While many persons simply call the country St Vincent, the complete name
of the country is St Vincent and the Grenadines and its international
initials are SVG. Those Grenadine islands are an integral part of the
country and provide one of its premier attractions. The Grenadines consist
of 31 islands and cays that lie to the south of the main island of St
Vincent, and 7 of these are are populated.
Sailing to these Grenadine islands is one of the premier attractions of
St Vincent. There are some who have described the Grenadines as "among the
most beguiling places on earth. The idyllic chain of Caribbean islands and
cays that stretches some 50 miles north to south from
St. Vincent to Grenada
is the very definition of a tropical paradise, with steep, jungle-covered
slopes; azure water; and sugar-sand beaches."
Each of the islands is just a few hours sailing from each other and so at
all times you are within sight of an island. Many of the sailing trips start
from either St Vincent or Bequia and you can charter a yacht either with or
without crew. From Bequia you can charter a yacht either for a full 7 to 10
day sail visiting many of the islands or simply a one day charter sailing to
either Mustique or Canouan or the Tobago Cays, which are designated as a
marine park and are an intimate cluster of five uninhabited cays, heavenly
lagoons full of green turtles, coral reefs, colorful fish and crystal clear
waters. Once at your selected island you simply drop anchor in secluded bays
and lagoons with turquoise seas and powder white sand beaches.
On each of these islands you can swim and snorkel in crystal clear water
seeing an amazing array of underwater life. On the populated islands it is
easy to go ashore to wander the streets and taste the local delicacies.
Bequia has a history of boat building. Beginning in the 1800's the
inhabitants of Bequia built many different types of wooden boats, ranging
from whaling boats, fishing boats and inter-island trading schooners. Indeed
Bequia was considered the boat building capital of the West Indies and is
reputed to have built the largest wooden vessel in the Caribbean which was a
165 foot, three-masted schooner called the Gloria Colita. Today Bequia is
still a boat building capital but on a smaller scale.
As you walk through Port Elizabeth, the main town on Bequia, you are sure
to see two small shops or at least the sign for one of them, that announces
model boats. These days Bequia can be considered the model boat building
capital of the West Indies. These however are not hastily put together
miniatures for the tourist trade but fine crafted replicas. In these two
shops can be found replicas of whale boats, sailboats, power boats, and
wooden schooners. One of the most impressive miniature boats ever built on
Bequia was a model of the HMY Britannia, the three-masted 412ft royal motor
yacht of Queen Elizabeth II and which was presented as a gift to the Queen
from the people of St Vincent.
In these two shops, Mauvin Model Boat Shop and Sargeant’s Model Boat
Shop, can be found completed boats as well as others in varying stage of
completion. All being built with a variety of hand tools. It provides an
interesting addition to the day to wander through these shops and marvel at
the precision of these boat builders plus see the builders at work. If you
see a boat that takes your fancy you can purchase it as prices range from US
$250 to US $7,000. If you have a specific boat that you want a miniature
built just provide them with the pictures and scale and they will build it
for you.
If you wanted to find somewhere that epitomizes laid back Caribbean cool
then Bequia is the place and its main town, Port Elizabeth is the Capital of
Cool. The island of Bequia measures just 7 square miles and is home to about
5,000 people. This is an island where there is no traffic, no daily
newspaper, no big hotels, no large supermarkets. The main town in Bequia is
Port Elizabeth and is the location of the ferry terminal where ferries dock
every day from St Vincent and depart to the other islands in the chain of
the Grenadine islands.
There are few streets in Port Elizabeth, so it is difficult to get lost.
Belmont Road is the main road across the island and when it gets to Port
Elizabeth, the part that runs along the waterfront is called Front Street.
The other main road running behind Front Street is therefore Back Street,
although you will not find any signs giving those names, they are simply
called that by the residents. Indeed, it is rare to find any street signs in
Bequia.
Front Street is the heart of activity in Port Elizabeth as this is where
you find the taxis, often open sided pickup trucks with a canopy on the
back, the post office, the island's administration building, the travel
agency, several small stores and boutiques. Back Street has the smaller
stores (definitely a relative term). Between the two streets you will find
supermarkets and the island's only Bank.
If you wander south along Front Street (Belmont Road) you will encounter
a small vegetable market with the freshest of local produce and further
along you will find a small local bakery which if you are lucky to arrive
when their products are being taken from the oven fill the air with a
heavenly aroma and supply breads and pastries that just melt in your mouth.
Bequia has a history of boat building and while the average visitor is not
likely to want a full ocean-going sailboat most persons marvel at miniature
boats produced on Bequia with their intricate handiwork. Along this street
can be found two miniature boat builders.
Walking along this road gives you views of the ever-present sea and local
life in Bequia, eventually arriving at Fort Hamilton.
Heading in the opposite direction takes you through the quaint and shady
craft market and then past part of the bay where locals who service the
yachts in the Bay beach their boats.
Further along is the historic St Mary’s Anglican Church which was rebuilt
after a hurricane in 1829.
Eventually your walk takes you to the Belmont Walkway which is the center
of night life in Port Elizabeth as it is lined with restaurants, bars, and
small hotels, most notably the Whale Boner, whose gate was made from whale
jawbones and bar seats from whale vertebrae. If you continue past you
eventually arrive at Princess Margaret Beach. However even during the
daytime the bars along the walkway or in Port Elizabeth are a cool place to
kick back and enjoy a cold drink while soaking up the ambiance of Port
Elizabeth, the Capital of Cool.
Lower Bay, pronounced Low Bay by the locals, is a small village on the
outskirts of Port Elizabeth with a stunning beach. While many who go to
Bequia tout the beauty of Princess Margaret Beach, Lower Bay has an equally
beautiful beach and it is a short distance away via the
Princess Margaret Trail.
Lower Bay is indeed a small village with a small hotel, several rental
apartments, villas and rooms for rent in homes. There is no commercial
activity in the village, other than the rental of accommodation, for other
things one goes to Port Elizabeth. There are however several dining
establishments including Keegan's, De Reef, Marcia's, Fernando's Hideaway,
Mango Tree Bar. What Lower Bay however has in abundance is peace and quiet
plus that beautiful beach.
The beach at Lower Bay is the classic curved bay with whitish gold sand
that can be stunning in the midday sun. The water is the famous Caribbean
aquamarine color and just gently rolls onto the shore.
While the sunlight reflecting off the sand can be stunning, the beach is
backed by almond and machineel trees so you can always seek the shelter of
the shade. If you want to lie out on the beach and just doze the hours away,
beach chairs are available for rent at Keegan's and other locations along
the beach. Feeling for a snack or light refreshment, each of the restaurants
is just a short stroll away.
For those who love snorkeling, Lower Bay is excellent because there is a
fringing reef so you can paddle along the edge of the beach observing a
variety of tropical fish.
For those staying in Lower Bay on Bequia the Princess Margaret Trail
provides an easy way to get to Port Elizabeth, while enjoying the sea and
nature plus getting some good exercise. It is said that this trail has been
in existence for 80 years and over the years a private group, Action Bequia,
has enhanced sections of the trail making it more accessible.
If starting in Lower Bay the walk begins along the roadway at the base of
the locally known, Heart Attack Hill. At the midpoint of the hill there is
opening on the sea side between the yards of two houses and it is at this
point that you truly enter the natural surroundings. The trail here winds
down through natural scrub land, descending to
Princess Margaret Beach.
In a short while you are down onto the golden sands of Princess Margaret
Beach and then it is a walk along the beach, dipping your toes in the clear
water if you have the inclination. At the end of Princess Margaret Beach
there is a sign that points you to the continuation of the trail.
Following the sign leads to a concrete walkway with the sea lapping at
the base of the walkway. As you walk along if you look into the water when
the tide is in you can see myriad small tropical fish floating back and
forth with the roll of the ocean.
In a very short while the concrete walkway turns into a series of wooden
steps that ascend the side of the cliff. At intervals along the steps there
are small platforms where you can stop to allow other persons to pass who
are coming in the other direction.
On reaching the top of the steps the trail turns into a dirt walkway
passing through natural woodland and now you begin your descent to Belmont
Beach.
It seems almost too soon when you reach Belmont Beach and the start of
the Boardwalk that runs along the sea front with the views of yachts at
anchor plus various restaurants and takes you directly into Port Elizabeth.
In all an enjoyable hike of 3 miles with lovely views of the ocean.
There is some
contention as to which is the nicest beach in Bequia. There are some who
will argue for Lower
Bay while
some say Princess Margaret Beach and others will vote for Belmont. Whichever
your choice there is no denying that Princess Margaret Beach is a lovely
beach.
While some
envision an ideal tropical beach to be one that is ringed with coconut trees
and Princess Margaret does not have those. It is backed by numerous almond
trees, which is better; plenty of shade and no risk of coconuts falling on
your head while you snooze. With golden sand and gentle azure water this
beach is picture postcard perfect. Adding to the allure of Princess Margaret
Beach is that there are no large hotels or villas ringing the beach almost
making you feel like an interloper when you visit. Rather the absence of
buildings makes you feel as if the entire beach is yours and indeed it is,
as you can choose any spot on the beach to be yours for the day.
Scattered along
the back areas of the beach are local vendors selling soft drinks, ornaments
and beach wraps. While for more substantial meals there is Jacks Beach Bar,
tucked away at one end of the beach. The gentle water invites snorkelers to
explore and the area near the jetty and against the board walk gives you a
literal wall of colorful tropical fish.
If after spending
time on Princess Margaret Beach you are not sure if it is the best beach in
Bequia it is easy to use the Princess
Margaret Trail to
visit the others and then decide.
