Petit Saint Vincent is a real little gem in the Grenadines, protected anchorage at 3-4 meters depth with light coral sand under the boat, turtles that come up and breathe 3 breaths before diving down again to eat from the bottom. If you crave eating at a restaurant, take the dinghy 100 m to PSV where there is a nice but expensive little restaurant on the beach where you can enjoy dinner while the sun goes down.

Happy Island

Since we have to check in to SVG, we first have to sail up to Clifton, which is the southernmost place where we can check-in. The last time we were here it was not possible to visit Happy Island. This time the weather was better and we found a good buoy to moor at.

Petit Saint Vincent

The next day we sail down to PSV, which is a privately owned island that has a resort for around 20 families.

During our stay here we met the Swedish boats Amaran and Song of the Seas which also anchored at PSV.

There is a restaurant and a bar, but no internet as the resort has the idea that guests should relax from everyday life. The bar and beaches closest to the bar are open to visitors, so there I and Johan have lunch sometime, and enjoyed a sundowner for a dinner with Sailing Song of the Seas.

Mopion Island

North of PSV there is a small patch of sand in the reef called Mopion. There were always several boats anchored during the day that took the dinghy or swam to the island. Someone has built a sunshade in the middle of the island, it’s called Engagement Umbrella and we saw some who brought good drinks and food there, maybe they got engaged there. We took the dinghy there on several occasions just to enjoy the turquoise colors and the clear water. We also took the opportunity to snorkel on the reef at Mopion. Unfortunately, the reef has been destroyed to a great extent, but we found an area that was full of life, great to experience what a living reef looks like.

PSV Bar

Since we were only allowed to visit the bar and beaches closest, we only have pictures from there 🙂
Great location by the beach and afternoon sun and sunset. Had it not been so expensive, we would have eaten here every day.

Petit Martinique

The neighboring island in the south belongs to Grenada and we visited it to shop for some food. Within walking distance of the jetty, there was a small shop and a small vegetable cart. Bought some vegetables, including turmeric, mostly to test how it tasted. No special taste, however, the more color 🙂

Barbeque with Red Snapper

One day I dared to buy a Red Snapper from the fisherman who usually sells fish to the anchored boats off PSV. When I bought it I did not remember that there is something called Ciguatera poisoning. I remembered that when I was preparing the fish. After a lot of googling, I found that ciguatera poisoning in fish south of Martinique was very uncommon, although there were cases of poisoned Barracuda on Carriacou. However, it was uncertain where the fish had been caught in that case. I decided to eat the fish and grilled the fish whole (scalloped and cut out of course) and it became very good. There were some nervous hours after the meal, but I did not feel any poisoning effects.

Ciguatera

Fish weighing less than 2.5 kg do not contain enough quantities to make an adult sick, at least not if you rarely eat poisoned fish. Ciguatera is a venom that comes from algae that grow near reefs and that accumulate in predatory fish and finally in people who eat poisoned fish. Since the poison does not disappear from the body, you get worse and worse symptoms every time you eat poisoned fish. The poison affects the body’s nervous system and gives rise to many different symptoms, such as feeling cold when something is hot and vice versa.

Conch fetching

One day they should have a Conch evening at the restaurant and a guy came out in a canoe and started diving at the anchorage. He picked up a lot of Conch shells that he put in the canoe. He worked for an hour or so and it is about 5-6 m deep where he dives, so it must have been quite strenuous to dive for so long without diving tubes.

Chatham Bay

On the west side of Union Island is a large sheltered bay that is popular to anchor in. On the beach, there are 2 restaurants, 1 resort, and 1 forest bar. Since we were anchored for over a week in the bay, we had dinner at both restaurants, both serving good and affordable Caribbean home-cooked food. Sunset Cove at the north end of the bay also has pizza and burgers on the menu.

One day I did a hike up the island. Johan took me to the resort where there would be a path up to the road between Clifton and Ashton. The first thing I see when I go ashore is a dead spiny fish on the beach.

Started by going farthest out on the northern headland where you have a nice view of the bay. On the way from there, the road was blocked by a large green lizard, truly magnificent. We looked at each other for almost a minute before it decided to run out into the woods.

On the way to Ashton, I came across a large spider web with a large spider that camouflaged itself by trying to look like the cactus sticks where the spider web sat.

As I passed Chatham Bay on my way to Ashton, a military-clad woman steps out in front of me and wonders where I’m headed. Did not feel like it was time to continue along the road so I said I was going to the beach and not to Ashton. Got the council to turn around and take the first path down to the left. Why was I stopped?

During our anchorage here we were joined by the Swedish boat Lilla Anna 3 and another reason to have a sundowner on the beach with a subsequent BBQ.

Next time we sail up to Martinique to fetch our daughter with family. Then we will be seven people on Sally.