Mar 31st – April 5th
(lost camera – no photos)
Bequia was described to me by a Canadian woman living on the island for 14 years as “the little island with the big island spirit”. There was a real community feel to the island and although small it has a diverse landscape. It is a favorite with sailors and has a long history of sailing, boat building and whaling. Boats are still built on the beaches and there is still an active whaling station on the island. Scrimshaw and whale bones are featured in shops and bars. Caribbean cruisers have adopted the island and contribute by raising funds for books for a children’s reading program. The large harbor community is served by a fleet of water taxis, bread men, laundry pick up, ice, water and fuel boats. Special thanks to McCarthy our taxi and bread man throughout our stay. We attended a benefit concert hosted by local educators which included dance troupes from St Vincent, local musicians as well as a magician from Germany! Friendly Bay was a quieter bay over the hill from Admiralty with a long crescent beach and a couple of restaurants/resorts. We hiked from Port Elizabeth to Hope Bay where a Bequia native has set up a Turtle sanctuary and hospital well worth a visit. The hike was not too difficult on road the whole way and provided spectacular views and the chance to see the island flora and fauna. While we were there the Easter Regatta was taking place with boats from surrounding islands filling the large Admiralty Bay almost over night. A quick mast count on Easter Saturday revealed over 200 boats at anchor. Bequia was also the center of the Easter Sunday celebration for all the Grenadines. Two big ferries packed with partiers from St Vincent, Union Island and the smaller Grenadine Islands arrived on Saturday and left late Sunday. The beaches were full of families, barbeques and music. It was a great weekend and Bequi is definitely worth a visit.
