20 Jan: The Tropical Archipelago
The Tobago Cays in the Grenadines
I was holding the chart in my right hand. My thumb was strategically placed between two islands and a rock, which was the current position of our boat. My left hand was firmly holding onto the helm and my eyes were eagerly scanning the vicinity, identifying the individual islands close by.
The situation was very familiar to home water sailing. Navigating narrow sounds in tricky passages was nothing new. Identifying islands and finding a pass littered with numerous underwater hazards was for us a well-known practice. An incorrect identification, an uncertain bearing, a course just off the track, and you are “on the rocks”. It was fun to be back to identifying islands, taking bearings and angles by sight, judging distances and looking for signs confirming our position. Our plotter in the background just had to confirm what we already knew.
The poster of the Grenadines that Jonathan wanted for Christmas
Despite many similarities, the archipelago of the Grenadines was very different in many other aspects, however, yet beautiful in a new way. The usual rocks were replaced by reefs, pelicans replaced sea gulls, the flora consisted of palm trees and the watersides were decorated with beautiful sand beaches, not to speak about the climate with a mellow breeze steadily blowing from an easterly direction. “God must be a sailor”, I once heard, “Otherwise He wouldn’t have created such a fantastic cruising ground as the Caribbean for us humans to sail in.”
The Tobago Cays as seen on a post-card. In the foreground the 'Horseshoe Reef' with the boats anchored behind. Photo looking westbound. Union island to far left, Mayreau is the big island in the middle; the three islands in a row being from left: Jamesby, Petit Bateau and Petit Rameau. Baradal just behind the horseshoe reef. Not seen is Petit Tabac and Worlds End Reef under the airplane taking this photo.
We had literally fallen in love with the Grenadines, these islands spread out with just a few miles of water in between, stretching from St Vincent to Grenada. We had hence not moved far from Bequia and we were totally content with that fact. Our clocks had since long been set back to “island time”. This relaxing way to regard life invites to a very laid-back attitude in general, so much in contrast to our previous organized and stressed lives. ‘Island time’ means that you do not want to fill your days with too many tasks. You wouldn’t succeed to do more, anyway, even if you tried, so it’s really better to calm down, relax and live slow as life is meant to be.

Our current island hopping in the Grenadines consisted of distances between 5 and 20 miles every now and then, so we were really taking it easy, trying to find time for school, snorkeling and meeting with the many great friends we have made. The Grenadines is no big archipelago, but with the correct attitude and “island time”, you can well spend a month here, without feeling too stressed about doing too little. After having crossed the Atlantic, this stood in beautiful contrast to passage-making. Enjoying the Grenadines slowly was doing good to us, which can be felt deep inside our souls.

The Tobago Cays as seen from the old church on Mayreau
Scanning the islands around me while coming from north, I had by now distinguished Mayreau, passed the ‘Baleine Rocks’ to port and avoided the ‘One Fathom Bank’, which, as the name indicates, is less than two meters deep. The colour of the sea had recently changed from dark blue to beautiful light turquoise and we could see the sand bottom under our boat. The crystal clear water was leading us deeper and deeper into the ‘Tobago Cays’. I tried to recognize two smaller islands called ‘Petit Rameau’ and ‘Petit Bateau’ since there should be two beacons placed on them, leading us between some threatening coral reefs to starboard and eventually between the two beautiful islands themselves. Protected by the half rounded ‘Horseshoe Reef’, we anchored just south of the tiny islet called ‘Bardal’. The anchor immediately dug deeply into the clean sand which gives perfect holding and the engine was shut of. Only the gentle trade wind could now be heard, whispering a welcoming tune.
Petit Rameau in the Tobago Cays. In the Background Mayreau with Salt Whistle Bay
We recognized a couple of boats in the anchorage indicating that also our fellow yachting friends didn’t rush through these wonderful islands and took their time to enjoy them.

“Wouldn’t it be a shame to leave this wonderful Caribbean already now?!”, I said to Karolina overlooking the marvelous surrounding. “Imagine we continued through the Panama Canal, we almost would need to leave the Caribbean by now to get there in time. “

You’re right, Leon”, Karolina replied, “Let’s do that next time and explore and enjoy the Caribbean on this cruise, instead. It’s just too wonderful to just rush by!”.

We stood hand in had on foredeck with our bare feet feeling the warmth of our teak deck. The sun was just about to set over ‘Petit Bateau’ and the full moon was rising from over the Atlantic Ocean. It sure was a long and exciting way to get here from Europe, but now we had arrived, and were in no rush any longer. Island Time, so to speak.

“Dad, Dad, look there!”, Jonathan came rushing from the cockpit joining us on fore deck. “I know this island over there!” Jonathan was pointing over the ‘Horseshoe Reef’ to a little island with palm trees. “It’s the island where Jack Sparrow finds all the rum in the movie ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, isn’t it?! I want to go there tomorrow with the dinghy to see if there is any rum left! Can we do that?! Pleaaase! I have seen there is a dinghy passage through the ‘Horseshoe Reef’ not far from here!”.

Petit Tabac in the Tobago Cays as seen from Regina at anchor
For sure, ‘Petit Tabac’, as the island was called, looked very similar to where the actor Johnny Depp was left to starve in the movie. Luckily he found rum to survive. It sure looked inviting!
Viewing Dan and Sue from Koshlong walking hand-in-hand on an island by ourselves: Petit Tabac
Koshlongg's dinghy (red) and our dinghy (grey) as the only visitors on Petit Tabac looking for left-overs from Jack Sparrows rum. We didn't find any, since Elisabeth put it all on fire, which we had forgotten. Too bad!
“Regina, Regina this is Keoma, over”. A familiar voice on the VHF interrupted our plans for the following day. “Welcome to the Cays, Regina! We wondered if you felt for coming over for a glass of wine before dinner? White Haven with their children Emma and Georgia will come as well. All kids are eager to meet Jessica and Jonathan again! And tomorrow they want to go snorkeling to show all the turtles and the fish! Let me just also call Koshlong and see if they want to join us for a drink as well. Over.”
Of course we all wanted gather on Keoma! With all the kids in the saloon watching a movie, we adults soon sat in the cozy cockpit of Keoma enjoying a glass of whine among good friends. Sundowners had become part of our lives. And shouldn’t time together with good friends at the end of a day be part of a normal day?

Jonathan onboard Keoma with his girl-friends: Alice, Georgia, Emma, Pip, Emma, Rachael, Chloe and Jessica. Photo by Keoma
We had never been so social before and I believe we never will after this life style either. Living on a boat, meeting new and old friends in various anchorages is just wonderful. Parting from friends on one island and meeting up again at another place is part of the cruising game. A reunion is always celebrated as a great get together. What wonderful people there are out cruising!

Of course, on the following day, none of the kids wanted to miss to swim with the turtles, nor did they want to skip the possibility to snorkel in the coral reefs. After a short school day the following morning, we hence dedicated the day from down below.

Swimming with turtles in the Tobago Cays. Photo by Jonathan
“Hey! This is like Finding Nemo!” Jessica burst out with her snorkel in her mouth. “Look down here, there is Doris! Well, hundreds of Dorises, actually!” Jessica put her snorkel back into place and was gone, diving further and further down in the 27 degrees warm water. She was as excited as I was happy. Jonathan followed her immediately with the underwater camera in his hand, always ready to get a good shot from the new world under the surface.
Snorkling in the Horseshoe Reef in Tobago Cays. Photo by Jonathan
An entire new world opening up from underneath. Photo by Jonathan
Snorkling is fun! The only disadvantage is t he limited air you have. We all wished for a diving certificate with tubes and compressor onboard... Photo by Jessica
The turtles were found close to the anchorage, eating of the sea weed, but the best snorkeling for fish is definitely found in the ‘Horseshoe Reef’. We spent several days in the Tobago Cays at two times and this had so far been the highlight of our cruising in the Caribbean. We all left Tobago Cays with the firm wish to not only to come back one day, but also to take a diving certificate in the future. I promised to wait for Jonathan. When he has become old enough, we will all take it together, I promised, health permitting.
Jonathan diving. Photo by Jessica.
Our next stop was ‘Mustique’, the privately owned island giving proof of what can be done if enough capital and interest come together to preserve, or possibly transform, a paradise island into perfect shape. This little manicured island is kept in picture perfect, yet unspoilt, condition by “the Mustique Company”, funded by the wealthy estate owners on the island. Originally purchased by an eccentric Scotsman called Colin Tennant in 1958, wanting to turn Mustique into a paradise that could appeal to his aristocratic friends, it is now inhabited by some 72 estate owners, having built impressive villas on Mustique for recreation.
The island is beautiful with everything where you’d expect it: resting benches strategically placed where you’d want them, shaded picnic places with barbeques on the beaches, palm trees where you’d want them and wilderness where there should be untouched nature. Litterbins are found at strategic places everywhere on the island, small paved roads are built where practical with “Mules” as the prime vehicle, which is a sort of powerful golf cart.
Anchoring off Mustique
The estate owners are financially successful people, some of which are more or less famous. They all seek a little hide away place amongst equals on a paradise island and have discovered Mustique as “their” island. The entire land gives out friendliness and, for a reason not taken for granted, yachts are welcome to visit this private island. The rules are simple: no professional photographers are allowed on the island and no pictures may be taken on the estates. Otherwise you are welcome to share the beauty of the island with its owners coming on your own yacht.
Beautifully manicured Mustique with well kept surroundings and impressive villas (uuuups, maybe this was a forbidden photo, since it shows some houses?)
I put on my new island style shirt and a pair of clean shorts to be properly dressed on this fine island. The first welcome was given by Basils, the beach bar and restaurant where you meet, are being seen and may look out for any famous personality if you are into celebrity hunting.
A sundowner at Basils on Mustique with our boats in the background. The personalities on the photo are all well-known and famous to the regina-site readers: Sarah Grace, Koshlong, Tamarisk and Regina with all their children. Photo by the Paparazzies.
Then came the bakery and the little shop that sold literally any international newspaper. “Print-on-Demand” is the key: after choosing the desired newspaper, it is being printed on A3 paper on demand with data arriving on the spot via the Internet.

We went on and discovered the wine shop on Mustique. An air/conditioned room filled with the top brands of the world finest wines were presented next to fine Swiss chocolate.

The food store had a very good selection of groceries. Then came the fashion boutique, where both Karolina and I bought a new hat each as a souvenir from Mustique.
Karolina's new fashionable hat bought in an exclusive boutique in Mustique.
Higher up the street, you soon came to the local school, the impressive library, the playing ground, the horse stables, the tennis courts and finally to the air strip. The estates, all built high up with fantastic views, were beautifully kept with gardens more like parks. Possibly the villas were built high also to avoid flooding in case a hurricane strikes, since investing so much money on an estate in the hurricane belt seemed a bit financially risky, if you ask me. Better to have a yacht, I thought, where you can visit the island and yet disappear in the hurricane season.

Among the visiting yachts, many seem to try to recognize a rich and famous person on Mustique. I did not participate in that game, since I don’t even know how they should look like to start with. Dan on Koshlong used this curiosity to play a little practical joke with some island visitors. When he was jogging along on the island and passed a group of obvious visitors in an open taxi, he pulled down his cap deep into his eyes, his sunglasses were in place and he looked down into the pavement partly away from the group while passing. From behind he could hear eager whispering. Some 100 yards further on, he quickly turned around and could see that the taxi had stopped and how the group was pointing at him discussion loudly whom they had seen! I honestly don’t know who Dan from Koshlong with his pulled down cap and sunglasses resembles of, but apparently this group had a lucky day having seen Dan passing them on his jogging tour.
We spent three days on Mustique, which corresponded to the fee for the compulsory mooring. Three days gave enough time to enjoy the island and its beautiful beaches. In Sweden, we were used to often pay the most expensive harbour duties, namely the “over 12 meters” rate. Here, in Mustique, the rate for yachts between 36 and 70 feet was the second cheapest one, covering all sizes that Hallberg-Rassy make, except for the two smallest ones, but including their flag-ship HR62. The following three categories covered yachts above 70 feet in length. There seems to be a different scope of visitors to Mustique…
Mooring fees in Mustique. We were in the second cheapest category, together with the largest Hallberg-Rassy boats being built.
On the island of ‘Mayreau’ close to Tobago Cays, we purchased living lobsters from the boat boys and grilled them on Koshlong’s steel aft deck. With garlic butter and lime together with Karolina’s freshly baked baguettes and a bottle of Pouilly-Fumé and another bottle of Chablis, this became a feast never to be forgotten. Sharing this moment with good yachting-friends under a night sky and a gentle tropical breeze would eventually become food for memories and dreaming. This was the life we had been dreaming about. This was the climate we had been longing for. This was the situations that turned our lives into reward. This was the moment we would be looking back to, wondering if we really had enjoyed it enough while it was still as real as the waves on the sea.
Grilling lobster on Koshlong's aft deck (good it is a steel boat!)
Karolina and Dan from Koshlong enjoying their lobster with Chablis and Pouilly-Fumé. Please observe Karolina's "party earrings", handmade by Jonathan as a Christmas present. With these on, the party is on!
Saltwistle Bay is a dream anchorage, unfortunately discovered not only by us; quite many boats were anchored in this beautiful bay on Mayreau, so we chose Saline Bay a bit further south. A paved road leads between them.
Karolina in a typical Caribbean "Supermarket", here on Mayreau. We are glad we have a freezer onboard, since it is not always you can find fresh food in the Caribbean.
The peaceful graveyard of Mayreau with one of the most fantastic views of any graveyard I have seen.
The fact that there were children on so many yachts made me feel rich and it was great to share all these fantastic moments not only with your spouse or good friends but also with all the children. I am so happy for all these families, and especially for the children, who obtain this voyaging lifestyle as a gift for their future. I am glad that there are many other brave parents, who have decided to take their children out of school, struggle with home schooling, possibly looking into a financially uncertain future. The rewards for these families are joint experiences, which always will act as a secret code feeling intimately allied to each other. For the children, this also mean a natural approach to new languages and cultures, seeing the world through their own eyes.

Experiencing the wonderful tropics, I feel sorry for all the children back home on the northern latitudes, who are currently packed in clothes without any ability to feel the gentle breeze on their skin, nor the sun shining onto their bodies. It is such a freedom not to wear heavy clothes, socks and shoes. Poor children being kept indoors, catching colds from each other, forgetting the joy of running bare foot through the sand throwing themselves into the waves to cool off if they feel too hot. Living in light clothes, such as shorts and a T-shirts, makes life so easy. The steady trade winds are keeping you comfortably cool and, while at anchor, a gentle breeze is always blow through the hatches and through the boat.
If you feel hot in the tropics or need some exercise during school breaks: go play in the waves! Here Chris from Sarah Grace is cooling off with Otti, Jonathan, Racheal and Emma.
Kids doing PE (Physical Education) in the Caribbean boat school. Tamarisk rigged a halyard through their spinnaker pole for all the boatkids around. School should be fun as well! Rachael (top left), Jonathan (top right), Jessica (left), Eddie (above). Regina in the background.
Union Island became the last stop within the country of “St Vincent and the Grenadines”. This southern-most port of entry is an authentic piece of the Caribbean with most friendly people and a relaxed atmosphere.
Perhaps the most spectacular bar in the Grenadines is placed on a tiny man-made island called ‘Happy Island’, merely larger than the bar itself. The island is built by the innovative Janti, who found it was a shame to see all the beautiful conch shells on the beaches, thrown there by the fishermen once the contents has been served as a delicious meal. Janti built his own island out of the conch shells and turned it into this informal bar, reached by dinghy or by swimming.
Happy Island: Built of conch shells on the reef off Union Island.
Sitting with good friends on tiny ‘Happy Island’ with your bare feet playing in the sand, while you are sipping on your second rum punch, the sunset had seldom been more beautiful. Hearty laughter could be heard far out into the anchorage. We were all sparkling with joy and happiness, just as the sun’s last beams were sparkling just above the horizon. The dark was soon lit up by candles on the tables, the anchor lights in the bay and the stars above our heads.

Sunset as seen sitting on Happy Island enjoying the second rum punch.
Sailing slowly through the friendly tropical archipelago of the Grenadines has definitely compensated all our efforts to plan for and eventually to cross the Atlantic. Although partly crowded with many boats, including the charter fleet, it is still wonderful. Island by island, we took our time to inhale the various flavors of each and every little community on the islands ranging from the bigger ones all the way down to tiny Happy Island.

Once thinking back to our Caribbean sailing season, the Grenadines will definitely stand out as the essence of Caribbean cruising.