Over the last few weeks we have been threading our way backwards and forwards through the Grenadine Islands as far south as Grenada and back to St Vincent. This is an archipelago of contrasting islands; the sails between them are short - but can be intense with gusting winds, strong currents and even a live underwater volcano to navigate around - the excitingly named "Kick 'em Jenny".

We explored the Island of St Vincent - which lies at the top of this island group, and just 25 miles south of St Lucia with a friend from home. St Vincent has a somewhat tough reputation. When we cruised this area back in 2010 in a charter boat we were forbidden to spend the night here, and our brief foray then into a bay (which happened to be where much of the film series Pirates of the Caribbean) had been unpleasant as a swarm of boat boys competed aggressively to engage our services. We had read and heard some shockingly bad stories. However we also read that the authorities had tackled the old security issues and that some of the best and most unspoiled bays in the Caribbean awaited.

We spent four nights in beautiful Cumberland Bay, on the sheltered leeward shore. The bay is surrounded by towering green mountains which drop steeply to the sea. Because of the depths in the bay we had to moor Tintamarre with a stern line tied to a palm tree on the shore. Behind the beach were a handful of very simple bar-restaurants, a surprisingly grand cricket pitch and a quiet road.



Cumberland Bay

Rasta Jo with his thick Rasta plaits held back by his straw hat quickly befriended us. Realising that we were going to spend more than one night he was quick to offer his full range of tour services.



Rasta Joe


The highlight was an expedition to climb Soufriere, the island's volcano. We set out at first light, taking a taxi to a long strand of beach. As we waded through the deep beach river we were joined by a group of men carrying machetes. Joe explained that these were agricultural workers off to tend their crops;- pimentos, yams, peppers and the chief island crop, cannabis. Although cannabis is illegal on the island the crop was being grown quite openly on the steep slopes of the volcano - with a trail information board highlighting the problems of erosion caused by its cultivation.



Farming on the Slopes of Soufriere



Tourist Information Board

The trail up the 4,000+ foot volcano climbed continuously, passing through a gorge at first and then winding through thick tropical woods of mahogany and mango. As we climbed higher the trail followed a precariously narrow ridge with impossibly steep slopes dropping away on either side. Every so often we paused to turn and admire the views back to the distant sea, and the patches of steep terracing for crops. Eventually, the vegetation thinned until it was no more than stunted scrubby trees and clumps of yucca on stony gravel. The wind whipped ferociously down the ridge, and we could only proceed in between gusts, scurrying upwards crabwise from one low tree to the next.



Towards the Summit

At last we reached the summit and were able to peer down in to the deep green crater below, its cone from the last eruption in 1979 clearly visible.



Soufriere Summit

The panorama over the western hills down to the sea were breath-taking. We were fortunate that it was clear and dry day - rain and cloud at the summit would have been horribly disappointing. In every sense, we were blown away by our day out!


There were other memorable trips to make from Cumberland Bay;- Rasta Joe led us up his valley past his farm on tiny footpaths. We paused under a huge wild mango tree to take our fill of sweetly juicy fallen mangoes - wonderfully memorable foraging.

Spending time on the island, walking through the "farms", small areas of cleared rain forest cultivated by hand, it became apparent that the local folk are able to sustain themselves. Living simply by fishing the abundant stocks in the bay (we watched the men working their seine nets from rowing boats), picking bananas, mangoes and other fruit from old and now wild trees, and planting a few rows of tomatoes, yams and onions.



Fishermen

Houses are simple, and a little cash can be earned from selling beads, tomatoes and mooring services to the few passing yachtsmen allowing for many hours relaxing in the shade smoking ganga . From time to time heated and noisy discussions in the local patois dialect raged. It appeared that the women folk stayed at home minding the children. Those with drive and ambition leave the island, headed for other islands, the USA or Canada. For the rest life just ticks along... Come the Trump apocalypse, I guess they will still be here and civilisation will continue in a more relaxed style!