Grenada is a popular sailing destination with a wide range of anchorages to check out and a beautiful interior to explore.
Further on in this article I will list the different anchorages in Grenada with a description and useful information to help you decide where to anchor.
But first I want to share some general information about sailing in Grenada, to help you make the most of your time here.
And I have to say that out of all the places we’ve sailed to in the Caribbean over the years, Grenada is definitely one of our favorites!
Sailing in Grenada – Things Worth Knowing
Arriving in Grenada
1. You need a cruising permit. On arrival, at customs and immigration, you normally get a one-month cruising permit. This permit costs 50EC for boats under 40ft, 75EC for boats from 40 to 60ft, 100EC for boats from 60 to 80ft, and 125EC for boats 80ft or larger.
Don’t worry about going back to customs and immigration if you are overstaying your cruising permit. Once you clear out they will charge you for the extra time you stayed.
2. Although I would say it’s generally best to clear in and out with all crew present, I was assured at customs and immigration in Saint George’s that only the captain has to be present, as long as he or she brings all passports.
3. Have some cash with you. When clearing in in Carriacou we could only pay in cash, and there is no ATM close to the customs & immigration building. US$ are accepted.
Temporary update: at the moment you can only clear in at Tyrell Bay and Saint George’s. The other customs & immigration offices mentioned further on in this article, located at different anchorages, should resume at some point, but no date has been given.
Saling Around Grenada
4. Currents around parts of Grenada are stronger than we’d seen around many other Caribbean islands.
Where in some parts of the Caribbean you don’t have to look into currents at all, when sailing in Grenada it’s worth checking before you sail to a new anchorage. You could easily have a 3-knot current against you if you time it wrong.
5. There are several local Facebook groups for sailors that have a very active community. They are really helpful to find any information you might need about sailing in Grenada:
- Carriacou Cruisers
- Carriacou Coming Events
- Grenada Cruisers Information
- Grenada Cruisers, Coming Events
- Grenada Cruisers – Buy, Sell & Trade
6. There is a cruisers net, both in Carriacou and in Grenada. They share information about current events, the weather, and anything worth knowing for the sailing community in Grenada.
Listen to the cruisers net on VHF66 in Grenada and VHF69 in Carriacou.
The one in Grenada you can pick up almost anywhere around the island, but the one in Carriacou doesn’t reach far beyond Tyrell Bay. Check the current times of the cruisers’ nets in the Facebook groups listed above.
7. Grenada is generally a very safe island.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t always be careful and use common sense. But, it does mean that you can generally trust people to be helpful and feel safe to anchor at all the anchorages I list below.
Tip: If you are looking to charter a boat in Grenada, either bareboat or with captain, check out Click&Boat. They have a good number of boats for rent and their prices are reasonable.
Exploring Grenada
8. Buses are a good option during the day as they will get you to most parts of Carriacou and Grenada. You can just flag one down on the street and it will stop wherever you ask it to along its route.
Ask in the Facebook groups which bus you’ll need for where you want to go.
9. Rent a car to explore Grenada. Although I’d say taking a bus is a great way to get to a lot of places and to get a taste of local life, to really explore Grenada you’ll want to rent a car for at least a day or two.
10. Visit at least one waterfall and a chocolate estate while you are in Grenada.
The country is known for its waterfalls and high-quality chocolate, so I’d say you shouldn’t leave Grenada without at least visiting one of each.
11. If you want to spend part of your time in Grenada on land, I’ll share some tips about places to stay at the end of the article.
But now, the most important part: where to anchor in Grenada.
I spent several months sailing in Grenada and made it my mission to try to visit every anchorage around Grenada (including Carriacou, Petit Martinique, and the islands around them).
This is my review of the anchorages, with all the useful tips I could think of.
Anchorages in Grenada
Grenada offers many great anchorages, so this turned into a long list!
I have tried to keep the information here concise yet as informative as possible, to serve as a sailing guide for Grenada.
The anchorages are organized from north to south, starting in Carriacou.
Note: Google Maps is not accurate enough to show exact anchorages everywhere. I have placed the markers as accurately as possible, but please don’t use this map for navigation.
Read my anchorage descriptions below and use a proper chart plotter or other navigation aid to navigate to the different anchorages.
And for further details I recommend buying Chris Doyle’s Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands which we used a lot while sailing around Grenada.
1. Tyrell Bay, Carriacou
Tyrell Bay is the main anchorage on Carriacou.
The bay has a lively cruisers community with a good selection of bars, some restaurants, and live music several nights a week.
There is a chandlery, a good supermarket, laundry service, and two small marinas with haul-out facilities.
Holding here isn’t great, as you anchor in sand and seagrass. You might have to try several times.
There are also several mooring buoys in the bay owned by Carriacou Marine. They recommend contacting them in advance to reserve a mooring.
There is a large dinghy dock at Tyrell Bay Marina, another dinghy dock at Carriacou Marine and two smaller dinghy docks along the beach. But you can also beach your dinghy as the water is generally calm.
Tyrell Bay is a nice, protected and calm bay. If you are looking to socialize or just want a lively base with plenty of other boats, Tyrell Bay is a good option.
Customs and immigration are located in Tyrell Bay at Carriacou Marine, which makes this a good starting point for sailing in Grenada if you are coming from the north.
The mangroves on the north side of Tyrell Bay are said to be one of the best hurricane holes in the Caribbean.
2. Sandy Island & Paradise Beach
Sandy Island is probably my favorite anchorage in all of Grenada.
The island is beautiful! Great for snorkeling and also popular for kite surfing.
Sandy Island is part of the Sandy Island Oyster Bed marine protected area, which starts at the mangroves in Tyrell Bay and goes up to the pier in Hillsborough.
This means you can’t anchor without permission anywhere in this area.
There are mooring buoys in front of Sandy Island, which cost 30.30 EC per day, plus a 1 USD snorkeling fee per person per day.
Just pick up a mooring buoy and someone will come to your boat to collect payment.
Do jump into the water and check your mooring, as they don’t look perfectly maintained.
Paradise Beach is also part of the marine protected area, and you can find a few moorings on the southern end of the beach.
Because there are so few moorings at Paradise Beach you are allowed to anchor in sand behind the mooring buoys if they are full. Do talk to the park rangers first before anchoring.
But, if you have a good dinghy you could easily decide to stay at one of the anchorages and take your dinghy to the other side.
This is why we decided to stay at Sandy Island and dinghy over to Paradise Beach for sunset drinks and dinner.
3. Hillsborough
The anchorage at Hillsborough, just north of the dock, isn’t a great anchorage. If you can find a patch of sand holding is good, but most of the anchorage is covered in seagrass. On top of that, it’s a rolly anchorage.
But, it puts you just outside of the marine protected area so anchoring here is free, and the town is worth checking out.
You can’t really use the dock for your dinghy but you can beach your dinghy most days and chain it to a tree.
Hillsborough is a lovely town with a few good restaurants, shops and a bank.
Note: There is a sculpture park underwater just off Jack A Dan Island, on the east side. It’s called ‘A World Adrift’ and consists of 30 sculptures of local kids on boats. They are designed to resemble paper origami, reflecting the fragility of the surrounding ecosystem. The sculptures are placed up to 5 meters deep and make a good snorkeling site. It’s worth going to! There are several mooring buoys you can tie your dinghy to.
4. Anse la Roche
Anse la Roche is a cute little bay with a lovely beach.
The anchorage has good holding in sand and you’ll anchor in around 3 to 6 meters (10 to 20 feet).
Because this is a lovely spot to spend a few days, it can get quite crowded. It’s only a small bay and the wind can shift quite a bit, so I would say no more than 6 boats fit comfortably.
Make sure you have enough room for your boat to swing as the wind shifts. We’ve heard stories of boats ending up on the beach because the 180-degree wind shift caught them by surprise.
The anchorage can get rolly at times. And in a northerly swell it will become uncomfortable, with big surf on the beach.
At other times you can easily beach your dinghy to enjoy time on the beach or to hike to the top of Carriacou from here.
Tim’s Sunset Beach Bar is located right on the beach. It’s a lovely restaurant offering a good barbecue but be warned, it’s pricey.
If you visit at the right time of year you might be lucky enough to see turtles coming to the beach at night to lay their eggs here.
Note: there is an anchorage just south of Anse la Roche, in Sparrows Bay. Holding is good in sand. It’s not nearly as picturesque as Anse la Roche, and people mainly anchor here to visit Bogles restaurant.
5. Petite Martinique
Petite Martinique has quite a different feel to it than Carriacou and the rest of Grenada, which might be a reason to anchor here for a day or so.
You can anchor either around the town’s dock or on the sandy patch in between Petite Martinique and Petite St Vincent.
The holding is better on the sandy patch, but the anchorage gets very exposed and rolly.
Unless you plan to visit both Petite St Vincent and Petite Martinique I don’t see why you’d anchor on the sandy patch.
We did anchor there, and regretted it. The dinghy ride to Petite Martinique can also get a bit bumpy from there.
If you do want to visit Petite St Vincent, contact the resort beforehand to ask for permission as they are part of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines. Therefore officially you’d have to clear out of Grenada first and clear in in Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.
Petite Martinique is a cute town but has limited options. Supermarkets only offer the basics (a surprisingly wide range of alcohol though) and there are only a handful of simple bars and restaurants, that may or may not be open when you visit.
6. Watering Bay – Windward
This anchorage is a little tricky, especially if you are in a keelboat.
But, it’s definitely doable.
You can choose to anchor either right behind the reef or make your way closer to shore.
Don’t rely on your navigation tools only though, because they might not be accurate enough.
It’s therefore best to try this anchorage on a clear, calm day so that you can spot the reefs.
It feels a little strange anchoring right behind the reef but it is the easier option and you can dinghy to shore. There is a pier to which you can attach your dinghy.
Whether you anchor closer to shore or out behind the reef, it can get quite rolly. We would advise against using these anchorages in rough weather both because it’s tricky to anchor and because you are left quite exposed.
Windward is a lovely small town known for its traditional boat building. It has the most laid-back vibe possible and very friendly people.
7. Saline Island
This is a beautiful private island that offers great snorkeling.
The current here can get quite strong which is something to be aware of as you approach the anchorage.
We recommend approaching this anchorage from the west end because the current is strongest on the east end and waves can be dangerous.
You’ll anchor in sand and rocks, which can make getting good hold a bit tricky.
And be careful, the bay is shallow. You’ll anchor in 2 meters (6.5 feet) or less. You can anchor just outside the bay in 6 to 9 meters (20 to 30 feet) but it shelves rapidly and you’re in strong currents here.
Although most of the coral is found on the northeast side of the bay, there are patches of coral throughout so from a marine conservation point of view this bay isn’t the best for anchoring. It would have been great if they had mooring buoys here.
As I mentioned, the snorkeling here is really good. You’re likely to see stingrays, turtles and lots of different reef fish. But be careful with the changing currents, especially along the northeast end of the bay.
For snorkeling the visibility here is best during a falling tide.
Saline Island is a private island but it seems ok to walk around and is worth an explore with its salt pond and lime kiln.
You can easily beach your dinghy and there is even a rope set up on the eastern end of the beach to tie your dinghy to.
There are no lights on Saline Island and with less than perfect holding and a strong current, I do understand that some choose to only anchor for the day.
It can also get very rolly at this anchorage, especially with the turn of the tides.
If you have a good dinghy you can take it over to White Island which is a gorgeous island. But it can get choppy and you might not be able to beach your dinghy.
Some guide books say that you could easily visit Cassada Bay as well, or even anchor there and visit Saline for the day. I would not recommend that unless it’s exceptionally calm.
8. White Island
You can anchor at White Island as well, on the northwest side of the island.
But, you are a lot more exposed here than at Saline island so I would recommend to only anchor here when the weather is good and would prefer Saline Island as an overnight anchorage at any time.
9. Frigate Island
Yes, you can anchor here, which we did, but I can’t really recommend it.
You anchor in rocks and sand, and the holding isn’t great. On top of that, you are very exposed and swells can hit you from both sides.
The water is crystal clear though and you’ll most likely have the anchorage all to yourself which does make it feel more adventurous.
Be careful swimming or snorkeling here as the current can be very strong.
We decided not to stay here overnight because we felt too exposed in moderate winds.
10. Isle de Ronde (Ronde Island)
In good weather, this is a good stop between Grenada and Carriacou.
You anchor on the northern side of the west coast. It doesn’t offer the best shelter though and can get quite swelly and rolly at times.
Holding is ok in sand, but look out for a sandy patch as some parts are quite rocky.
There are no lights here so it gets very dark at night and cell phone reception is spotty at best.
Snorkeling around the boat isn’t amazing because there is hardly any coral, but you might see turtles and a stingray if you are lucky.
Take the dinghy around the headland in good weather to check out better snorkeling, or beach your dinghy to explore inland.
I read that the 2 sisters, the rocks you can see just southwest of Isle de Ronde, is a good place for snorkeling and you can just take your dinghy there. That would be a long, very exposed dinghy ride though! And if your engine would fail I’m not sure if you’d make it back. So unless the weather is dead calm I wouldn’t recommend this.
Note: this anchorage puts you very close to the active volcano Kick ’em Jenny (12.18°N, 61.38°W).
There is a 1.5 km exclusion zone around the volcano at all times, which is increased to 5km when the volcano is more active. The anchorages is just about outside of the 5km zone, but you might not want to be anywhere near there during an eruption.
The volcano is constantly monitored. No online source seems to give regular updates on the status of the volcano. But, warnings will be sent out in case of any issues with the volcano and local websites such as NowGrenada.com will surely post an article as soon as the volcano starts to rumble.
11. Sauteurs
In good weather Sauteurs is a really nice anchorage on the north side of Grenada.
Most people skip this Grenada anchorage though and consequently there is very little information about it online.
Therefore I wrote a separate, more detailed article about anchoring at Sauteurs.
In it I explain why this anchorage is worth it but also when it’s best to skip it.
12. Halifax Harbour
My first reaction when we sailed into this anchorage was ‘Wow!’.
It looks so green and lush here. The natural harbor is surrounded by impressive hills and somehow it reminded me a little bit of the setting of Jurrasic Park…
But then we anchored, the wind shifted and the smoke from the burning garbage dump ruined most of our fun.
The harbor, which was once a rubbish dump, has been cleaned up, but there is still a rubbish dump in the hills and unfortunately during our visit it was on fire.
So, while I was initially going to recommend anchoring inside Halifax harbour, I now won’t. The water doesn’t look all that clean either, and the smoke and flies can get really bad here.
You are better off anchoring just north of Calypso Island, where the water is clear, the snorkeling is nice, and the smoke won’t bother you as much, if at all.
Do make sure you anchor in sand, not coral.
If you do decide to anchor in the bay, watch out for the high-tension cables on the south side. Navigation aids say they are at 60 feet (18 meters) but of course I haven’t measured that so I can’t guarantee that is still accurate. Plus, when we anchored here one of the wires had snapped and was hanging in the water.
I would therefore recommend anchoring on the northern end of the harbor, or as I said, better to just anchor north of Calypso Island.
Still though, despite the smoke, the high tension cables, and the less than perfect water, Halifax Harbour is a stunning little bay, worth at least having a look at.
They are working on moving the rubbish dump further inland so hopefully, by the time you get here, the smoke won’t be such an issue anymore.
Note: the restaurant on Calypso Island is used for private events and not normally accessible.
13. Dragon Bay, Happy Hill & Beausejour Bay
Depending on which navigation tools you use, you’ll find one or more of these bays listed as anchorages.
All three of these bays are located inside the Moliniere/Beausejour Marine Protected Area (MBMPA), so anchoring is prohibited.
There are four yacht moorings and five dive moorings at Happy Hill (Flamingo Bay). The buoys are managed by Moorsafe Grenada and are clearly marked ‘Dive’ or ‘Yacht’.
Pick up a ‘Yacht’ mooring as the ‘Dive’ moorings are meant for local operators such as day charters and dive companies.
You can stay overnight on the yacht moorings. The moorings can take vessels up to 65 ft and/or 25 tons, and are said to be inspected every 2 weeks.
The moorings cost US$ 20 per day. Someone will come to your boat to collect the fee.
There are no mooring buoys in the other bays, but the bays are so close to each other that you can easily explore all three by dinghy while leaving your boat moored in Happy Hill.
And, all three bays are worth visiting. They all look beautiful, have crystal clear water, good snorkeling and nice beaches.
Happy Hill is a popular dive spot as well and you will often see dive boats here during the day.
Be careful if you plan to beach your dinghy in Happy Hill as there are a lot of rocks, and coral, right off the beach.
The bays offer good shelter, but get uncomfortable during a large northerly swell.
14. Moliniere Point – The Underwater Sculpture Park
The underwater sculptures are worth checking out!
This anchorage is also inside the Moliniere/Beausejour Marine Protected Area (MBMPA), which means you can’t anchor here.
There are new yacht moorings in the northwest part of Grand Mal. They are the same moorings as the ones at Happy Hill and also cost US$ 20 per day.
From there you can easily take your dinghy over to the sculpture park. You’ll find a dinghy mooring inside the bay, just off the small beach.
The other moorings you see around Moliniere Point are now dedicated dive moorings and can’t be used by private or charter vessels.
The sculptures are located just south of the northern tip of the bay, in 5 to 8 meters (16 to 26 feet) of water.
Scuba diving to the sculptures is probably the most fun, but the water is normally very clear so you can easily see them snorkeling as well.
Note: I expected all sculptures to be in one place. They aren’t. They are placed in different sandy patches in between the coral. So swim around a bit to see them all.
15. Grand Mal
Grand Mal is a cute little town just north of St George’s.
Apart from some nice but narrow sandy beaches, a few bars, and small local shops there isn’t much happening here. But, with its friendly residents it’s well worth a stop and easily combined with a visit to the underwater sculpture park.
Try to find a sandy patch to anchor in, then the holding is good.
There is a large gas storage area in town and pipes run out from the small dock to the large buoys further out in the bay. Avoid anchoring in this area.
You can safely anchor just south of that small dock.
The larger dock is used by fishing boats but if there is space you can tie your dinghy to it as well. Alternatively you can easily beach your dinghy.
16. Saint George’s
Although some chart plotters and cruising guides may suggest otherwise, there is only one anchorage at Saint George’s, which is just south of the entrance to the bay.
You’ll find a good number of mooring buoys here and if your boat is under 80 feet you have to use a mooring.
There are smaller moorings closer to shore, suitable for boats up to 40 feet. Behind those, you find mooring buoys suitable for boats up to 80 feet.
You can book and pay for the moorings online through Dockwa.com or you can simply wait for someone to come to the boat to collect payment.
There have been a lot of complaints from people sailing around Grenada about having to take a mooring here. But, while swimming around the boat we saw a lot of dead, broken-off coral, so there is a valid reason for trying to make everyone use moorings.
If all moorings are taken you are allowed to anchor. It’s a large anchorage so there is plenty of space to find a good spot, in water between about 3 to 7 meters (10 to 23 feet).
It’s a good, sheltered anchorage, although it can get a little rolly, which on a monohull might make this anchorage less enjoyable.
From the anchorage it’s an easy dinghy ride to Grand Anse, with a beautiful beach, a selection of restaurants, and a shopping mall. There’s a dinghy dock by the beach but you can also beach your dinghy as the water is mostly calm.
The bay of Saint George’s has various dinghy docks in between the two marinas and Customs and Immigration can be found at Port Louis Marina.
There is a chandlery in the bay (Island Waterworld), a yacht club, a good supermarket, a few shops and some restaurants. But the center of town is around the Carenage.
The town feels a bit rough around the edges in some parts, but is generally fine and worth exploring.
This is not the main area for cruisers. Most cruisers stay in the south, which means there are more social activities catering to cruisers there.
Both the yacht club and the restaurant inside Port Louis marina are good locations for wifi. With a wifi range extender you should also be able to pick up an open wifi network on the boat.
There is a good laundry service at Port Louis Marina.
Anchoring Inside the Bay – The Carenage
Navionics and some other chart plotters mark an anchorage inside the bay, at the Carenage. As a cruising boat you aren’t supposed to anchor here.
But, we did read you can tie up to the dock if there is space and if you get permission from the Port Authority (contact them on VHF channel 16). So that’s what we did. But not for long…
It was fun to dock alongside the fishing boats but you’re very out of place there. As we were docking someone yelled at us to go back to the anchorage. You tie up directly to the street, so you constantly have very surprised passers-by looking into the boat.
And although honestly Grenadians have been some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met, it didn’t feel right to stay here overnight.
But, just FYI, if you want to, and ask for permission beforehand, you can tie up to the dock.
Anchoring South of Saint George’s
The whole area from Saint George’s down to Grand Bay (not to be confused with Grand Anse Bay) is part of the Grand Anse Marine Protected Area (GAMPA).
Inside GAMPA you are only allowed to stay at the anchorage described above.
That, however, doesn’t mean you won’t see anyone anchored outside of the designated anchorage.
17. True Blue Bay
True Blue Bay is the first allowed anchorage on the south side of Grenada, if you are coming from the West.
It’s a much quieter anchorage than the four anchorages east of here.
There is a small marina, a restaurant, a nice resort, and a good dive center.
Most boats anchor at the entrance of the bay, on the right hand side. There is room for around 4 boats in this part of the bay, and you’ll anchor in about 4 to 8 meters (13 to 26 feet).
You are also free to anchor further inside the bay though. It feels a bit weird because the bay is filled with mooring buoys, but when we were there it was quiet, so we anchored without any issues.
The bay is quite shallow, you’ll anchor in mud in 3 or 4 meters here (10 to 13 feet), with good holding.
Or, alternatively, you can contact the resort to rent a mooring buoy.
The restaurant and the resort have wifi. The restaurant organizes theme nights and has live music regularly, which is great fun but can be loud if you want an early night.
The resort here is lovely and worth staying at as well, which I’ll describe at the end of this article.
This anchorage can get a bit rolly, even in calmer weather, and the water here isn’t very clear so I wouldn’t swim here.
Tip: walk to the Container park for lunch or dinner.
18. Prickly Bay
Prickly Bay is a popular anchorage which means it can get crowded, even though it’s a large bay.
It’s quite deep in many places (8 to 10 meters or 26 to 32 feet), and a lot of the good places to anchor have been taken up by mooring buoys.
But, take your time and you’ll find a place to anchor. Or contact Prickly Bay Marina if you want to use one of the mooring buoys.
Prickly Bay Marina is a nice marina with good facilities and it’s where you’ll find customs and immigration.
On the other side of the bay, Spice Island Marine is a sizeable boatyard and can be a good place if you need to do work on the boat.
Right next to Spice Island you’ll find Budget Marine, a chandlery with a decent selection of products. And they can also order parts for you.
ACE hardware store is a walk away, albeit a bit of a long walk, and so are several other stores you might find useful if you are doing any work on your boat.
There are several wifi networks available around the bay and the beach is nice. The water is reasonably clear but it doesn’t feel like the cleanest place to swim.
West Indies Beer Company is a local brewery and bar, within walking distance from the anchorage. And there are a few restaurants there as well that are worth checking out.
The anchorage is completely unprotected on the whole southern side and can get quite rolly. The least rolly part is probably the part of the bay closest to Budget Marina.
Prickly Bay is a convenient anchorage especially if you want to do some work on the boat. But it’s not in any way pretty and I personally wouldn’t plan on staying here too long.
19. Mt Hartman Bay / Secret Harbour
With reefs and rocks scattered around the entrance of the bay this anchorage is slightly trickier than some of the other anchorages in Grenada.
But, during the day and with good visibility it’s really not that difficult to safely enter the bay.
Navionics’ map above is pretty accurate and shows a useful bearing to help you enter the bay.
Anchoring deep inside on the right-hand side will give you the most protection from swells. In general though this is quite a well-protected anchorage, more so than True Blue Bay and Prickly Bay.
Holding is good in mangrove sand.
There are several moorings around the bay, owned by different people. Many don’t have their buoys attached and are only set up on request.
If you want to use a mooring you’ll have to get a hold of one of the owners beforehand. I’d recommend either going around the bay asking other boats for current contact details or if you’d rather plan ahead, ask for contact details in one of the Facebook groups for cruisers in Grenada.
There is a bus service several days a week taking you to shops and supermarkets, including chandleries and hardware stores. Listen to the cruisers net at 7.30AM on VHF channel 66 for more information about current bus times and options.
There is a modern marina that’s part of Secret Harbour Boutique Hotel. It’s quiet, their showers are basic and there is one restaurant that isn’t too inspiring.
There is a good dinghy dock and the marina offers fuel.
If you aren’t staying in the marina you can use the showers For 5EC. Don’t expect any luxury though!
A downside to this anchorage is that on calm days you can get a lot of mosquitos here.
20. Hog Island
This is the anchorage west of Hog Island. It is a really good anchorage, which also explains why it can get VERY crowded in here.
The reefs give some protection from the south, making it less rolly than some of the other anchorages around here. And the mangroves around the bay give good protection in case of storms.
Holding is good in sticky mangrove sand.
And that is probably also the reason why you find many people leaving their boats here while they are away. Especially around hurricane season you’ll see a good number of abandoned boats tied up into the mangroves.
You’re surrounded by greenery which gives a nice, quiet vibe, but you are also almost always surrounded by many boats, which at times makes it hard to find a spot to anchor.
There are a lot of mooring buoys here which also make it harder to find a place to anchor.
The moorings are privately owned so if you are interested in using one my advice is similar to Secret Harbour: ask on the Facebook groups or the cruisers net who owns any available moorings, or anchor first and ask around the bay.
There is one beach bar on Hog Island which is a popular spot for afternoon drinks among cruisers. And it’s an easy dinghy ride into Woburn Bay for other facilities and to get ashore.
21. Woburn Bay / Clarkes Court Bay
Woburn Bay, also referred to as Clarkes Court Bay, is a large bay with good anchorages throughout the bay.
When entering the bay, don’t rely solely on the marker buoys as they are said to be poorly maintained.
Once in the bay, my recommendation would be to scout out the whole bay and then decide where you want to anchor.
You’ll see boats anchored everywhere but popular places to anchor are north of Calivigny Island, in Saga Bay, in front of the bridge to Hog Island, in Benji Bay, and in between Whisper Cove Marina and Clarkes Court Marina.
You’ll find good holding and good anchorages everywhere, with the exception of Benji Bay.
Although technically it’s fully legal to anchor at Benji Bay, when we tried we were immediately approached by a local boat telling us to either take a mooring buoy (which they own) or leave. There are plenty of mooring buoys available, so you can pick one up if you choose to stay here.
Woburn Bay is the most popular anchorage in Grenada. I have to admit it wasn’t my favorite, but I do understand why many people like it and some even end up staying here for months.
It’s a very sociable anchorage, with events organized in the surrounding bars and restaurants most nights of the week.
Special buses can pick you up to take you on shopping trips or to chandleries, and other events such as day trips are regularly organized. Listen to the cruisers net on VHF 66 at 7:30AM for details on bus times and any of the events.
There is a good dinghy dock at both Whisper Cove Marina and Clarkes Court Marina, and you can also use the dock in front of Island View restaurant.
Whisper Cove Marina is a cute little marina with a friendly vibe and nice restaurant, but limited facilities. Clarkes Court Marina is a bigger, more commercial marina with haul-out facilities, a range of services and a good chandlery.
You can use the showers in Clarkes Court Marina for 15EC. There are also showers available at Taffy’s Bar for 5EC, and they also have washing machines you can use.
There is no fuel dock, no major town nor a good supermarket in the area, and the water in the bay isn’t of the best quality.
Although the bay is generally well protected, it can get a bit rolly here, even if you are tucked away deep into the bay.
22. Le Phare Bleu Bay
I wouldn’t recommend anchoring here.
Most of the bay is quite deep and it’s more exposed than Woburn Bay.
Your chart plotter or pilot book may say there are mooring buoys here, which at times there are. When we visited there were only two mooring buoys, owned by the marina, and they said they couldn’t be used.
They did say they might put more moorings at some point, so it’s worth calling or emailing the marina ahead of time if you want to stay here and use a mooring.
But, I would say either stay in the marina or just anchor off of Calivigny Island in Woburn Bay and take your dinghy into Phare Bleu.
It’s safe to go by dinghy from Woburn Bay, north of Calivigny Island into Phare Bleu Bay. Just be careful, stay close to the marker buoys, as it does get shallow.
Le Phare Bleu Marina is a nice, small marina with a good restaurant, a café, laundry service, and a boutique hotel. The restaurant is worth visiting and they regularly have live music on their Lightship on the dock.
If you do enter the bay by boat, be careful as you are entering through reefs and rocks on both sides. Stick to the deeper channel.
23. Port Egmont
This anchorage offers good holding and good shelter.
There isn’t much here, but it’s a nice quiet anchorage which you might enjoy after staying in crowded Woburn Bay.
There once was a dock that was usable for dinghies, but that has fallen in disrepair.
You can beach your dinghy on Fort Jeudy Beach. From there it’s a 5-minute walk to SOG Foods supermarket. Don’t expect too much as their offering is somewhat limited, but it’s the biggest supermarket in the area.
Other than that there isn’t much around here, but waking up to the sound of birds with hardly any boats around is nice. And if you are tired of rolly anchorages, this is where you want to be.
The bay is easy enough to enter, but watch out for reefs and rocks on both sides. We use navionics and that doesn’t accurately show all reefs and rocks here, so use caution and eyeball your way into the bay.
This anchorage makes a decent hurricane hole, with mangroves all around to tie up to.
24. Calivigny Harbour
This anchorage is also an acceptable hurricane hole, but the entrance is trickier and can be dangerous in heavy winds and large swells.
Just as Port Egmont it’s a sheltered, quiet bay with many mangroves. The entrance here is trickier though because it’s narrow and shallow, with reefs off Fort Jeudy and shoals coming out from Westerhall Point.
If you are looking for a quiet, sheltered, non-rolly anchorage, I’d pick Port Egmont and not this one.
25. Petit Bacaye
This is a surprisingly cute anchorage!
Space here is limited and I probably wouldn’t try to anchor if there were more than 1 or 2 boats here already. Thankfully though not many boaters make it here, so most likely you’ll have this anchorage to yourself.
The entrance to Petit Bacaye is relatively easy to spot in good weather; between the rock on your left and the breaking waves over the reef on your right.
Be careful though as Navionics, and possibly other navigation aids, don’t show the depth and reefs correctly.
Reefs are clearly visible when the sun is out, but as soon as the sun goes you can’t see them at all.
Anchor in the middle of the bay to avoid the shallows. You’ll anchor in 4 to 6 meters here (13 to 20 feet), with reasonably good holding in sand.
Although you’re on a lee shore you’re reasonably well protected behind the reefs.
You can beach your dinghy to explore the area, with a supermarket a 10-minute walk away.
There is a small hotel right off the beach, but that has been closed since 2015. We ran into the owners, who still live on the property, and they say they have no plans to reopen the hotel nor the restaurant, as they enjoy the peace and quiet.
Note: you can also anchor east of here, at Little Bacolet West, but that’s a lot less picturesque than Petit Bacaya and has a tricky, narrow entrance.
And west of here you can anchor at Westerhall Point. If conditions aren’t calm the entrance here is tricky as well, and there isn’t much of a reason to anchor here, with Petit Bacaye being so close and so much nicer.
26. St David’s Harbour
Not many people seem to anchor here, but we found it a nice out-of-the-way anchorage, with all the facilities of a good marina.
Approach the anchorage and the marina through the channel, which is marked with buoys. The buoys are maintained by the marina and are generally reliable, but do use caution as there are reefs on both sides of the channel.
The marina offers several mooring buoys just off their dock, for a lower rate than any other mooring buoys I have seen in Grenada.
If you are using a mooring buoy you are also allowed to use the showers in the marina, which are good, spacious showers.
But, you can also anchor in front of the marina, and holding is good.
The marina has a dock with space for a few boats, but it feels more like a working marina, where people go to haul out and work on their boats. And although the location is remote, facilities are surprisingly good and the staff is more helpful than I have seen anywhere!
Whatever they don’t have on-site they will help you get.
There is a dinghy dock and a nice laid-back restaurant. The marina offers fuel, refills gas bottles and there are washing machines to use at a fee.
Customs operates here on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 8:00 to 12:00, and will facilitate clearing in and out and the issuing of cruising permits.
There are no good supermarkets close by, but the larger supermarkets will deliver to your boat. Just ask the marina office for details.
In the next bay over you find La Sagesse Hotel, which has a lovely restaurant right by the beach. They offer a free pick-up from the marina if you dine in their restaurant, or want to stay in their hotel.
From the main road you can catch busses if you want to explore more of the area.
Note: some chart plotters and pilot books show an anchorage west of the marina, in Little Bacolet Bay. Although I am sure you can anchor there, it doesn’t really make sense because then you would have to take your dinghy over shallow reefs to the marina.
27. Grenville
Ok I have to admit, this is the one anchorage we skipped, and for a reason.
The entrance to this anchorage sounded risky, so we decided to take the bus to Grenville first to check it out.
The entrance through the reef is narrow! I am sure you can navigate through it safely, as others have done so before, but it didn’t seem worth it to us.
Grenville is Grenada’s second-largest town, and although I can only say positive things about the extremely friendly and polite people here, I can’t recommend much in the town itself. It’s a bit rough around the edges and there isn’t anything really worth seeing here.
So I would recommend skipping this anchorage in Grenada. And if you do want to visit Grenville to experience a local town with lovely people, just take the bus.
Another Grenada Anchorage Worth Checking: Sandy Island
Not to be confused with Sandy Island next to Carriacou, there is another Sandy Island, northeast of Grenada.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to anchor here because the weather wasn’t suitable.
We did however meet the former owner of the island (it’s a private island) who says in the summer months it’s a really nice anchorage. In winter it becomes more tricky and he advised against anchoring here this time of the year.
So, if you have the chance to anchor at Sandy Island please let me know what it’s like because the pictures look beautiful!
Note: some chart plotters also show an anchorage off of Green Island. The previous owner of Sandy Island told us that that really isn’t a good anchorage because the reef doesn’t allow you to tuck in and thus anchoring here would leave you very exposed.
Anchoring at Gouyave
Another optional anchorage not many sailors use is at Gouyave.
We briefly anchored here but unfortunately the pier isn’t very suitable for dinghies and it was too rough for us to beach our dinghy.
Gouyave is a nice town, visited by small numbers of tourists mainly because of the Nutmeg factory.
Anchor close to the pier, where you will anchor surrounded by fishing boats. Holding is reasonable but there isn’t much protection from wind and waves.
I’ve included this as the last anchorage in Grenada not because it’s a bad anchorage, but just because we only anchored here briefly so I don’t feel I can provide a lot of information.
Because not many sailboats anchor here it actually might be a very nice and different anchorage, providing the weather is suitable.
Hotels in Grenada Perfect for a Break from the Boat
Although sailing in Grenada is great, you might want a break from the boat at some point.
If you want to stay on land you have a wide range of options. From simple guesthouses to fancy resorts.
These are my recommendations:
Coconut Inn – Carriacou
Carriacou is not the place to look for large-scale or high-end resorts.
Instead, Carriacou is all about laid-back, small-scale guesthouses and apartment rentals.
Conveniently located within walking distance from Tyrell Bay, Coconut Inn is a favorite of many cruisers needing a place to stay for a few days or even weeks.
They offer four self-contained, air-conditioned apartments.
True Blue Bay Resort
If you are looking for resort facilities but don’t want that big resort feeling, then I can highly recommend True Blue Bay Resort.
The resort is managed by the nicest family and offers a range of different rooms for different budgets.
They have lovely pools, a fun pool bar, a good restaurant, a spa, and even a yoga studio.
You’re surrounded by greenery and they have an eco-friendly focus, all giving it a nice, tropical feeling.
If you want to go scuba diving, the dive shop on the dock next to the hotel is great.
You can leave your boat anchored in True Blue Bay or book a mooring buoy, both of which mean that you can check on your boat while staying in the resort.
Click here for more information and prices.
Maca Bana – South of Saint George’s
If the idea of a small villa with a private jacuzzi and an incredible view appeals to you, you might just, as I did, want to splurge on a night or two at Maca Bana.
The beach here is also really nice, the beds are extremely comfortable and for us it was just the perfect, relaxing break from the boat.
The restaurant offers great quality food and is popular with locals as well, which gives it a great vibe and not that standard hotel restaurant feeling.
The hotel does show some wear & tear so don’t expect 5-star luxury, but because of the jacuzzi, the view and the comfortable rooms I can highly recommend Maca Bana.
One downside: the closest anchorages to Maca Bana are Saint George’s and True Blue Bay, and there is no bus that stops here. So you’ll have to take a taxi or rent a car to get here.
Click here for more information and prices.
Other Hotels & Guesthouses in Grenada
When sailing in Saint Lucia I was surprised how difficult it was to find a smaller scale and more affordable hotel.
This is very different in Grenada. Whether you want to stay in a high-end resort or a small, low-key guesthouse, you can find it here.
Check out Booking.com if you are looking for a good hotel or guesthouse anywhere in Grenada.
Final Thoughts About Sailing in Grenada
Out of all the Caribbean Islands, Grenada is definitely one of the better sailing destinations.
It’s a safe island, it has a good infrastructure for sailors (think dinghy docks, chandleries right next to anchorages, numerous marinas, etc) and an active sailing community.
So if you get the chance, I can definitely recommend sailing around Grenada!
And if you are looking to charter a boat in Grenada, I’d recommend Click&Boat.
Also Read:
- Anchoring in Sauteurs Bay, Grenada
- Living in Grenada – What It’s Like to Move to & Live in Grenada
- Sailing in the Caribbean – Where to Go & Other Tips
- Sailing in Saint Lucia – Anchorages, Sailing Tips & More
- Anchoring in Mullet Bay, St Maarten
- An Online Sailing Guide for Curaçao
- Sailing Across the Atlantic – My Experiences
- Tips for Sailing in the Azores
- Why You Shouldn’t Take Seashells From the Beach
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