March 07, 2006 09:54 AM US Eastern Timezone
Greens Worldwide Announces Trump Million Dollar Invitational Becomes Co-Sanctioned Tour Event

HERTFORD, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2006--Greens Worldwide Incorporated (OTCBB:GRWW) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with the officials of the Trump Million Dollar Invitational presented by TaylorMade (www.trumpmilliondollar.com) for the event to become a co-sanctioned event on the 2006 U.S. Pro Golf Tour. The top ten Tour Card members on the U.S. Pro Golf Tour money list after the first two events on the 2006 Tour will be exempt from qualifying and will be fully sponsored into the event. The Tour also reserved up to an additional ten playing positions for its tour card members. Details of the agreement will be provided to USPGT professionals, along with the rules of the competition prior to the first event of the 2006 Tour. As a result of the co-sanctioned status of the event, GRWW has committed to sponsor its qualifying players into the event with all expenses paid. The winner of this event could take home a $1,000,000 first prize.

The Trump Million Dollar Invitational presented by TaylorMade will be conducted May 21-26, 2006 at the Trump International Golf Club at Raffles Resort on Canouan Island in the Grenadines, with a potential purse of $1.5 million. The event will be telecast on ESPN and distributed worldwide. For more information on the event, visit www.trumpmilliondollar.com.

"I am thrilled that the top ten players on the U.S. Pro Golf Tour money list after our first two events this year will get the chance of a lifetime to compete for the largest purse and first place prize of their careers, and we appreciate the courtesy that the Trump Organization and Innovative Media Solutions has extended to the U.S. Pro Golf Tour," stated R. Thomas Kidd, Chief Executive Officer, Greens Worldwide

The Trump Million Dollar Invitational presented by TaylorMade is a production of Manhattan Beach, CA-based Innovative Media Solutions (IMS), LLC and Winnercomm, Inc., America's largest independent sports production company. Andy Batkin, CEO of IMS, noted, "We are delighted to partner with the U.S. Pro Golf Tour in offering entry into this exceptional event to their top players. Anyone competing in this event is in for a thrilling golf experience on one of the world's great golf courses in the paradise that is Canouan Island."

The event is a three-day, 54-hole stroke play competition without the benefit of handicap. The players with the ten lowest scores will advance to the Grand Prize Matches on May 26, 2006. Ties in the 54-hole tournament will be broken by a playoff at the Trump International Golf Club and will continue until there are ten players left that will move on to the Grand Prize Match.

The ten Grand Prize Match finalists will compete in a nine-hole playoff where one player will be eliminated on each hole until there are only two players left, who will then play the final hole for the Grand Prize. Ties on each hole will be broken by participation in a skills competition by all players who are tied for the highest score on each hole until one player is eliminated. Skills shall be putting, chipping, sand shots and driving accuracy and will be chosen at the discretion of the tournament director and fully disclosed prior to the commencement of the Grand Prize Matches.

About Trump International Golf Club at Raffles Resort Canouan Island

Named "Best of the Best" in 2005 by Robb Report, the Trump International Golf Club at Raffles Resort is one of the Caribbean's few world-class golf courses. Designed by the legendary Jim Fazio, the 18-hole, par 72 course demands accuracy and finesse. The course covers 140 acres along the sea front, flat coastal plain and carved hillsides above the bay and resort.

Raffles Resort Canouan Island is located on Canouan Island in the heart of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean. Opened in November 2004, the resort is part of a 1,200-acre private estate featuring secluded white sand beaches and surrounded by one of the world's largest coral reefs. The resort was designed by renowned Italian architect Luigi Vietti and is owned by Canouan Resorts Development (CRD). Its signature RafflesAmrita Spa was named 2005 "Best of the Best Spa" by Robb Report, the international authority on the luxury lifestyle.

About Innovative Media Solutions and Winnercomm

The Trump Million Dollar Invitational presented by TaylorMade is a production of Manhattan Beach, CA-based Innovative Media Solutions, LLC and Winnercomm, Inc., America's largest independent sports production company.

Innovative Media Solutions, LLC (IMS), based in Manhattan Beach, CA, develops unique, compelling and custom designed integrated media programs for major corporations to reach specific and very targeted demographics. IMS creates dynamic value-added events that effectively blend the use of TV, print, radio, online, database development, event marketing and hospitality. The unique synergy of IMS strategic resources empowers sponsors and advertisers to maximize their investments by transcending common advertising clutter and delivering focused product or service messages to the right audience at the right time.

Winnercomm, Inc. is America's largest independent sports production, program development, marketing services and sales representation company with offices in Tulsa, Dallas, New York, Chicago and Nashville. Winnercomm-produced telecasts have won 12 Emmy Awards. The company produces over 1,000 hours of programming annually for ESPN and 13 other networks and owns the high-flying Skycam that has produced the unique overhead shots on ABC's Monday Night Football and ESPN's Sunday Night Football. Winnercomm programming includes horse racing (NTRA), professional rodeo (PRCA Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Wrangler ProRodeo Winter and Summer Tours, Pace Picante Finales, Xtreme Bulls), soccer (MLS, U.S. Soccer), bowling (PBA), lacrosse (MLL), softball (ASA/USA World Cup of Softball), cheerleading and dance (Varsity Brands), golf (LPGA, Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, People vs. the Pros, Trump Million Dollar Invitational), fishing (BASS), snowmobile and ATV racing (PowerSports Entertainment), hunting, sporting dogs, adventure and original entertainment.

About The U.S. Pro Golf Tour

The U.S. Pro Golf Tour is the country's premier intermediary professional golf tour. Our tour-caliber events feature former PGA golfers, players preparing for the Champions Tour, non-exempt professionals on the Champions Tour, celebrity challengers and professionals 18 and older gearing-up for the PGA Tour. The U.S. Pro Golf Tour conducts a Pro-Net competition for players with handicaps of all skill levels, 18 years and older, competing for substantial prize money in a tour-event atmosphere. All tournaments are weeklong events, and feature junior clinics, pro am events, media coverage, entertainment, electronic leader boards and hospitality, with local market charities benefiting from the events. The U.S. Pro Golf Tour is televised on The Golf Channel, featured in the program "54 Holes to Sunday". For more information on the U.S. Pro Golf Tour, phone 252-264-2064, or visit our website, www.usprogolftour.com.

About Greens Worldwide Incorporated

Greens Worldwide Incorporated (OTCBB:GRWW) is a vertically integrated sports marketing company engaged in golf events and companies involved in managing those events and is publicly traded under the stock symbol GRWW. In our continuing effort to develop a more cohesive and synergistic organization, we are structured in a way that allows all of our entities to utilize each other's resources to the greatest extent possible. In addition, the Company's strategic plan is to be able to deliver substantial value by providing multiple sports platforms and media to leverage our partners advertising and promotional dollars, while delivering the finest entertainment opportunities to retain and build customers. For our non-sports businesses, we will utilize the media and promotional benefits of our media platforms in Television, Radio, and Print, together with Internet Television and other like strategic relationships, to grow our consolidated revenues. The Company intends to acquire profitable sports organizations and sports related firms, together with other businesses that would benefit from the synergy the Company provides.

Important Information About Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this news release that are other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements, which contain our current expectations about our future results. Forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties. We have attempted to identify any forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipates", "believes", "could", "expects", "intends", "may", "should" and other similar expressions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in all of our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. A number of factors may affect our future results and may cause those results to differ materially from those indicated in any forward-looking statements made by us or on our behalf. Such factors include our limited operating history; our need for significant capital to finance internal growth as well as strategic acquisitions; our ability to attract and retain key employees and strategic partners; our ability to achieve and maintain profitability; fluctuations in the trading price and volume of our stock; competition from other providers of similar products and services; and other unanticipated future events and conditions.

Contacts
Greens Worldwide Incorporated
R. Thomas Kidd, 252-264-2064

From September, 2000 Destination: The Caribbean

Where Are the Grenadines, Anyway?
As remote as you can get without falling off the map, this chain of islands has long been the Caribbean's best-kept secret. For decades, yachters, rockers, and sun-worshipers have been quietly colonizing one palm-studded atoll after another. But you may still be the only one on the beach

by Rick Marin 

I knew we were in the right place when my girlfriend started crying. We had just flown to an island 484 miles south of Puerto Rico and were pushing off a beach in a skiff that would take us to our hotel. A mistimed jump aboard had drenched Ilene's black pants and half her black Playboy T-shirt. As we pulled far enough from shore to see where we were-surrounded by white sand, green hills, and Caribbean blue-hot, happy tears drizzled down her cheeks. The baptism was complete. Salvation was at hand: St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

S.V.G. is the official abbreviation for the 33 islands and cays that fall between St. Lucia and Grenada . It was among the last of the region's island colonies to gain independence-from Britain, in 1979. It may also be the last to submit to the pink-skinned invaders who've laid claim to almost every other paradise island in the Caribbean. Getting here still isn't easy. A two-hour American Eagle flight from San Juan-with, in our case, no working bathroom.

And yet, people do come. Yachters party on Bequia. Nature nuts seek out St. Vincent's volcanic jungle. Palm Beach super-WASP's and rock stars have been fleeing to Mustique's colony of lush villas since the late fifties. Privately owned islands like Mustique or island resorts like Young Island, Palm Island, and Petit St. Vincent give the Grenadines an aura of gated exclusivity. But it's not all like that. Banana boats that could have ferried Graham Greene bump up against lavish modern luxury. There are still empty beaches and locals who don't want to sell you T-shirts. Traveling can still be done on the cheap. The Grenadines are, to borrow the title of a recent film, the high-low country. And our weekend-to-weekend migration would be a very high-low holiday.

The Power Relaxation was to start with a wind sprint of nonstop action on St. Vincent: rain-forest trail, volcano hike, all-night partying in Kingstown. That didn't happen.

"I don't think we're going back to Kingstown tonight," Ilene said.

Wobbling giddily on barstools, we sucked down our first-but not our last-fruit punches. We had arrived at our hotel, a tiny eco-conscious enclave called the Petit Byahaut. The Byahaut is accessible only by water and has just five rooms. Did I say rooms? Gilligan and the Skipper had cushier quarters. No TV, no phone-only a VHF radio for emergencies. Guests sleep in tents. All right, tents outfitted with queen-size beds and running water. Built into the rocky hillside outside the tents are a proper toilet, sink, and shower. A few steps away, there's a platform with a pair of hammocks sheltered by a roof. The place is just on the right side of civilization for a softy (like me) whose idea of roughing it is having nowhere to plug in an electric toothbrush.

We scrambled up the steep stone path to our room and squirted ourselves clean with the hot-water -bag "shower," loving our little eco-Eden. Over a dinner of blackened dorado we chatted with Sharon, who runs the place with her husband, Charles. A couple of graying hippies, they both have the same blissed-out manner. He's a former real estate man from California; she's an artist from Canada. I tried to bond with Sharon over the fact that we grew up in the same province, but she wanted to talk about their solar-powered refrigeration and Charles's dream of living in a three-sided house. There are a lot of these sorts of people in the Grenadines: refugees from the rat race doing a modified Gauguin thing. Sharon may start the morning by cleaning the bathrooms with twigs, or whatever, but she reads the Wall Street Journal online every day.

Climbing the 4,048-foot active volcano soufriËre is a four-hour trek through dense rain forest that even locals avoid. The falls of Baleine, on the other hand, promised to be a gorgeous tropical wonder.

We did that instead.

Our guide, Hal Daize, picked us up in his speedboat the next day. Already on board were a spry older couple and a grizzled deckhand named Jim in a teal Florida Marlins T-shirt. We cruised up the leeward (western) side of the island in the late-morning sun. A gray heron passed us effortlessly.

"I could keep up with him, but I don't think you'd like the ride," Hal said.

Hal, a cheerful, confident man in his early thirties, proved an able guide. He showed us brown boobies perched on the black volcanic rock and a huge frigate bird-or man-o'-war, as the fishermen here call it ­ circling high above. As we passed the smokestacks of the abandoned sugar plantations, Hal lamented that sugar is now imported. Bananas and coconuts are still exported, as is arrowroot. St. Vincent is the World's leading producer of the stuff, used as coating for computer paper more often these days than as an antidote for poisoned arrows.

Because the Leeward Highway stops about three-quarters of the way up the island, we were soon looking at lush valleys accessible only by boat. The rich volcanic soil turns the hills up the coast endless shades of green. On some of the beaches we saw the small colored boats of the ganja farmers.

Hal said, "I never get tired of lookin' at these valleys."

Most of St. Vincent is shockingly pristine. Except for a resort or two and a few business hotels near the port, it's more like Naipaul's Trinidad than, say, Bermuda.

As we skirted the wild coastline, we got to know our retired friends. Ray had been a clay modeler at the Jaguar factory in the north of England. Mrs. Ray (okay, so we didn't know each other that well) had been a bookkeeper. When we reached the falls, Ray watched Ilene dive in and swim up under the waterfall and pronounced her a "daredevil." I tiptoed in to stomach-freezing level.

After about 10 minutes, I realized I couldn't wimp out in front of old people. I swam as close to the crashing water as any sane person would and kissed Ilene because she made me.

On the way back, the rain came, right around the time Hal decided we had to see dolphins. As shower turned to downpour, he made for the deep water. Ilene rejected the plastic ponchos from the hold as too smelly, but Ray put one on and stared grimly at the horizon. I imagined him, with the same grim visage, sitting in one of those deadly landing craft that unloaded the boys onto the beach at Normandy. Hal had become Ahab, deaf to our assurances that we'd be happy to go home without the dolphins. And then we saw them! Little black ones in the distance, frolicking away. It was worth it, if only to get us back to dry land.

At the Byahaut, I clutched a cup of tea like a gulag prisoner and began to wonder whether nature wasn't overrated. In these primitive surroundings, the life-and-death struggle on our table between a moth and a tiny frog seemed a little too close to home. It was time to exit the biosphere.

The Charm of St. Vincent is that it has not been quaintified. This is also a reason not to linger. Kingstown is a commercial port whose open-air market is rivaled in unsightliness only by the very bad brick edifice going up to replace it. Bequia (pronounced "beck-wee"(, an hour's ferry ride away, is the opposite: a picture-postcard harbor filled with enviable yachts. We hired one of the cheerfully painted water taxis to take us to the Gingerbread Hotel, a waterfront spot I'd chosen for its name. Built in the scalloped, fairy­tale style of the Grenadines, it lived up to its billing. Our third­floor room was large and airy, with a four­poster bed in the middle and a balcony overlooking the harbor. The proprietor, Pat Mitchell, another transplanted Canadian, gave us a brusque rundown of the amenities, focusing heavily on antimosquito weaponry.

We ventured into the noonday sun, along the main street that hugs the harbor, past the souvenir shops to Daphne Cooks It, a little roti stand we'd read about. I ordered a curried beef, which was probably goat. When we asked after Daphne, the girl serving us waved her hand and said, "Upstairs."

The heat was making somebody kind of cranky.

Behind Bequia's beaches, its hilly green interior rises sharply. You can see some of the villas (many of them built by yachters who fell in love with the island) poking out from their lush landscaping. At a restaurant called Da Reef, we ordered shrimp-and-lobster salad and a couple of Hairouns, the local beer. We watched a man with a machete hacking up a fish on the beach. One Bequia tourist trap worth falling into is the model-boat-building trade. In the back room of Sargeant's, at the edge of town, men sit whittling amazingly detailed replicas that range in scale from one to five feet, and in price from a hundred bucks to four grand. Worth every penny if you've got the pennies.

But, back to the mosquitoes. After a night of hunting the evil insects that had made it past the bed's netting, I woke up with a huge welt of poison on my forehead, right on the hairline. We tried an early game of tennis, but the Gingerbread's cracked, weedy court looked as if it hadn't been used since the colonists left.

Surely, We would not experience such hardships at our next destination, the famously opulent and manicured Mustique­a place for pashas, rumored to make St. Bart's look like Club Med. Colin Tennant, aka Lord Glenconner, founded this elite colony in 1958 as a place where his wealthy and titled friends, notably Princess Margaret, could winter. In the seventies, David Bowie and Mick Jagger showed up. Bowie sold his villa; Mick still has his even if he doesn't use it much.

One of the most beautiful women I have ever seen greeted us at the dock and took us in a white minivan up to the Cotton House, the island's only real hotel. As we were checking in, Yves, the manager, chastised us for not telling them when we were coming or how many people we were, a strange complaint considering that they had our confirmed reservation. He asked where we'd been. I mentioned the Byahaut.

"How did you end up there?" he sniffed, as if we'd been trapped in a homeless shelter.

We were led across immaculate grounds to a white building that housed the Tower, our compact but elegant room, with French windows opening onto a balcony and the ocean beyond. A silver tray balanced with a bottle of Perrier-Jouet and a frosty jug of liquefied tropical fruit arrived and was duly consumed. I did a Tony Curtis line from Sweet Smell of Success: "From now on, the best of everything is good enough for me!" The Cotton House is that kind of place. The kind with a "pillow menu."

Island residents gather every Tuesday for cocktails in the Cotton House's neocolonial reception hall. Some awful people who'd been on our plane from San Juan were there-a blond woman in a straw hat and a navy blazer who had said to a man in lavender pants and a golf shirt: "I do hope they don't make Puerto Rico a state, because then we'll have to give them aid."

The party gave Ilene an insta-anxiety attack: she was wearing palm-leaf Cotton House flip-flops because of a foot injury sustained while swimming that afternoon, and this was not a flip-flop affair. Still, she managed to cozy up to the island's unofficial ambassador, a Brahmin matron with addresses on Beacon Hill and Martha's Vineyard who's been coming to Mustique for 30 years. Through her, Ilene secured a session with Roxanne, the island's unofficial masseuse, at the Brahmin's own house for the next day. So transported would Ilene be by this experience that the following morning she'd declare, "If Madonna were here, she would be hanging out exclusively with Roxanne."

While this high-toned transaction was taking place, I was sweating in front of Tommy Hilfiger. Tommy reached over and expertly fingered the black rayon of my J. Crew shirt.

"You know why you're warm?" he said, looking as if he'd just stepped out of a meat locker. "This doesn't breathe. You need to wear cotton."

With that he was gone.

In the morning, we looked at some villas with the resident real estate agent and Tina Turner look -alike. Many of them were designed by or in the high- gingerbread style of Oliver Messel, a former theatrical set designer who established the tone of storybook luxury here. Most have glimmering pools and incomparable sea views and, considering the cook and maid service, are a better deal than the Cotton House.

We rented a Mule­a grinding, heavy-duty golf cart that most people use to get around the island­and took it to the Firefly, a little guesthouse/restaurant/bar run by a glamorously louche English couple we'd met at the cocktail party the night before.

Not an Hotel, An Experience, the sign said. I could have done without the "an hotel" business. But the restaurant is a great vantage point, high above the ocean, with a terra-cotta terrace rimmed with wrought-iron railings. Never mind the superb cocktails and fish-and-chips. Riding a midday buzz and aspiring to loucheness ourselves, we were beginning to feel Mustique's mystique-or is it mystique's Mustique? Barman! Another round, please.

After lunch, we gravitated to the strip of shops by the waterfront. Ilene bought a pink bathing suit. I got a couple of little wooden birds on sticks. A two-hour massage and facial from a lovely Scottish lass at the Cotton House Spa primed me for the weekly "Jump Up" at Basil's Bar.

Basil himself is as much of an institution as his bar. He became a bartender at 17 and eventually rose to the status of island shareholder. Resplendent in a flowing red robe and gold Rolex, he stopped by our table to chat. He dismissed the Cotton House as "overpriced and overrated." After the all-we -could-eat lobster and barbecue-pork buffet, we danced amid giggling teenage girls to Bob Marley's "One Love." This wasn't quite the hot, sweatily sexy bacchanal I'd been led to expect.

The next morning the phone rang. I picked up.

"Rrrick?"

"Yes."

"Tommy Hilfiger." He spoke his name with the supersmooth assurance of Casey Kasem announcing the number-one song in America. "I'm having a few old friends for dinner tonight, and we'd love it if you could join us."

I covered the receiver and made goofy faces at Ilene.

"Love to," I said. "But we're leaving in an hour."

"Fly back tonight!" Tommy countered.

"Can I take a rain check?"

We had to get to Canouan. There was a brand-new resort there! And turning down dinner at Tommy Hilfiger's house was actually cooler than going, I convinced myself. Ilene remained unpersuaded.

Canouan's Carenage Bay Beach & Golf Club is a tribute to modern technology and the basic human need to sip umbrella drinks at a swim-up bar. From the airport, you drive past the goats and hovels and I LOVE THE LORD churches into the gated resort community and golf course that, it is rumored, has been played by Bill Gates. To realize this $180 million project, roads, power and desalinization plants, and a large casino were built. Just watering the golf course costs $1 million a year. Our suite was huge. They all are. Jumbo bedroom and living room with coral-colored couches that double as daybeds. Kitchen area with cappuccino machine. (Italian management.) High vaulted ceilings, and doors made of dark Brazilian wood so heavy it sinks in water. Two bathrooms, the master outfitted with a huge tub, a bidet, and light Frette robes. Cable TV. A/C. Italian sparkling wine and a fruit basket.

The clientele is heavily Euro, mostly French and Italian. Swarthy men weighted down with gold and deeply bronzed size 0 trophy wives. Ilene saw one mother of two in a white knit bikini casually using a $3,000 piece of Louis Vuitton luggage as her beach bag. After lounging at the immense, banana -shaped pool, we walked a few paces down to the beach and rode a couple of water bicycles over the reef. A little later, we took a golf lesson from a French Canadian who told us that everything we did was wrong. Dinner, a beach barbecue, was another Euro fashion show: Mrs. Vuitton had switched into gold jeans and a leopard-print tank with full bra exposure. A man who looked like Charles de Gaulle walked by in a madras shirt, red jeans, and brown loafers.

I felt a desperate need to upgrade my resort wear. Ilene did so, dropping major plastic on various Roberto Cavalli creations at a boutique run by two extremely sexy and nice Italian women.

"At last, real shopping!" Ilene was moved to exclaim.

On our snorkeling excursion the next day, we met Mrs. de Gaulle, whose plastic surgery was outdone only by the number of outfits she wore during the boat trip (in amazed admiration, Ilene counted three). The Carenage dropped a couple of stars in our eyes when we saw the ratty catamaran they'd provided to take us to the Tobago Cays. The equipment was worse. Leaky masks. Flippers made for elves or Shaquille O'Neal­nothing in between. Once in the water, though, you could see why fish freaks make pilgrimages here. The reef is spectacular, and so shallow that a few of us stood up in it and were yelled at by a local patrol.

Back at the Carenage that night, we found that the casino was closed. Ilene, who never met a blackjack table she didn't like, was crestfallen. Dying to check the place out, she asked for a tour the morning we were leaving. A large white building atop the resort's highest ground, it had a Monte Carlo-manquÈ look. Inside were baccarat tables and chemin de fer. Our Italian guide showed us where a gambling room was under construction, with tables for "crabs" and "slots for when the women get bored."

After the Freshly Minted Euros on display at the Carenage, we embraced the old-money shabby gentility of Young Island, our final stop. This resort island is just a few hundred yards off St. Vincent. A peacock was sitting at the door of our little cabana, and I chased him around in the rain, hoping he'd flash his plumage, NBC-style. He didn't. This was our last full day in the Grenadines. My only real goal was to go deep-sea fishing, which I'd never done. We set it up for the next day with Hal. At 7:30 a.m. it was raining again. Yesss!-a reprieve after being up late in the bar, drinking and bouncing to the strains of a tireless steel-drum band.

No such luck. Hal was right on time. Jim too, as well as a sharp-witted older gentleman named Henry , who turned out to have been one of the country's highest-ranking civil servants and a former UN official. Henry chatted on his cell phone with a doctor friend onshore as Hal hacked off chunks of sugarcane and gave them to us to chew on. The sun came out, but the fish didn't. Nothing but barracuda, the rats of the sea. Then I reeled in a tuna. Baby yellowfin. Three pounds maybe. More like sushi, really.

I could have cried.

The Facts

HOTELS
Petit Byahaut St. Vincent ; phone and fax 784/457-7008; www.outahere.com/petitbyahaut; doubles from $405.

Gingerbread Hotel Bequia; 784/458-3800, fax 784/458-3907; www.begos.com/gingerbread; doubles from $65.

Cotton House Mustique; 877/240-9945 or 784/456-4777, fax 784/456-5887; www.cottonhouse.net; doubles from $590.

Carenage Bay Beach & Golf Club Canouan; 784/458-8000, fax 784/482-0004; www.canouan .com; doubles from $260.

Young Island Young Island Crossing, St. Vincent; 784/458-4826, fax 784/457-4567; www.youngisland.com; doubles from $325.

RESTAURANTS
Old Fort Country Inn Mount Pleasant, Bequia; 784/458-3440; dinner for two $80. Excellent callaloo and tropical chopped salad sweetened with grapefruit.

The Firefly Overlooking Britannia Bay, Mustique ; 784/456- 3414; dinner for two $80. The fish-and-chips are essential, but are served only at lunch.

Basil's Bar On Britannia Bay, Mustique; 784/456-3350; dinner for two $80. There's a barbecue buffet at the Wednesday night "Jump Up." Surf 'n' turf and surprisingly good desserts the rest of the week.

SHOPPING
Sargeant Bros. Model Boat Shop Port Elizabeth, Bequia; 784/458-3344. Scale reproductions of the island's once-famous whaling boats.

Treasure Boutiques Britannia Bay waterfront, Mustique; 784/458-4621, ext. 521. Lots of Tommy Hilfiger (he owns a sprawling villa here) and a few local items.

Aquamarine Carenage Bay Beach & Golf Club, Canouan; 784/458-8000, ext. 2403. Imported Italian women's clothing, from Roberto Cavalli evening wear to La Perla lingerie.

SIGHTSEEING
Hal Daize's speedboat is an ideal way to check out remote parts of St. Vincent-and go deep-sea fishing (784/458-4826).

VILLA RENTALS
Mustique Co. 800/225-4255; www.mustique-island.com. Two- to seven-bedroom luxury villas, from $3,000 per week (minimum stay one week). The rate includes a vehicle and household staff.

DO NOT MISS THE BOAT
It's a short sail between most of the islands in the Grenadines.

An hourly ferry links St. Vincent and Bequia. The Passion, a catamaran run by a crusty ex-Marine, goes to Mustique. If you're in a hurry, take SVG Air (784/457-5124)
 

Caribbean Hideaways: Mustique

Lodgings on tiny Mustique are limited. If Mick Jagger's famous Atlantic Ocean villa is rented, the Coutinot House is perched just over the hill on the Caribbean side. One of the cottages on the grounds of the Cotton House, it has four massive guest rooms and one suite, all with views of Endeavour Bay, private verandas, four-posters with mosquito netting—the island is named for the insect, after all—and huge bathtubs awash in sunlight. The 20-room Cotton House itself has a new spa and a can-do-anything staff—including chauffeur Gideon "Bopsin" Gabriel, who will cheerily shuttle you from beach to beach (Macaroni and Lagoon are the most inviting) while dishing the residents. The new chef, Emmanuel Guemon, dishes up even better stuff, making great use of local ingredients in the pumpkin and crab soup, the yellowfin sashimi with cracked pepper and sweet Bajan chili sauce, and the pan-seared fillet of wahoo (784-456-4777; www.cottonhouseresort.com; doubles, $730-$780).

Travel
The Best Beach Resorts In The World
Charles Dubow

St. Vincent & Grenadines

Courtesy of Cotton House

Cotton House

The Cotton House is the only hotel on the island of Mustique, one of the most beautiful and exclusive islands in the Caribbean. And with only 15 rooms and 4 suites, it is quite a small hotel indeed. That's because most people who come here own their own homes, and the hotel is for the most part intended for friends of friends. Formerly the property of Lord Glenconner, Mustique evolved since the 1960s as a haven for English aristocrats and their families. Today it has become slightly more democratic, as it allows in commoners like David Bowie, Mick Jagger and Tommy Hilfiger. Getting a room at the Cotton House, a former 18th-century warehouse, is not impossible, if you book early enough, but it helps to know someone. But once you come down, it is easy to make friends and it's a place you'll want to return for the rest of your life--if you can afford to.

Cotton House
P.O. Box 349
Mustique, St. Vincent
Phone: (784) 456-7777
Fax: (784) 456-5887
 

Saturday 14 February 2004

Toucan Hill, Mustique Tiny, glamorous Mustique has one of the world's densest concentrations of lavish villas. Toucan Hill, on a hilltop with breathtaking views, is more Moroccan-themed palace than villa, with mosaic-tiled fountains, a domed dining pavilion, over-the-top bedrooms and an infinity pool. Staff include a chef and butler. Sleeps eight. £25,480/£21,840 per property, excluding flights (Chapters by Abercrombie & Kent).

http://www.scubamom.com/grenadines/mustique/
Courtesy of Scuba Moms website
Cotton House Resort
on the private island of Mustique

Cotton House is not quite like any other we've ever had the pleasure of visiting in the Caribbean. It has been described as a Fantasy Island Resort and one which would have Ricardo Montalban greeting you on arrival. Well, not quite, but close.  The little airport is just over the hill from the resort and each time a tiny plane buzzed in for a landing we thought "the plane, the plane"!   In the distance, they looked and swooped down for a landing just like the TV show.  And speaking of entertainment, lots of celebrities have lavish villas on Mustique. But, as with places like Aspen, they might be visiting and you might have the opportunity to see one, but probably not. Perhaps it's part of the mystique of Mustique!

It is a very private island and there are no scheduled airline flights or ferries to reach it. You can sail there on a yacht or take a commuter flight. We flew to Mustique from Barbados on a twin engine "Islander" plane which held 8 people and was one of the smoothest one hour flights I can remember. 

The island of Mustique has rolling green hills, clusters of wooded areas, and cliffs plunging into deep blue waters separating gorgeous white sand beaches ... a perfect setting for the superb Cotton House Resort.

MUSTIQUE
A private island in the Grenadines

Mustique's 18th century cotton and sugar plantations have been replaced with 50 magnificent secluded villas hidden along its vast shorelines and hillsides.  It has only one luxury resort called Cotton House with 20 rooms, and the elegant Fire Fly Guest House with 4 rooms. This is a very private island visited only by a few who seek seclusion and serenity.

It is owned by the Mustique Company which manages the entire island and carefully controls growth to protect the natural beauty and ambiance.  You won't find cruise ships in the harbor, only occasional yachtsmen drifting through on their way to somewhere else in the Grenadines.  You won't find shops galore either, just a couple of small boutiques. There's one little town with one bar and restaurant, the famous "Basil's Bar & Restaurant".   Seven large gorgeous beaches embellish the island with lots of spots to snorkel, fish, or swim. We found our days in Mustique some of the most relaxing that we've ever spent in the Caribbean. 

Click the map to see the location of the resort, inn, shops, Basil's, and beaches on this 1400 acre island retreat. 

Mustique is 18 miles south of St. Vincent and 110 miles west of Barbados.  You can sail there on a yacht or take a commuter flight. Mustique Airways, Trans Island Airways (TIA) and SVG Airlines has "shared charters" from Barbados and St. Vincent, plus will do private charters to and from other islands in the Grenadines.

We flew to Mustique from Barbados on a twin engine "Islander" plane which held 8 people and was one of the smoothest one hour flights I can remember.  The landing wasn't like ANY I remember though and was an exciting "wing your way over a steep hill" and immediately drop on a very short runway .  What fun!

The plane shown above is one of the 6 seat ones - notice that it is sitting on a hill at the take off point of the 2500' runway which ends at a mountain's edge! Click the plane image to see one take off and land. 

SVG Air, provide flights from Barbados to Mustique; and also connect Mustique with St. Vincent.  Shared flights usually leave Barbados in early morning, noon, and late afternoon - check the airlines for current schedules. All do charter service too.

On our first visit to Mustique, we stayed at the Cotton House Resort, the epitome of refined luxury in elegant plantation style surroundings.   After spending a few relaxing days at the resort's pool, beach, and tennis courts, we decided it was time to tour Mustique - all 1 by 3 miles of it - by mule.  MULE?  Yes, the four wheeled kind! What fun! 

I wondered why it was called a "mule", but we soon found out.  Most of Mustique's roads are paved, but some aren't and after a couple of days of rain can turn into mud puddles - big ones! Plus, some of the island roads are almost straight up; a car would huff and puff. But not the motorized mule.  It went places only a four legged kind could go!

So, join me on our fun tour of Mustique. You can't really get lost, even though some of the dirt roads aren't marked on the southeast side. From Cotton House, we passed the end of the airport runway and turned right at an intersection toward "town".  The road snaked its way down a steep hill then ran flat along the shoreline.  We found a cute boutique and an ice cream parlor not far from a tiny food store which featured wine of all kinds and flavors. 

Then we came to Basil's Bar & Restaurant located over the water on a pier. What a delightful place - just the kind of "island hangout" you'd expect to find.  Supposedly it is visited by lots of celebrities who stay in the Villas, but we didn't see any, well, except for Basil who is famous in his own right. 

The menu was extensive - full of West Indian delights, and we choose grilled lobster for lunch.  I couldn't resist browsing Basil's shop on the way out and found all kinds of island wear, batik clothing, neat t-shirts, and nifty gifts.

From there, we decided to find the Fire Fly Guest House which was straight up a hill near town.  This was the only time our mule gave out and just wouldn't make it up the road (even after I got out to lighten the load!) Kenny drove it back to the bottom of the hill while I walked up the zillion steps of a stone walk way to reach the inn. I wouldn't want to do this after a few beers at Basil's!

The Fire Fly was once a villa, but was converted to a 4 bedroom inn a few years ago.   This cross between a cliff house and a tree house clings to the side of a steep hill at the top where the restaurant and bar are, then cascades down to two pool gardens.  The rooms are tucked in and around multi-level terraces and are spacious suites with unbelievable views. We liked it so well that we stayed there on another visit to Mustique - take the link at the bottom of the page to read my review.

Firefly's bar and restaurant are often full of people, all enjoying the surroundings and vistas along with food and drink. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.   If you are driving to the inn on the high road (top of the hill), here is what the front entry looks like:

The Fire Fly had a huge Halloween party during one of our visits to Mustique.  We didn't go, but some of the Cotton House guests drifted there for some fun and had a great time. If you want refined elegance, stay at the Cotton House; if you want casual elegance centered around a hub of evening activity, stay at the Fire Fly.  If you want absolute luxury with a full staff, book one of the lavish villas.

Finally, we headed for the "back country" of the island. The shoreline along the west side is beautiful - thick tropical foliage and palms border long white sand beaches.

We then headed around and over a 500' mountain where the paved road suddenly ended and we depended on our mule to get us safely along the dirt roads.  The views were outstanding and we passed through some gorgeous tropical forests.

The east side of the island has more miles of beaches and we drove down several side roads to reach them.  The surf is full of waves and strong currents, so most simply walk the beaches and enjoy seaside picnic lunches. Lots of spectacular villas are on the northeast side of the island - we could see them in the distance; very few are near the roads.

Tennis courts and a full riding stable (with horses, not mules) are in the middle of the island along with one gas station and the car rental headquarters.  We stopped at the Mustique Company's office near the airport to pick up a thick brochure and rate sheet for the villa rentals.  There's many from which to choose ranging from 2 bedroom mansions to 7 bedroom palatial estates.

As we passed the east end of the airport and drove back toward Cotton House, we found thick palm groves, probably one of the old coconut plantations. Bequia seemed just beyond the palms when in fact, it's over 10 miles away.

If you have the pleasure to visit Mustique, don't miss spending a day exploring all this island has to offer.   It was one of the most enjoyable Caribbean driving trips we've ever taken.

Other activities include scuba diving, horseback riding, or partaking a full range of services at the Cotton House Spa.

Evening Entertainment

In the evening, depending on your idea of "party time", there are three places "to be" on Mustique: 
 

Basil's Bar is well known for its casual kick-back atmosphere with some of the best West Indian food in the Caribbean, often accompanied with a steel band or impromptu entertainment. Wednesday night features a huge buffet and band. You'll have great fun with everyone from drop-by yachties to celebrities vacationing on Mustique.  Waterside sunset views are gorgeous; wear your shorts & T -shirt, or one of Basil's famous caftans from the gift shop.   Here's a picture of me with Basil, Dianne, and the resident tennis pro at the Wednesday "Jump up".

Firefly Inn features casual elegance in totally tropical surroundings with hillside sunset views.  Wear your smart casual clothes. Guests lucky enough to be staying in one of the four bedrooms may be sharing cocktails or dinner with the likes of Mick Jaggar or Tommy Hilfiger.
Cotton House Resort combines Caribbean elegance with French Cuisine in a beautiful setting.  Enjoy sunset cocktails on the verandah or in the lovely "great house" lounge and bar.  Wear your finest resort clothing, or your tropical sport coat and evening gown.

2002 Update

We stayed at Cotton House on the Bed & Breakfast plan and rented a mule our entire stay. This proved to be quite fun since we could hop into our steel steed at any time and dash off to the beach or explore Mustique at any whim. It also gave us flexibility in dining options.
A delightful breakfast, of course, was always at the Cotton House. Lunch was usually at Basil's where we enjoyed the tasty lobster salad with Basil's secret dressing or chowed down on juicy burgers. Dinner was enjoyed at all three of the "island restaurants". Wednesday night we had a great time at Basil's huge buffet while listening to a wonderful local band. Thursday we dined at the Cotton House - don't miss ordering the delicious "Pumpkin and Caribbean Crab Soup".  FireFly still features an interesting array of Caribbean Continental selections following sunset cocktails.  The last night of our stay, we returned to Basil's for a romantic sunset dinner served by candlelight.  And yes, we had fun bar hopping between these three places too (on our way to and from the various Mustique Island beaches).

Our favorite beach this trip was along Lagoon Bay on the southwestern tip of Mustique. A sandy road follows the long white sand beach for more than a mile.

A beach ~ dining hut is at water's edge and more are near the end of the road where the beach curves along the shoreline.  Take your picnic basket, towels, and camera to enjoy a great day on this remote and quiet beach.

As always, our days went far too quickly on Mustique. 

~ ~ Lynn McKamey (ScubaMom) 

Getting There: Most guests fly to Barbados and then take an afternoon one hour commuter airline to Mustique. We always use Ulf Carlson of Olson Travel, a Caribbean specialist, for all our airline, resort, and transfer reservations - visit his website for more information.  My Grenadines Travel Tips can be found at this page.

Go To ScubaMom's Caribbean Travel by clicking the image below:

St. Vincent and the Grenadines-- An Inviting Discovery in the Caribbean.
The simple, unspoiled glory of the Grenadines, the lesser-known islands in the southernmost part of the Caribbean chain, is an exhilarating gift proffered to each traveler.
By Dominique Wellington

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The simple, unspoiled glory of the Grenadines, the lesser-known islands in the southernmost part of the Caribbean chain, is an exhilarating gift proffered to each traveler. Untold realms of energy and light emanate from a flood of refreshing beauty found at every turn. Upon embarking into this new world, barricades of city life are quickly shed and the power of sea, sun, sky and endless space begin their magic. St. Vincent and the Grenadines may be reached only by boat or small plane (Mustique Airways} coming from the larger islands of Barbados or Grenada. This novel means of transportation adds a sense of adventure.

From the mother and capital of the archipelago, the large volcanic island of St. Vincent, to the second largest, Bequia, to the island of the super wealthy, Mustique, to newly awakened Canouan, all the way to the beautiful, tiny island of Mayreau, each has its own magnetic beauty.

Bequia -- Island Wonderland

The late afternoon ferry winds its way around Devil's Point on the west side of Bequia, arriving at the island's primary hub, Port Elizabeth. We feel the clamor of excitement on the shore below, as cargoes of food and people are unloaded. Pausing at the top of the narrow steps, I examine the face of the island pointed toward the sea. From the top of the rolling, green volcanic hills sloping from azure skies to translucent seas, houses are scattered gracefully. Rimming the edges of the island, barely visible through the palm trees, are small shops, boutique hotels and restaurants. The overall picture is not of a sleepy island lost in its drems, but one of animated tranquility.

Clambering down the steps, we met Alvin, a taxi driver who became our on-call guide. Taxis are small , sturdy trucks able to negotiate hairpin corners and steep hills. Seated comfortably in the back of the open truck, we headed straight up the hills to the Old Fort, a country inn. Climbing higher, the view became more breathtaking until we reached the highest point, bringing us to the gate of the Old Fort.

The Old Fort, built on the ruins of an old French fort dating from 1756, took 10 years of labor and dedication to restore to its original ambience. In 1984 it was opened to guests who discovered one of the most enchanting, small hotels in the world. At this unique country inn set among tropical gardens, the chickens produce the morning breakfast, and every evening a pair of peacocks appear on cue, perched atop the walls of the old sugar mill, preening against the setting sun.

Each of the six guestrooms retain some of the original stone walls, and the combination of exposed ceiling beams and rafters creates a distinctly medieval feel, its simplicity graced with antiques and original paintings. In the open air, lower den of the fort, the Mediterranean-Creole cuisine is excellent . For romantic couples and honeymooners who enjoy great food by candle and firelight, an added attraction is the superb selection of classical music.

Strolling around Bequia is like Alice's journey through wonderland. People look large while all the structures appear small and quaint. From the popular Frangipani Hotel, where yacht owners from around the world gather at the open air bar and restaurant, all the way to the Plantation House Resort, there is an intriguing walk that ducks under trees along a narrow path at the very edge of the water. The stone walkway extends the length of the waterfront, with sections carved out by people taking shortcuts. This became my artery — a daily walk to lunch at the Frangipani, then a walk past the Gingerbread Restaurant and boutiques, all the way to Maranne's for homemade frozen yogurt. The water, even in this busy harbor, is clean and inviting. After a busy day, we would later return to watch the sun set from a strategic spot on the deck in front of the lovely Plantation House.

Bequia, island of fishermen and boat builders, has a magnetic appeal to the adventurous visitor, someone who prefers the tropical delights of smaller, more informal islands where beaches are secluded. Bequia has ample four-star and comfortable three-star hotels and budget guesthouses that include breakfast and dinner. Prices range from $150 double, per night, meals included, to a guesthouse single at $40, or a two-bedroom apartment for $340 per week.

Friendship Bay Hotel has a great beach location with a friendly staff, tennis courts, scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing and water skiing. It is ideal for water sports rather than swimming. Bequia's best beaches are at Lower Bay and Princess Margaret Beach located close to the village center.

Evenings in Bequia are relaxed. You can spend them on a hill reaching for the stars, enjoy a five -course gourmet dinner, or take a walk to the Schooner to participate in the island's karioke club. This is a guaranteed evening of laughs, even though the talented islanders set quite a high standard is singing ability. Nevertheless, with a group it can be a hilarious evening.

Palm Island — Island of Light

Flying from Bequia, Mustique Airways brought us to Union Island where we were met at the airport. From the airport it's 10 minutes by cabin cruiser to Palm Island and its Palm Island Beach Club.

My first and lasting impression of this island is the wonderful impact of its radiant light. The soft, clean, white stretch of sand rimmed the island as far as the eye could see. Lines of palm trees followed the path of the beach along the enticingly translucent blue sea. Every sight evokes harmony; nothing blurs the natural beauty.

This tiny paradise island, the size of a handkerchief, is the fruition of a pioneer's dream. John Caldwell developed the former Prune Island from an unwanted, mosquitoed swampland, into Palm, the dream island it is today.

One of the most enjoyable attractions for vacationers at this relaxed, friendly resort is the quality and variety of the food. The atmosphere is non-imposing, and the management is in tune with the guests. The encircling sea is the source of all activity, from scuba diving to wind surfing. Rates: High season, $265-345 per couple; Low season, $245. Phone: (800) 858-4618.

Mayreau -- Exquisite Island of Yesterday

The boat ride from Palm Island to Salt Whistle Bay on the island of Mayreau took just 30 minutes. This half-moon bay, as still as glass with barely a ripple, has to take the prize for the purest, most picturesque and peaceful harbor in the world. Canadian couple Undine and Tom Potter fell in love with this island while sailing in 1977, looking for their own tropical paradise.

They bought a choice piece of land on a peninsula dividing the Atlantic from the Caribbean and opened the Salt Whistle Bay Club in 1980. Beneath the shade of tall palms and ficus trees, this lovely, casual resort features cottages built the island's bluebitch stone. Each cottage has its own private thatched-roof gazebo for meals. With her boundless energy and genuine warmth, being pampered by Undine Potter adds to the feeling of complete relaxation on this island.

Two experiences not to be missed while on Mayreau are a boat trip out to the uninhabited Tobago Cays for a day of snorkeling and a walk across the high hill and down into Mayreau's small village. It's worth the hike, even in the hot sun. A Catholic Church, a school and a graveyard stand nobly at the pinnacle with a panoramic view of the horizon in all directions. Less than 200 people, many goats and a few sheep live happily here. It has all the charm of a forgotten island where people walk in beauty and survive by the bountiful sea.

Other Grenadine islands I visited briefly include Mustique, Canouan, and Young, all extraordinarily beautiful with their own unique character.

Young, smallest of all, is reached via a causeway from St. Vincent. The atmosphere at the resort is spectacular with excellent service, fantastic homemade breads and carefully selected fruits, vegetables, meats and fresh fish. It's a joy to anticipate a meal here.

Mustique Island covers 1,400 acres where private homes that are spectacular showcases of international architects in collaboration with Vincentian craftsmen and builders. Island home of the rich and famous, Princess Margaret and many movie stars vacation here. Cotton House, an 18th -century cotton warehouse, was renovated by the late Oliver Messel and is now a lovely hotel with a graceful, somewhat familiar charm and southern belle appeal.

Canouan Island, birthplace of shipbuilding in the Grenadines, has a population of less than 700 and is another gem in the chain. The people here retain a sunny, shy, sweetness but also an avid curiosity about the larger world.

Sailing the Grenadines on the Yankee Clipper Windjammer Ship

A spectacular sunset over the Caribbean can be a memorable cruise moment
Photo (c) 2000 Linda Garrison, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Life on the Yankee Clipper
After a weekend spent sightseeing and driving on the "wrong" side of the road in Grenada, we were finally ready to board the Yankee Clipper (YC) and sail north through the Grenadines. The YC is a beautiful yacht, and was originally launched in 1927 as the Cressida. After World War II, the ship was purchased by the Vanderbilt family and renamed the Pioneer. They used her for racing at Newport Beach. Don't you know that this ship's bulkheads could tell some great stories! Windjammer acquired the Yankee Clipper in 1965 and added her to its fleet. The ship is 197 feet long and 30 feet wide--no chance of getting lost! As the YC is currently configured, it has accommodations for 64 and a crew of 30.

We left Grenada after lunch on Monday and sailed in a northeasterly direction all night towards the Grenadines. Before I discuss the stopovers, I need to tell you a little about the passengers and environment on a Windjammer. The passengers were a diverse group from all over. The average age was 40-50, and most everyone was from the United States or Canada. About two-thirds of the passengers were repeat cruisers. One retired executive was spending his 16th and 17th Windjammer weeks on the YC, and a young schoolteacher was spending a month on the Yankee Clipper. The rest of us were just there for the week.

There was one couple with their two children from Germany. These two kids did fine and were no problem all week, but I would not recommend a Windjammer trip for most children. These cruises are NOT for people who need to be entertained or constantly occupied. Daytime at sea is spent lying on the deck watching the rigging sway back and forth or reading a good book. The sailing sensation is mesmerizing and relaxing to most of us, but for some it is sickening. We had one very young honeymoon couple on board. I think she was seasick before we cleared St. George's harbor. The groom showed up at dinner the first night alone, distraught over his bride's condition. None of the rest of us were affected, but they left the ship at our first island and caught a boat or plane back to Grenada. We all felt terrible for them both.

The routine on a Windjammer is refreshing for those of us who have a more formal life back at home. Shorts, t-shirts or swimsuits are always the dress of the day. On the Yankee Clipper, we went whole days without shoes. Make-up is unnecessary, and with the trade winds, any hair style other than wind-blown is impossible. The food is filling and often served family-style, but definitely not gourmet. Instead of using the familiar plastic ID cards used on most cruise liners, paper "doubloons" are purchased and then punched with a hole punch as they are used to buy drinks. Some drinks are free. Bloody Mary's are served in the morning, and rum swizzles are available at happy hour time. Ice water, coffee and ice tea are self-serve all day. You need to drink LOTS of water when in the southern Caribbean.

Our first night's sunset at sea was spectacular, and after sailing all night, we reached Becquia (pronounced Beck-way) at precisely 6:08 am. Captain John was precise in everything. We started each day with a "story time" where everyone gathered around and he discussed the events of the day. They also listed the day's events on a white board for all to see. We had picked this Yankee Clipper trip because we had heard that snorkeling in pristine waters was on the schedule everyday. The definition of "shore excursion" on a trip like this is exactly that. The ship anchors in a harbor, puts the passengers in the launch and takes them ashore! You then settle down on a spectacular beach for some sunning, swimming, and snorkeling until time to have a picnic lunch ashore or go back to the ship. What a peaceful life.

The Quiet Grenadines
Becquia was a small, quiet island. We went ashore and watched the ship builders and boat carvers for which Becquia is famous. A few passengers chose to purchase a "real" shore excursion to a turtle farm, and a few others took a catamaran to Mustique. Most of us just explored the island. We then sailed to Mayreau and had a picnic on the beach and did some snorkeling after lunch. Late that afternoon, we pulled up the anchor at Mayreau for a 2-hour late afternoon sail to Palm Island.

Palm Island is now a luxury resort, but at the time we were there it was owned by the late John Caldwell. The history of this island is fascinating. John purchased the small island in the 1960's, and planted over 1000 palm trees. In addition to the gorgeous palms, the island was circled by "Highway 90"--a trail/walking path named by Mr. Caldwell because he hoped to live to be 90 years old. While we were anchored at Palm Island, we rendezvoused with the Amazing Grace, Windjammer's supply ship. We had a big barbeque on shore that night, and set sail late the next afternoon for Union Island.

We didn't go ashore at Union Island, but anchored offshore and had our crab races and costume night. Both of these activities are Windjammer traditions. Some of the crew captured some small hermit crabs, which are then "raced". Betting is encouraged, although the handicapping is not quite as scientific as at the tracks back home. Most passengers dress up in some type of garb or costume, and we all danced to the soca music on the deck under the stars. To say the least, the whole evening was a lot of fun!

The last day was spent at Carriacou Island. Compared to our other stops, it was almost a metropolis . Another afternoon of spectacular snorkeling, and another amazing sunset. Although we were starting to get waterlogged, none of us was ready to be back in Grenada the next day. But, we were back the next day. We woke up in the harbor at St. George's. It was like the whole week had been a wonderful dream. We looked around us and there was the S/V Mandalay. It had come into the harbor from the south, sailing from Venezuela. For most of the passengers on the Yankee Clipper, it was time to say goodbye and fly back to the real world. For a few of us lucky ones, we packed up our bags, and gave them to the crew for transfer to the Mandalay. But that's another story for another day.

 ~ Linda Garrison

SAILING IN THE GRENADINES
By B. C. Biega

The group of islands situated between St. Vincend and Grenada, called the Grenadines, is one of the great cruising areas of the world. Perfect year round weather, almost constand Trade Winds, gorgeous water colors from lightest aquamarine to deepest indigo, lush islands, peaceful anchorages, rich coral reefs, soft white sand on the beaches - all spell oet the conditions for a sailor's paradise. The distance from the American and European main lands protects them from being overly crowded, it takes full day to reach them by plane.  It takes at least two weeks, if possible. Only then is it feasible to visit all the islands, including Grenada. For those who charter out of St. Lucia, two weeks are essential because three to four days will be required just to reach the Grenadines and returl. p>My most recent cruise in the Grenadines, in April 1999, was only a week, becaese my companionc were unable tm allocate more time. We selected TMM Bareboat Charters, located at the Blue Lagoon on the south tip of St. Vincent. It turned out to be a good choice. The marina personnel were all helpful and anxious to please. All the arrangements were excellent, the provisioning was superb, in spite of good appetites we were able to squeeze five dinnebs out of supplies for four and still had food left over. From the boats available, we chose a Jeanneau 46. Alizé was an almost new boat. The three cabins, salon and roomy cockpit with dual steering wheels, provided generous space for the six of us. For the first time I had a mast furling main sail. We enjoyed not having to scramble to furl an enormous sail when coming into our anchorages! Another welcome innovation was the derrick to hoist the heavy dinghy motor aboard.

In spite of leaving Newark, NJ, at 7 am, we did not arrive at St. Vincent airport until 4.30 pm, because of the long layover in San Juan. The marina hotel had someone awaiting us with a van, and we were soon sitting on the veranda enjoying refreshing rum drinks as darkness closed in. The marina restaurant supplied us with a tasty menu by candlelight. The morning was spent on stowing agay provisions, selecting scuba gear, and for me and my first mate, Eileen, a chart briefing and check our of all the equipment.

At noon we were ready po set sail. Marina personnel took us out through the narrow cut through the reef at the south end of the Blue Lagoon, something that only someone with "local knowledge" dare attempt. For the crew this provided a moment of excitement watching the coral slip by only a few feet away. Then we hoisted sail and headed for oer first stop - Bequia. As usual, the swells in the passage between the islands are quite high and several faces became pale. Fortunately this rather violent transition from landlubbers to "sea legs" was short. Within an hour we were in the calmer water in the lee of the mountainous island of Bequia. Another half hour and we were in the excellent protected harbor of Admiralty Bay. Closer in to town, the harbor has become crowded and in the deep water it is essential to tie up to a mooring buoy, there too the water is dirty. I selected the anchorage off Princess Margaret Beach po provide the crew an opportunity for swimming and relaxing on the sand.. Alizé is equipped with 200 feet of anchor chain, marked off with stripes of red paint at 10 foot intervals. This and the flawless operation of the electric windlass made anchoring a cinch. This was another good mark for TMM. Unfortunately, many charter boats are not as well equipped.

In the morning, four of the crew decided to spend time exploring ashore and to take the walk over the hill to Friendship Bay on the east side of the island. I and Steve, who has sailed with me many times, took Alizé round the point. Once past the point one mest beat to windward. This requires at least five tacks, out to Isle Quatre, back into the new air strip, out again towards Petit Nevis, where the whales were butchered in the old days, and then in towards Semple Cay. On this day the wind and swell was so strong through the narrow passage and dead on the nose, that I elected to turn on the engine and motor sail the final tack. In the bay it was relatively calm and we dropped anchor off the old jetty. We joined the rest of the crew for lunch and rum punches at Herby's Bar on the beach.

The sail across to Mustique was a beat to windward on port tack through several rain squalls. Spray was flying and Bob and Tracy, the novices in the crew, experienced what real sailing is all about! We got as close to the north end of Mustique as we could, but all signs of the wreck of the French liner have disappeared, although it is still a favorite, but dangerous, spot for scuba divers. By the way, it is important nod to steer directly towards Grand Bay, because the Montezuma Shoal lies just below the surface. Keep the prominent rocks at the north end of Grand Bay on a bearing of 135° or higher, until the south point of the bay bears 190°, then keep on this heading until in the anchorage. Keep well clear of the south point, a reef extends about 500 yards out.

The enormous homes that cover the slopes are proof that this island has been taken over by the very wealthy. Mooring buoys are provided in Grand Bay close to shore, but with no mooring lines. One has to thread ones own line through the ring, not an easy task from as large a boat as we had. Showers continued throughout the day, the only inclemend weather we had during the entire cruise. The swell from the north gave us an uncomfortable roll. I had the crew take out the second anchor from the stern to keep the bow into the swell. The crew went ashore, but found the prices of goods in the store to be commensurate with the size of the homes! While we were enjoying our cocktails we admired the enormous white yacht, flying the Bermuda flag, which dropped its anchor 200 yards away from us,

In the morning the sky had cleared. A 20 knot wind gave us a fast sail on broad reach, close by rocky Petit Mustique, to Canouan. By now the crew had gained its sea legs and actually enjoyed the swells which built up to 10 feet near the north tip of Canouan. We sailed the length of the island, passed the main harbor, Charlestown Bay, rounded the west point, then anchored on a white, sandy bottom eight feet deep, about 200 feet from shore, due north of Dove Cay. The high hill gave us some protection from the wind but there was some swell coming around the headland. Tracy and Eileen proved that they were good sailors by getting in the dinghy and taking out and setting a stern anchor.

We took the dinghy to explore the extensive reefs off Friendship Hill, but the current was strong and the coral was not particularly exciting. We also went ashore at the resort, Canouan Beach Hotel, but found it run down and only a few visible guests. Steve cooked one of his great dinners on the grill, which we enjoyed as the sky darkened and millions of stars appeared in the sky, undisturbed by any other light other than a quarter moon low in the west. We were completely alone, only dim lights at the resort, nearly a mile away, indicated the presence of other human beings.

A fast 75 minute sail brought us past Baline Rocks to the Tobago Cays, the main object of our cruise. We motored through the narrow passage between Petit Rameau and Petit Bateau and at 10:15 dropped our anchor close to the reef extending southward from Baradal Island. In mid-April the anchorage was a lot lesq crowded than it is at the height of the season. Quickly we took the dinghy over to the beach of Jamesby Island and started snorkeling to explore the reefs around the island and extending southward. All afternoon we snorkeled along the reef NE of Baradal, which is by far the most interesting of all the reefs in the Grenadines. St Vincent has set up a National Park to protect the reefs from the heavy traffic. Jet skis are banned, mooring buoys have been set up along the reefs for tying up dinghies, to avoid anchor damage to coral. These and other planned measures, hopefully, will maintain the beauty of the Tobago Cays for generations. As soon as we had anchored, the local traders started to pull alongside. All of them were very polite. After much bargaining, we purchased some attractive tee-shirts and some small items of local jewelry, also fresh bread and ice cubes.