AQUA•TERRA sail & stay
in and around Bequia

All of our yachts have a fishing rod onboard - we usually troll a line when sailing from island to island and will often catch yellow fin, wahoo, mahi-mahi or similar .... which might become lunch, served fresh off the yachts barbecue or as a sushi/sashimi dish!

• Please note that diving in the Pitons and Anse Cochon, both of which are part of our intended itinerary, are in the St Lucia Marine Parks, and require the use of and payment to local dive operators. In the Pitons we have arranged a two-dive set up for US$90.00 per head. The dive schools will not attend our boat for less than two tanks per diver, because of their fuel costs, and using the local company for a single dive off the beach does not fit in with our plans. Further up the coast at Anse Cochon, which is still part of the marine park, we can use the local resort dive master for the wreck dive at US$35.00 per head. So the total cost per diver in St Lucia is US$125.00 per head for 3 dives. These are the charges that will apply to Members only, non Members will have to pay these charges in addition to our standard US$75.00 per tank. Further diving on the Leeward coast of St Vincent on the return leg of the adventure is free for Members, and the standard charge of US$75.00 per tank for non Members.

Here is sample itinerary of what you may expect while enjoying a sailing vacation with TradeWinds from Bequia to St Lucia and back. Weather or other outside factors may mean that your Captain sets an alternative course.

We will arrange for a local taxi to collect you from Bequia airport or ferry dock and bring you to Mimosa House on the Belmont walkway. Although embarkation is not until 5pm, you are welcome to drop off your baggage when you arrive, and relax in our beautiful garden. Check-in will take place from 3pm onwards here at Mimosa House.

After check-in you will be greeted by your crew, taken aboard to meet your fellow sailors, and served a refreshing “welcome aboard” cocktail. Cabins allocated, empty bags stowed - it’s time to relax!

At approximately 5.30pm, as the sun is setting, your yacht will depart for Mount Wynn on St Vincent for the first part of your journey to St Lucia. Take your cocktail and find a comfy spot on the bow of the boat, catch the cool evening breeze on your face, and watch the glorious colours of the tropical sunset as the sun sinks into the ocean. Your holiday adventure has begun.

On arrival your hostess will serve the first of your sumptuous Caribbean dinners. Good wine and good company will melt away the travel blues, and a comfy bed will leave you ready for a glorious week.

After dinner your crew will prepare your yacht for departure to Chateaubelair on the northwest corner of the island, where you will drop anchor for the night. Motor sailing up the leeward side of St Vincent, you are welcome to enjoy the experience of night sailing under a million stars, or just relax in your cabin and dream of the adventures ahead.

Departure for St Lucia will take place in the early hours of Sunday morning, just as dawn is breaking, heading out into the St Vincent channel under full sail as the sun rises from the east. Your yacht will head directly for the bay of Soufriere, under the shadow of the Pitons, two volcanic plugs of rock that tower over the south of this wonderful island.

As you enjoy your first sumptuous Caribbean breakfast, the true magnificence of your tropical paradise surroundings will become apparent as your captain outlines the day’s activity ahead. You should be at your anchorage by around 10am, plenty of time for a swim or a dive, and plenty of time to chill out and absorb the scenery.

For the swimmers and snorkelers there are endless rock pools and craggy shorelines to explore, all teaming with aquatic life. For the divers, a beach dive awaits you at the local dive centre at about 11.30am. Diving with accredited dive schools is mandatory in St Lucia as the whole area is one huge marine park. Whilst all this is going on your captain will have taken care of all the local customs & immigration formalities.

The afternoon adventure begins at 2.30pm, with a short dinghy ride to the dock where an air-conditioned mini-bus will collect you and take you off for a guided tour of the Botanical Gardens and the Diamond Falls. This is followed by a hot shower under a volcanic waterfall, a tour of the volcanic boiling mud pools, and finishes up with an invigorating dip in the mud baths! This is an absolute must, don’t forget your swimsuit and towel! Laugh your socks off as you smother mineral enriched volcanic mud on each other, and then rinse off in the hot-springs pool. When the fun is over, the bus will wind its way back to the village and drop you off at the dock.

A short dinghy hop back to the yacht, and it’s Captains Cocktails as your hostess prepares another culinary delight. After a day like this it won’t be long before heads and pillows are together for a blissful nights sleep!

Following a leisurely breakfast on the opposite side of the bay, there is lots of time to relax and explore another part of the marine park before we head out of Soufriere Bay after lunch, passing the “bat cave” on the way (your captain will explain) and head up the leeward coast. Mid afternoon will see us heading into Marigot Bay, one of the prettiest little harbours you will ever come across. Very narrow with high lush green hills on both sides, this has been a favourite bad-weather hidey-hole for sailors for centuries, and it’s easy to see why. Once on a mooring ball, you will have a chance to stretch your legs and have a wander around the marina and shopping kiosks, meeting up with your crew at the “Hurricane Hole” bar, at the far end of the marina.

A short dinghy ride back to the boat and it's Captains “club night” Cocktails,followed by yet another delicious Caribbean dinner, some fine wine and maybe a liqueur or two, in a perfect picture book setting of calm and tranquillity!

An early morning swim in such beautiful surroundings will awaken you from your slumber, and the smell of fresh brewed coffee as your hostess prepares breakfast will have you never wanting to leave this place. However, with more adventures still ahead it will soon be time to drop the mooring lines and head even further up the coast of this lush green island. Our destination this time is Rodney Bay, where a change of scenery and a change of pace awaits us. Following lunch on arrival, you can choose between some serious duty-free shopping in the modern air-conditioned shopping malls, some zip-lining up in the hills, the “Lucian” experience segway tour –or maybe a “stand-up paddle board” tour across the bay is just the thing for you? Whatever you decide, be sure to ask your Captain to book early!

As the sun begins to set, it’s back home to the yacht for a shower, a change of clothes and a quick cocktail before we hit the town …. starting at the “Big Chef” restaurant where you can tuck into a juicy steak, some seafood, or maybe the Spanish tapas is more your thing.

After dinner there is a myriad of bars to choose from (many with live music) and even a casino to entertain you into the wee hours!

An early morning change of position will see you enjoying breakfast overlooking the beaches of Rodney Bay, before we set sail south to Anse Cochon, where your yacht will anchor in the bay opposite the Ti Kaye resort. Time for a swim or a beach walk before lunch, followed by some serious chill-out time, some rock pool snorkelling and a wreck dive for the divers amongst you. An old 140´ Japanese freighter called the “Lesleen M” lies in about 40´of water right behind your yacht.

After lunch we set sail once again, heading further south of the Pitons. Once at anchor in the bay there will be plenty of time for a visit ashore - a walk through the village and then along the beach; a chance to watch the local fishermen unload the day’s catch, and a chance to mix with the local Lucian people, before heading back to the yacht. Captains Cocktail are at the ready and, who knows, maybe the catch of the day cooked to perfection and served with your choice of red or white wine.

As the sun sets and the stars fill the sky, there will be plenty of time to reflect on yet another day of amazing adventures.

After breakfast it is once again time to hoist the sails and head back across the Vincy channel to the leeward side of St Vincent. Sailing downwind this time it all seems much calmer than the journey up, and provides the perfect setting for some serious fishing. As the Pitons begin to fade into the background, Soufriere, the volcano that dominates the north shore of St Vincent, comes into view.

Lunch underway will be served as you pass by the many coves and villages of this beautiful tropical paradise. Depending on the wind and weather conditions, and therefore the crossing time, your captain will pick out one of the many bays to anchor for the night. Choose between Cumberland Bay, Walillabou or Mount Wynn. They all offer spectacular snorkelling, swimming and dive experiences, all virtually untouched by tourism, and all are facing west in calm waters.

Yet another perfect setting to watch the sunset and enjoy a cocktail as your hostess once again prepares your delicious dinner.

For the divers, the day starts early with a short dinghy ride to “Bottle & Glass” point, and a chance to dive on the “submarine rock”, accepted locally as one of the best dive sites on St Vincent’s west coast. For the non-divers, this whole coastal area provides some of the best, untouched, unspoiled snorkelling sites in the Caribbean Windward Isles. After breakfast we are in no rush, so there will be plenty of time to check out the rock pools and shoreline before we move the yacht one last time further south to Buccament Bay and Friday lunch.

Heading out towards Bequia to catch the wind mid afternoon, we will eventually tack back to where we started from just one short week ago. Time flies when you’re having this much fun, but all good things must come to an end. Back on Bequia there will be plenty of happy smiling faces to welcome you home. The evening dinner, with a great selection of Caribbean dishes to delight you, will be taken in one of the many great restaurants on Bequia, the perfect way to end the week and begin planning the next one.

After a last tasty breakfast onboard, it is time to gather your belongings, as well as your wonderful memories of a most spectacular week in these beautiful islands. Before exchanging fond farewells, your crew will arrange transport to the airport, we wish you all a safe journey home and look forward to seeing you all again soon.

INCLUDED

• A professional Captain and Chef team on a 7-night all-inclusive cruise
• All taxes and cruising permits
• All meals and beverages served onboard
• Well stocked open bar service and wine list
• Water sports activities: snorkel equipment, a 2-person kayak, Flagship Class only; a stand up paddle board

EXCLUDED

• Travel to and from the embarkation point
• Two evening meals when guests are asked to dine ashore
• Scuba diving for certified divers is charged at $100 per person per dive
• Crew gratuities