True Blue, Grenada to Tyrell Bay, Carriacou

This is around a 32 NM sail, so you should aim at taking around 6 hours for the trip. Some people's opinion is that this is a very hard trip - you're heading north east directly into the trade winds and have to beat the whole way to Carriacou. Well you can end up doing this if you want but there's a few tricks that you can use to avoid doing this and you can be happily sitting at anchor in Tyrrel Bay relaxing with a cold beer watching the sun set while those who don't know are still bashing around out there. Here's how to go about it: Head around Point Salines, the SW tip of Grenada and then head for Moliniere Point above St George's. You can sail across Grand Anse Bay but by Moliniere just leave the main up sheeted in and motor up the coast. Don't go more than a few hundred yards off shore, if you're just on the outside of fishing boats moored up then you're ok. When you get to the very top end of Grenada keep going around the corner and head into Sauters Bay if the wind appears more out of the north east. It can be rough and blustery at the north end of the island - but don't worry it will settle down. When you're nearly off Sauters and you think you can lay The Sisters (off Ronde Island) on one tack then head off and go for it! Motor sail if you have to - keep your speed up as much as you can as this will minimize the time you spend in the (normally) adverse current. Don't worry if you don't lay the sisters, you can tack back in BUT only do this when you're tucked in behind Ronde Island. When you're right up next to Kick 'em Jenny (i.e. 50 yards off!) tack off again and head for Carriacou. Same rules apply - don't worry about trying to point up for Carriacou if this means you're losing too much speed; keep above 6 knots if you can. Just north of Kick 'em Jenny it will get rough for a short while - it's just the current. If you don't lay Carriacou on one tack then only tack when you're nicely in the lee of the island, as you get closer the sea will get progressively flatter and your speed will climb. The island will protect you from the worst of the current. Tyrrel Bay is an easy bay to enter. If you have time and the weather is suitable the small anchorage on the west side of Ronde Island makes an idyllic spot for lunch and a swim.