the bow to do eyeballnavigation, as helmsmen are not alwayssteering quite as well as they should be andanyone taking bearings on a distant objectmay not be getting precise readings. When coming from the north, this channel

saves about half a mile of windward work,but it should be used only by the brave andskilful, as Punaise breaks water only at lowwater in May, June, and July.Once you have passed between the

islands, alter course to Petite St Vincent. Thebest manoeuvre is to tack back to the northand work your way eastward to theanchorage in the lee of the island, as theisland will then afford you absolutely smoothwater.

Chatham Bay (Union Island) to PSVAfter rounding Miss Irene Point, head forPetite Tobago (Range 16), allow for thecurrent, keep Petite Tobago bearing156°mag until the north end of PetiteMartinique bears due east, 104°mag, thentack eastwards to PSV on bearing 092°magand into the anchorage.

The main, though often crowded,anchorage is south of PSV. There is a whitesand bottom and good holding, but if it isnot blowing hard and there are spring tidesyou may become tide rode. I, therefore,advise a Bahamian moor. There is another seldom-used anchorage

north of the island, only suitable for goodreef pilots in ideal conditions. Work your wayas far eastwards as your draught allows, andanchor, again a Bahamian moor. Thoughwindswept, you will have a calm and quietanchorage.

PETITE MARTINIQUEAnchor west of the jetty, the bottom dropsoff steeply to 6-10m of water. There is goodholding once the anchor is in but you willneed plenty of line, 50m if you want to besure not to drag.Fuel and water are available alongside

and basic supplies can be found in thevarious stores. Most importantly, forhundreds of years, Petite Martinique hasbeen the home of the ‘honest’ smuggler.‘Honest’ in that they smuggle beer, booze,wine and cigarettes but do not deal in drugs.It is a good place to stock up on high-taxeditems. There is a popular beachfrontrestaurant serving good food ashore.

CARRIACOUHillsborough The main town of Carriacou,but a rocky and rolly anchorage. Yachtsnormally only stop to check in and clear, thencontinue to a better anchorage.If approaching Hillsborough from the

north, hug the coast, pass inside the shoal offCraigston Point, stay on Range 10, FrigateIsland in line with the radiomast on the firsthill east of Pinnacle Hill, Union Island 206°mag, and all will be well. When leavingnorthwards, reverse the procedure. The best anchorage is north of the east

dock, halfway between the docks and SilverSands hotel. There is a sand bottom withgood holding.If approaching from the south, round

Cistern Point and short tack up betweenCistern Point and Mabouya and on to theanchorage off Hillsborough. Beware of theshoal water when on port tack for L’EsterreBay.Petit Carenage Bay Due east of Gun Point(Rapid Point) is Petit Carenage Bay, wherethere is an anchorage for shoal-draughtboats behind the reef, and a good beach.Best suited to multihulls, centerboarders,and shoal-draught motorsailers.Watering, Jew, and Grand Bays Whencoming from the north you must first entercustoms and immigration in Tyrell Bay. Youcan then go to the south coast of Carriacouand anchor off the west or north of WhiteIsland, or off the north of Saline Island. SeeChart B31 inset F South coast of Carriacou,and inset E East coast of Carriacou and thepiloting directions on the back of the chart.In Grand Bay, eyeball navigating, there is

ample water for boats drawing 2·7m. OffSt Hilaire Point for a short distance, thewater shoals to 2·1m sand. If drawing 2·1m,proceed dead slow.Local knowledge is available from Dave

Goodall who has lived on the east coast ofCarriacou for over 30 years. He states thatthere is a greater range of tide inside Grandand Watering bays than there is outside. Itsometimes reaches 0·9m at springs. Deepdraught boats should time their passage topass St Hilaire Point at High Water, which is

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about one hour after meridian passage ofthe moon and 12 hours later. This is reliableinformation backed up by Andy Snell whohas cruised the area for the last 30 years.Anchor behind Carib Island and visit the

east coast (locally known as Windward side)via dinghy. The area is home to the CarriacouBoatbuilders who still build their 30-35ftfishing sloops (and occasionally tradingschooners) on the beach. They often careenthem here to paint the bottoms. The days ofthe sailing Carriacou fishing / cargo / rumsmuggling sloops are now over as they arebeing replaced by small motor vessels butthe story of the Carriacou sloops is well toldin the film Vanishing Sail. It is available onDVD from images@alexisandrews.com.

This is the place to buy Jack Iron rum sostrong that the ice sinks like a stone. SeeStreet’s DVD Streetwise.On the chart there is a break in the reef

that can be used to leave or enter Jew Bay.The local fishermen say to not use it unlessthe conditions are perfect: light winds, nosea, and sun directly or almost directlyoverhead so that eyeball navigation is easy.

CARRIACOU NORTHWARD (See B31)The usual course is to pass along the westside of Carriacou, stopping at Tyrrel Bay. SeeB31 inset D and pilotage notes.Between Cistern Point and Hillsborough,

deep-draught boats can easily run agroundbut the old schooner range is still a safe one.Put Cistern Pt under the stern and thehospital building at the top of the mountainbearing 094°mag on the bow and proceedstraight to the anchorage. Once past SandyIsland, you can shift course slightly towardsthe Hillsborough jetty. North of Hillsboroughthere is one danger, between Jack Adan I.and the mainland. This is a 1·2m spot withquite a few dents in it. You can pass inside itby placing the hill on Frigate Island directlyin line with the radio tower on Union Island(Range 10). Be sure to stay on this range, asthe shoal is particularly hard to spot here.Under power, you can steer direct from

Rapid Point to the dock of Petite St Vincentand clear all dangers. Under sail, it is a deadbeat to windward. On port tack, beware ofthe shoals off Petite Carenage Bay and thenorth end of Watering Bay. On starboardtack, watch out for Punaise and Mopion, thetwo sand islands northwest of Petite StVincent and the shoal to the south ofPunaise. (Punaise may not be visible; it hasbeen reported as under water.) There isample water between the two islands, buteyeballing is called for, as they are bothcontinually growing and shifting.To head north from Petite St Vincent, pass

midway between Punaise and Mopion onRange 13 and continue on course until Fotais one finger open of the east side of PetiteTobago (Range 15). This will take you welleast of Grand de Coi and east of thedetached reef off Palm Island, which is hardto spot as it only breaks in heavy weather.Care must be exercised here, as the currentis at a right angle to your course and willtend to sweep you leeward. Take out yourhockey puck hand bearing compass andcontinually take bearings to make sure youare on the range / transit line. As stated onthe face of the chart, the most useful andimportant tools when cruising the centralGrenadines are a hockey puck hand bearingcompass and the human eye. If you do notkeep a good lookout, you may come to asudden stop before you realise you are too

close. Grand de Coi is now marked by a westcardinal light beacon (VQ(9)10s). An alternative route clear of Grand de Coi

is provided by putting Glossy Hill, on thewestern point of Canouan, in line with theeastern end of Mayreau Island (Range 1).Glossy Hill will appear as a detached islandwest of Taffia Hill, as it is connected toCanouan by only a low sandspit.Beating to windward from Gun Point to

the region of Union Island, you will want toavoid Grand de Coi. Catholic Island placedover the low land to the east of Fort Hill(Union I) passes clear to the west of Grand deCoi (Range 18). North of Grand de Coi, youwill have to tack to the east to clear the reefsto windward of Union Island.North of Palm and Union Islands is

perhaps the most dangerous area of theGrenadines. A reef at the north end of SalineBay off Grand Col Pt has damaged manyyachts proceeding north along the lee coastof Mayreau. The light beacon marking thisreef has historically been very unreliable:sometimes there, sometimes missing. Thisreef is impossible to spot by eye and hasnailed many experienced sailors. Use therange (transit to English) and cross checkwith your GPS to clear it. To clear the end ofthis reef, put Fota one finger open from theeast side of Petite Tobago (course 013°-193°mag, Range 15). Once you have passedMonkey Pt, approach Grand Col Point at thenorth end of Saline Bay and check to see ifany of Petite St Vincent is showing east ofPalm I. If Petite St Vincent is at all visible,bear off to the west or you will come to asudden stop on the reef off Grand Col Point.With this reef behind you, there are no otherdangers standing north from Mayreau toCanouan apart from Jondell to the east ofCatholic I.

FACILITIESCanouanGlossy Bay Marina +1 784 431 2828 VHF Ch 68Moorings +1 784 482 0563Mandarin oriental + 1 784 431 4500Dive Canouan +1 784 482 0820 VHF Ch 68Tamarind Bay Resort (Charlestown)+1 784 458 8044 VHF Ch 16MayreauSalt Whistle Bay Club Anchorage +1 784 458 8444 VHF Ch 16, 68(1) Provisions from Dennis’s Hideaway, inSaline Bay +1 784 458 8594 VHF Ch 68

Palm IslandPalm Island Beach Club+1 784 458 8824 VHF Ch 68Union IslandAnchorage Yacht Club Marina (Clifton)+1 784 458 8221 VHF Ch 16, 68Clifton Beach Hotel Anchorage+1 784 458 8235 VHF Ch 68Petit St VincentPetit S. Vincent Resort Anchorage+1 784 458 8801 VHF Ch 16 Call PSVPetit MartiniqueB and C Fuels (Fuel dock and anchorage)+1 473 443 9110VHF Ch 16 Call Golf SierraCarriacouPalm Beach Restaurant+1 473 443 9103 Carriacou Marine (Tyrrel Bay)+1 473 443 6292 VHF Ch 16, 68The Silver Beach Resort (Hillsborough)+1 473 443 7337 VHF Ch 16

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