St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diving
Like chicks following the mother hen, the islands of the Grenadines scramble to form a line behind St. Vincent. Part of the Windward chain, St. Vincent and the Grenadines are best known for sailing. In fact, most of the 32 islets and cays of the Grenadine archipelago can only be reached by boat, making them perfect for seclusion seekers.
Pearl-shaped St. Vincent is still evolving as a result of La Soufrihre's refusal to go to sleep. Visitors, however, are in no danger, since the nearly 4,000-foot volcano is closely monitored. The last major eruption was in 1902.
While 133-square-mile mountainous St. Vincent has extraordinary black-sand beaches, the Grenadines-Bequia, Mayreau, Mustique, Palm Island, Petit St. Vincent-are blessed with whitewashed ones. They're also blessed with extreme seclusion and a jet-set clientele; Mick Jagger, England's royals and David Bowie vacation here.
Just outside of St. Vincent's capital of Kingstown, Fort Charlotte commands imposing views. Nearby, 20 acres of botanical garden have been under cultivation since 1765. Flowering trees including flamboyant, yellow pouis, jacarandas and flame of the forest punctuate the dense growth. At the park's entrance, an archaeological museum built in 1891 displays Amerindian artifacts. North of Kingstown is Barrouallie, a quaint fishing village. Inland, hikers will delight in the trails that wiggle through the Buccament Valley rainforest. To the east in the town of Mesopotamia, rock carvings reveal the Indians' past presence. One of the most visited sights on St. Vincent is the Falls of Baleine, a 70-foot cascade usually visited by boat.
Bequia lies some nine miles south of St. Vincent. Accommodations include small inns and rooms in private homes. Mustique is a cozy island of exclusive villas, some owned by rock stars. Rub shoulders with the rich and famous at the island's only bar. Tiny three-mile-long Canouan has a wide bay optimal for anchoring. Neighboring Mayreau has some of the indisputably prettiest beaches in the world. Check out Salt Whistle Bay: It's the creme de la creme. Union Island is the tallest of the Grenadines, sporting a peak of nearly 1,000 feet. Petit St. Vincent is a private island boasting just one super-private resort. Palm Island is another private retreat. The five Tobago Cays are uninhabited. You'll probably have the undivided attention of fish cliques circling the pristine reefs. You'll probably also be one of the few to visit the St. Vincent archipelago before it is truly discovered.
