We set sail for Tobago Cays, a trip that should have taken about two hours, less than 10 nautical miles. On the way, we passed by the airport zone, where we had to contact air traffic control due to our mast. We needed clearance to pass and had to wait for permission. Luckily, we got the green light, and soon after, a plane landed at the airport.
As we approached the islands, coral reefs came into view, and the turquoise water began to break through the deep blue of the sea in patches—a truly breathtaking sight. We navigated around the islands and entered a small channel between two of them, intending to anchor there. The place was like something out of a fairy tale: an average depth of about 4-5 meters with turquoise water, and the occasional mangrove along the shore. Pure idyll.
Two incredibly muscular locals arrived in a small boat and directed us where to anchor, collecting the national park fee as they were the park rangers. Fishing and any other form of hunting or fishing were prohibited. In the evening, a barbecue was organized on the beach for all the sailors, and we were welcome to join. It all made perfect sense, and we were happy to support the local economy.
We spent several days at anchor here, and I can confidently say that I hadn’t expected to find anything like this in the Caribbean. I can freely declare that this is the most beautiful Caribbean anchorage I’ve ever seen.
We explored a small island across from our anchorage and another lagoon by dinghy, discovering that behind this small island, there were about 50 sailboats at anchor. The 10 or so boats in the channel between the two islands were practically nothing compared to the crowd anchored in the large lagoon. While walking around the boat, you could easily spot turtles swimming around or even under the boat. Small rays were also a common sight… the marine life was thriving.
The place is perfect for diving and snorkeling, and the small island has a few short hiking trails. The larger island is uninhabited and doesn’t have proper hiking trails. I did some exploring, but it quickly turned into bushwhacking through grass and branches and clambering over rocks, so I gave up. All of this has left very strong memories, and I doubt I’ll ever forget these views.
After a few days, we were ready for our next destination: Union Island, our exit point from SVG, where we needed to check out before checking into Grenada. With a heavy heart, I watched Tobago Cays fade into the distance… Thankfully, it’s very close, so we could still see the islands.
