One of my good friends once remarked that she couldn’t believe I was living full-time in paradise on vacation. I tried to explain to her that what she saw on Instagram and Facebook didn’t depict the complete reality. The less glamorous aspects of life on a sailboat include spending hours on sweaty, messy boat maintenance, walking miles to grocery stores under the scorching tropical sun, and living in a boatyard during the sweltering summer in Trinidad.
Every year, hundreds of pleasure boats, primarily sailboats, spend hurricane season in Chaguaramas, Trinidad, on land, or “on the hard,” as sailors say. This area is home to several large boatyards and a variety of yachting services, including marine upholstery shops, stainless-steel workshops, engine repairs, and more. We arranged for Juno to be hauled out by Peake Yacht Services, a full-service and highly reputable boatyard. Even though I knew Juno was in good hands, it was still nerve-wracking to watch her being lifted out of the water and carried onto land.
Here is a short clip that documents the process.
We hired Peake to apply anti-foul paint to the bottom of Juno to prevent marine growth, give her a full polish and wax, and touch up the fiberglass on the deck where the outdated previous satellite phone cable had been removed. Meanwhile, Robert and I stayed busy tackling various routine maintenance tasks and some upgrades.
Chaguaramas is only an overnight sail south of Grenada, but the intensity of the sun in Trinidad was unlike anything I had ever experienced. With frequent rain showers, scorching heat, and the manual labor involved, we found ourselves constantly drenched in sweat!
Cleaning the water tankTaking a shower in Peake’s modern, clean, and AIR-CONDITIONED bathroom was a daily treat for me. The big orange yard cat obviously shared the same liking.
Apart from working on boats, another of my pastimes was joining Peake’s shopping trips. Chaguaramas, where the boatyard was located, is quite isolated to the west of Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad. For the convenience of Peake residents, the yard offered a daily shopping bus service. One of the favorite shopping destinations among the cruisers was the Central Market in Port of Spain.
Once we crossed everything off our boatwork to-do list, we finally got to have a little fun! We hopped on a road trip tour to the Asa Wright Nature Center and Lodge. The cool mountain air, vibrant tropical plants, buzzing hummingbirds, and a refreshing dip in the waterfall felt like the perfect escape from the sweltering heat and dust of the boatyard.
If I ever built a house in the tropics, I’d want a veranda just like this one at ASA Wright. A beautiful sunset in the anchorage in Chargaramas. What you do not see in this photo: industrial boatyards, rusty tugboats, and fishing vessels along the shore; numerous Venezuelan fishing boats anchored too close for comfort; diesel and oil slicks in the dark water; loud, fast local tour boats zipping by at full speed in the anchorage, causing giant wakes…
After six weeks in Chaguaramas, I cannot wait to be somewhere with clear water for swimming and enjoying chill days without a ton of chores. I need a REAL vacation!
As it turns out, Bonaire, our next destination, is just the place for that.
The Carenage, the historic heart of St.George’s, Grenada. For more than 300 years, this horseshoe-shaped harbor has served as a safe haven for sailors and traders, playing a central role in Grenada’s maritime history and shaping the island’s capital into the vibrant waterfront city it is today.
We had a delightful “champagne sailing” from Union Island in St. Vincent to St. George’s in Grenada. The term “champagne sailing” describes ideal sailing conditions: calm seas, a steady breeze, and sunny weather. Despite the beautiful sail, I was not particularly excited about our next destination. While it serves as a refuge during hurricane season because it lies just below the hurricane belt, Grenada has never been on my radar as a destination worth visiting.
My limited expectations of Grenada were further shaped by Robert’s experience when he went to view a potential Amel 54 for us. The boat was on land at the Clark’s Court boatyard. According to Robert’s limited exposure to the country, the water near the boatyard was dark and smelly, the roads were narrow with fast-driving locals, and there wasn’t much to do or see in the immediate area.
As we approached the mooring field outside St. George, we were greeted by a stunning view of St. George Fort and the Carenage, framed by rolling green hills. The scene reminded me of an old European port. After mooring, to the starboard side of Juno, there was a large crescent beach some distance away. The water in the anchorage was clear and blue. Phew! This was much better than Robert’s description of Grenada.
We spent a couple of days touring St George, walking around St George Fort and the Carenage. At sunset, we took long walks on the gorgeous Grand Anse Beach.
Roadside fruit trees were still tourist attractions for Caribbean newbies like us in 2025The Carenage, the historic heart of St.George’s, GrenadaGrand Anse Beach – one of my all-time favorite beaches
For those who live on land outside of Florida or South Texas, it may not occur to you that the Atlantic Hurricane Season lasts half a year, from June to November. This lengthy period can be quite inconvenient for those of us who choose to live on a boat year-round in the Caribbean. Most hurricanes primarily affect areas north of the 15°N latitude; however, South Grenada lies south of that line, making it a popular destination for sailors during the hurricane season. Our plan for the 2025 hurricane season is to spread our time over six months among Grenada, Trinidad, and the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao).
Southern Grenada offers several bays where you can anchor or secure your boat to a mooring buoy. We opted to anchor in Mount Hartman Bay for its quiet seclusion, manageable walking distance to restaurants and grocery stores, and reduced exposure to ocean swells, thanks to a reef that protects the bay’s entrance.
I quickly discovered the many advantages of Grenada. As a summer campground for cruisers, the cruising community here is well-established and vibrant. Daily radio nets, biweekly shopping bus trips, and numerous events organized by fellow cruisers kept us busy. We became acquainted with our neighboring boats in the anchorage and participated in a Grenadian-organized Hash, which is a weekly hiking trip, as well as a full-day island tour.
Cruising friends we met in Mount Hartman BaySun-dried fermented chocolate beans. Grenada has great chocolates.Beautiful rottie on the HASH
The all-day island tour by Cutty Tours, organized by fellow cruisers we met in Mount Hartman Bay, was a fun and memorable experience. Our tour guide, Cutty, was an enthusiastic horticulturist. He introduced us to various plant species, handed out leaves for us to smell in the minibus, quizzed us on what we had learned, and even stopped by the roadside to pick unusual fruits for us to taste. We felt like schoolchildren on a field trip. At one of the stops, we came across two giant mango trees heavy with fruit. The locals were picking mangos from the trees and generously shared them with us. The mangos we took home that day were among the best I have ever tasted.
Of course, it is mandatory on any Caribbean Island tour to visit a rum distillery. The one we visited was the River Antoine Estate Distillery, which has operated since 1785 and is the island’s oldest distillery. This working distillery employs traditional, organic methods to produce rum. It uses a giant cast-iron waterwheel to crush sugarcane. We learned that this waterwheel is the only functioning one in the whole Caribbean. River Antoine distillery has such a rustic charm, which is quite different from the modern, posh rum distillery we visited in Martinique.
Mount Hartman Bay is not just a good spot to anchor; it’s got something special, too. At the end of the bay, you’ll find the Secret Harbor Boutique Hotel and Marina, a small resort sitting on the hillside. On Wednesdays, they throw a Jazz and Friends night with a local smooth jazz band, and the lead singer has a stunning, deep voice. We were pleasantly surprised that we could enjoy tasty food and live music just a quick dinghy ride away!
Robert and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary at the Secret Harbor Boutique Hotel and Marina. The Jazz band played a song just for us, and the restaurant treated us to complimentary desserts… Grenadians are very sweet.
To add the cherry on top of an already nice and relaxing stay, my best friend M came for a short visit. We played hosts and showed her our favorite spots: Umbrella’s Beach Bar, Grand Anse Beach, BBC Beach, and The Carenage Waterfront Promenade.
BBC BeachHouse of Chocolate, Grenada Mini Museum – good chocolate, ice cream, and cute souvenirs
After six weeks in Grenada, I came to appreciate why cruisers choose to spend the hurricane season in Grenada year after year. The cruising community has it figured out, making life easier and more enjoyable. We met many cruisers who share similar interests and the cruising lifestyle. The locals are friendly and cheerful, and when the mangos are in season, they are everywhere and truly the best!
Full moon at Le Phar Bleu – a favorable cruisers’ hangout! Wednesday night $-wing is a popular event.
Our positive view of Grenada slightly diminished as we prepared for our journey to Trinidad. Robert went down to clean the hull and discovered that the entire anchor chain and boat bottom were covered in millions of barnacles. Yikes! Robert spent two half-days in his scuba gear, scraping the hull and the anchor chain. Evidently, even though the bays in southern Grenada open directly to the Caribbean Sea, the local topography causes the water in these bays to be rich in nutrients from runoff from the surrounding hills, leading to significant growth on boats in the area. Alas, our search for the perfect anchorage continues.
Next port: Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago, where Juno will be pampered.
