Day 1: Tyrrel Bay to Sandy Island
Nautical Miles: 4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Your Carriacou adventure begins at Tyrrel Bay, the island's main yacht harbor and customs entry point for vessels arriving from the north. After completing check-in formalities and provisioning at the local markets and shops, prepare for your first short passage to Sandy Island, one of the most photographed locations in all of Carriacou waters. This tiny uninhabited cay sits just offshore from Carriacou's northwestern tip, appearing in countless postcards and travel photos as the quintessential Caribbean desert island. The brief passage up the western coast allows you to ease into cruising mode while learning your yacht's characteristics in gentle conditions.
Approach Sandy Island and anchor off the brilliant white sandbar that connects two small patches of vegetation crowned with leaning coconut palms. The water surrounding the island glows in incredible shades of turquoise and aquamarine, with visibility extending down to the sandy bottom 15 feet below. Once secured with good holding in sand, spend your afternoon snorkeling the fringing reefs that surround the island, where healthy coral formations host parrotfish, angelfish, and countless other tropical species. Wade ashore to the island itself, though you will quickly walk its entire perimeter in just a few minutes. A small beach bar operates during daylight hours serving cold drinks and simple food. As evening approaches and the day trippers from Carriacou depart, you may find yourself the only yacht at anchor, enjoying sundowners with 360-degree views of water, sky, and this perfect little island that feels like your own private paradise.
Route Highlights - Departing Tyrrel Bay after check-in and cruising up Carriacou's western coast toward Sandy Island.
- Anchoring off postcard-perfect Sandy Island with its white sandbar and leaning palm trees.
- Snorkeling pristine fringing reefs and enjoying a peaceful evening as the only yacht at anchor.
Day 2: Sandy Island to Anse La Roche
Nautical Miles: 5+
Travel Time: 1 hour
Wake to sunrise over Sandy Island, perhaps taking an early morning snorkel before the water warms and visibility reaches its daily peak. After breakfast, prepare for departure and set course east along Carriacou's northern coast toward Anse La Roche, a beautiful bay on the island's northeast corner. This passage takes you past dramatic coastal scenery, with options to detour into other small bays and anchorages if conditions and interest allow. The route offers good sailing with trade winds typically on the beam, making for comfortable progress as you work your way around the island's northern shore. Carriacou's green hills rise steeply from the coast, creating impressive backdrops for your photography.
Round the northeastern point and navigate into Anse La Roche, a crescent bay backed by a beautiful beach and offering good protection from the prevailing winds. Anchor in sand bottom with palm trees lining the shore and gentle waves rolling onto the beach. This anchorage sees very few visiting yachts, giving it a remote, undiscovered feel despite being just a few miles from Tyrrel Bay. Spend your afternoon exploring the pristine beach, which extends along the bay with hardly any development or facilities beyond a few simple structures. The snorkeling along the rocky points at either end of the bay reveals interesting coral formations and good fish populations. Walk inland if you are feeling adventurous to discover rural Carriacou life in the small settlements scattered across this part of the island. As evening settles, enjoy a quiet dinner aboard with the beach and hills silhouetted against the darkening sky, grateful for the solitude and natural beauty of this rarely visited corner of the Grenadines.
Route Highlights - Sailing along Carriacou's dramatic northern coast with green hills rising steeply from the sea.
- Anchoring in peaceful Anse La Roche, a beautiful crescent bay that rarely sees visiting yachts.
- Exploring pristine beaches and discovering rural island life in nearby settlements.
Day 3: Anse La Roche to Petite Martinique
Nautical Miles: 3
Travel Time: 30 minutes
Depart Anse La Roche after a leisurely morning and set course northeast across the short channel to Petite Martinique, the small sister island that sits just two miles off Carriacou's eastern shore. This tiny island of less than one square mile punches well above its weight in terms of maritime tradition and cultural significance. Petite Martinique has long been renowned throughout the Grenadines for boat building, with local craftsmen constructing everything from small fishing boats to substantial inter-island cargo vessels using traditional methods passed down through generations. The brief passage provides views back toward Carriacou's eastern coast while the compact profile of Petite Martinique grows steadily larger ahead.
Navigate into the anchorage off the main settlement on the western side of the island, anchoring in sand bottom with good holding and protection from the prevailing winds. Colorful fishing boats and traditional wooden vessels line the waterfront, while the small village rises up the hillside behind. Go ashore to explore this authentic community, where boat building operations may be visible along the beach or in simple yards, with skilled craftsmen shaping planks and assembling hulls using techniques largely unchanged over decades. Walk through the village to meet friendly locals and learn about the island's proud maritime heritage. Small shops and simple restaurants offer local food and genuine island hospitality. The pace of life here feels even more relaxed than Carriacou, with a strong sense of community and tradition. Spend your afternoon exploring or snorkeling the nearby reefs, then enjoy a quiet evening at anchor reflecting on the cultural richness hidden within these small island communities.
Route Highlights - Crossing the short channel to Petite Martinique, legendary for its boat building traditions.
- Witnessing traditional wooden boat construction and learning about generations of maritime craftsmanship.
- Exploring the authentic village and experiencing the slow, traditional pace of island life.
Day 4: Petite Martinique to White Island
Nautical Miles: 4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Depart Petite Martinique and head southwest back toward Carriacou, setting course for White Island, a small uninhabited cay that sits off the southeastern coast. White Island is known among the few yachters who venture this far south for its exceptional reef systems and pristine snorkeling conditions. The cay itself is tiny and scrub-covered, but the surrounding waters feature some of the healthiest coral formations in Carriacou waters, with excellent visibility and abundant marine life. The short passage from Petite Martinique allows for a relaxed mid-morning departure while arriving with the full afternoon ahead for underwater exploration.
Navigate carefully toward White Island, watching for reef patches as you approach, and anchor in sand bottom off the western side where protection from the trades creates comfortable conditions. Once secured, spend your day snorkeling the spectacular reefs that ring the island, where brain coral, elkhorn formations, and sea fans create complex underwater landscapes. The fish populations include everything from tiny tropical species to larger groupers and occasional rays gliding over the sand patches. The water clarity often exceeds 80 feet, making for exceptional conditions for both snorkeling and underwater photography. The lack of other vessels and human activity means the marine environment remains pristine and the fish populations show little fear of snorkelers. Explore different sections of reef throughout the afternoon as the sun angle changes and different areas receive optimal lighting. As evening approaches, enjoy sundowners from your cockpit while watching the sunset over Carriacou's eastern hills, likely the only yacht at anchor off this remote little island.
Route Highlights - Sailing to White Island, renowned for exceptional reef systems and pristine snorkeling conditions.
- Exploring spectacular coral formations with 80-foot visibility and abundant fish populations.
- Enjoying complete solitude at anchor off this uninhabited cay surrounded by healthy reefs.
Day 5: White Island to Saline Island
Nautical Miles: 3
Travel Time: 30 minutes
After a final morning snorkel at White Island, prepare for the very short hop west to Saline Island, another small uninhabited cay off Carriacou's southern coast. Saline Island offers a different character from White Island, with better beaches and somewhat calmer waters but equally impressive natural beauty. The brief passage provides views of Carriacou's southern coastline and the channel between the main island and its offshore satellites. These short daily passages epitomize the relaxed character of this itinerary, where sailing becomes almost incidental to the overall experience of exploration and immersion in each destination.
Approach Saline Island and anchor off the western side in sand bottom with excellent holding, positioning yourself with views of the island's beaches and vegetation. Once settled, dinghy ashore to explore the island on foot, walking the beaches and discovering the interior if trails permit access. Saline Island features better developed beaches than White Island, with soft white sand and gentle surf creating ideal conditions for swimming and relaxing. The snorkeling, while perhaps not quite as spectacular as White Island's reefs, still provides excellent opportunities to observe coral formations and tropical fish in clear water. Spend your afternoon alternating between beach time and snorkeling, or simply relaxing aboard while soaking in the tranquil atmosphere of this quiet corner of Carriacou waters. The absence of other yachts and any development creates a genuine sense of escape and connection with nature. As your fifth day draws to a close, enjoy dinner in the cockpit while reflecting on how this unhurried approach has allowed you to truly know these islands rather than simply visiting them.
Route Highlights - Making the short passage to Saline Island, known for beautiful beaches and calm waters.
- Exploring pristine beaches with soft white sand and gentle surf perfect for swimming.
- Enjoying continued solitude and developing deep connection with these quiet island environments.
Day 6: Saline Island to Paradise Beach
Nautical Miles: 4
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Depart Saline Island and set course northwest toward Paradise Beach on Carriacou's southwestern coast. Paradise Beach lives up to its name with a long stretch of beautiful sand backed by palm trees and offering calm, protected waters ideal for swimming and relaxation. The beach has become somewhat more developed than the offshore islands you have been visiting, with a few beach bars and simple facilities, but it maintains a peaceful, uncommercialized character. The passage from Saline Island takes you along or just off Carriacou's southern coast, providing views of the main island's shoreline and settlements.
Navigate into the anchorage off Paradise Beach and set your anchor in sand bottom with good protection from the prevailing winds. The beach extends in both directions, offering plenty of space for swimming, walking, and exploration. Go ashore to enjoy the beach facilities, which include a couple of relaxed beach bars serving cold drinks, fresh seafood, and simple Caribbean fare. The atmosphere remains authentically local rather than tourist-oriented, with as many Carriacou residents enjoying the beach as visiting yachters. Spend your afternoon swimming in the calm, clear water, walking the length of the beach, or socializing with other cruisers and locals at the beach bars. As your penultimate day in Carriacou draws to a close, enjoy a final beach dinner or return to your yacht for a quiet evening at anchor, reflecting on a week that has revealed the authentic character of Grenada's outer islands at a pace that allowed genuine discovery and connection.
Route Highlights - Sailing to Paradise Beach, a long stretch of beautiful sand on Carriacou's southwestern coast.
- Swimming in calm, protected waters and enjoying authentic beach bars with local atmosphere.
- Experiencing genuine Carriacou beach culture where locals and visitors share the same relaxed spaces.
Day 7: Paradise Beach to Tyrrel Bay
Nautical Miles: 3
Travel Time: 30 minutes
Your final cruising day brings you the very short distance from Paradise Beach back to Tyrrel Bay, completing your circular exploration of Carriacou and its surrounding islands. This brief passage can be timed to allow a leisurely breakfast at Paradise Beach or a final swim before departure. The route follows the southwestern coast, passing familiar landmarks that now feel like old friends after a week of intimate exploration. As you round the point and Tyrrel Bay opens up ahead, the sight of the anchorage and its facilities signals your return to the starting point, though you return with a deep understanding of Carriacou that would be impossible to gain in a brief stopover.
Navigate back into Tyrrel Bay and anchor or take a mooring in the familiar surroundings where your adventure began a week earlier. Spend your final day handling any yacht checkout procedures, completing customs formalities if you are departing Grenada, and provisioning for onward travel if continuing south to Grenada proper or north back into St. Vincent waters. Take time to explore Hillsborough if you missed it on arrival, visiting the local shops, restaurants, and perhaps the small museum that documents Carriacou's history and culture. As evening falls on your final night, celebrate at one of the waterfront restaurants while reflecting on an unusual and rewarding week. You have experienced Grenadines cruising at its most authentic and unhurried, discovering hidden beaches, pristine reefs, traditional communities, and the genuine rhythm of Caribbean island life across just 30 nautical miles that revealed more than many charters cover in triple the distance.
Route Highlights - Completing your Carriacou circuit with the short return passage to Tyrrel Bay.
- Exploring Hillsborough and completing checkout procedures in this authentic Grenadian community.
- Celebrating an unhurried week that revealed authentic Grenadines character across 30 nautical miles.
