Here’s an insight as to places we’ll take you and the learning lessons you gain along the way. Interestingly, it’s what’s not written here that will provide you with the most value.
It’s the ability to gain confidence. To prove to yourself that it really is a worthy pursuit and ultimately end up thinking, ‘heck yeah – we can do this!’
Britican Experience Sample Itinerary #1 Map
Now keep in mind that this is just a sample. If the weather doesn’t want to cooperate we often have to change things up quite a bit. And unfortunately there are times when bad weather can prevent us from sailing. When we have bad weather days, however, there’s still loads to do, learn and experience. And usually we just don’t get bad weather!
Let us give you and idea of what you’ll do as you’re navigating the beautiful tropical blues waters of Grenada…
Britican Experience Sample Itinerary #1
Anchorage in St George’s
Day #1 (afternoon/evening) Grand Anse Beach, St George’s
- Get picked up by dinghy in St Georges, Grenada’s Capital -(only a 10 minute taxi ride from the airport)
- Dinghy out to Britican in the anchorage located along the beautiful Grand Anse Beach
- Tour the boat, unpack and get comfortable
- Yacht briefing – an explanation of where everything is, how it works and so forth
- Safety briefing – a quick discussion about life jackets, safety equipment, safety procedures and so forth
- Enjoy sundowners (beverage of your choice while watching the sun go down), appetizers and a nice meal while discussing the week’s sailing spots and learning objectives
Ronde Bay – picture taken by Mark Messerli
Day #2 Ronde Island
- Rise and eat breakfast/drink coffee – watch the sun come up for those who are early risers
- Learn pre-passage boat jobs including:
- Securing and tidying the boat
- Engine checks
- Ancillary checks
- Preparing food and beverage
- Passage briefing and weather report
- Sail to Ronde Island (a four hour long sail) spotting dolphins, fishing, enjoying the sun and sea and learning how to:
- Weigh the anchor
- Motor out of an anchorage
- Get the main sail up and put a reef in (reduced sail)
- Pull out the head sail (and reef it)
- Helm the boat according to the plotted plan
- Use autopilot
- Keep watch
- Update the Log
- Grease stern gland and rudder bearings
- Check engine
- Arrive in the anchorage and learn how to:
- Find a spot to anchor
- Drop anchor or helm while anchoring
- Test anchor and visually inspect
- Complete post passage jobs
- Clean cockpit
- Rinse salt water off with fresh water on all chrome/windows
- Put sail away in the sail bag
- Tidying all the lines
- Sit back and relax the quiet beautiful anchorage – go swimming, snorkeling, for a walk on the shore or take the dinghy to a near by snorkeling haven
- End the day with sundowners and discussions about live aboard life
- Prepare dinner, eat and clean up
Tyrell Bay
Day #3 Tyrell Bay, Carriacou
- Rise for breakfast and coffee while enjoying the quite anchorage
- Pre-passage boat jobs
- Cleaning jobs (time permitting)
- Sail to Tyrell Bay, Carriacou (a three hour long sail). Same as above plus:
- Sailing with full sails
- Practice Man Over Board procedures
- Practice helming, sailing to course and trimming the sails
- Complete post passage jobs
- Same as above
- Eat a lovely salad and sandwich for lunch while taking in the scenery
- Trash run to marina and learn dinghy handling, how to lock the dinghy and using a dinghy anchor
- Provision for the next couple days for food and beverages
- Then choose to:
- Walk along the beach and surrounding area
- Hike up the 2nd highest hill on the island
- Walk to Paradise Beach and go for a swim
- Chill out on the boat and read a book
- Help fix something that’s recently broke on the boat or help do a routine service job 😉
- Enjoy dinner on board (especially if a fish was caught) or go ashore for a lovely local meal
Sandy Island
Day #4 Sandy Island
- Rise for breakfast and coffee while enjoying the quite anchorage
- Pre-passage boat jobs
- Cleaning jobs (time permitting)
- Sail to Sandy Island (a one hour long sail)
- Discuss rules of the sea
- Determine right of way with all surrounding boats
- Different points of sail – practice tacking and gybing
- Learn how to pick up a mooring ball or helm to pick up a mooring
- Complete post passage jobs
- Same as above
- Catch up on any cleaning jobs or tackle a boat job (maintenance and/or repair job)
- Enjoy a lovely lunch
- Snorkel, snorkel and snorkel – excellent snorkeling off Sandy Island
- Have an early BBQ dinner ashore on the lovely uninhabited island
Petite St Vincent – Private Island Resort Bar. Picture taken by Mark Messerli
Day #5 Sandy Island or Petite St Vincent/ Petite Martinique
- Rise for breakfast and enjoy your coffee
- Pre-passage boat jobs and/or cleaning jobs (same as above)
- Choice to stay in Sandy Island:
- Take a land tour seeing the island of Carriacou
- Spend the day on the beach enjoying the sand, sun and more snorkeling
- Walk around Hillsborough (main town of Carriacou) enjoying their eclectic shops and market stalls
OR
- Sail to Petite St Vincent, part of St Vincent & The Grenadines (a two hour long sail) and Mopion (a tiny patch of sand surrounded by reef). Note that checking out of Grenada and into St Vincent is not necessary.
- Enjoy lunch on board and then go for a swim along the lovely private beach or take the dinghy over to Petite Martinique and walk around the island (yes, you can walk around the whole island!)
- Have sundowners at the private St Vincent Resort beach bar and enjoy a lovely meal back aboard Britican enjoying music and conversation
Calvigny Island near Clarks Court Bay
Day #6 Clarks Court Bay or Prickly Bay (your choice)
- Rise for breakfast and enjoy your coffee
- Pre-passage boat jobs and cleaning jobs
- Sail back to Grenada (an seven hour long sail) practicing everything:
- Passage planning and weather forecasting
- Plotting the passage on the plotter and iPad
- Weighing anchor / navigating out of the anchorage
- Getting the sails out and helming
- Sailing on the Atlantic side of Grenada (provides a different view but isn’t always feasible)
- Arrive in Clarks Court Bay or Prickly Bay (your choice)
- Take the rest of the night off!
Bequia – Picture taken by Mark Messerli
Possible Alternatives
This itinerary allows for longer sails and experiencing the booking out of one country and booking into another (twice). The same topics will be covered as above but sailing to the following destinations.
Alternative #1
- Day #2 Tyrell Bay, Grenada (five hour sail)
- Day #3 Sandy Island, Grenada (one hour sail)
- Day #4 Bequia, St Vincent & The Grenadines (six hour sail)
- Day #5 Union Island, St Vincent & The Grenadines (five to six hour sail)
- Day #6 Back to Grenada (seven hour sail)
Alternative #2
- Day #2 Tyrell Bay, Grenada (five hour sail)
- Day #3 Sandy Island, Grenada (one hour sail)
- Day #4 Union Island and then to Tobago Cays, St Vincent & The Grenadines (six hour sail)
- Day #5 Petite St Vincent, St Vincent & The Grenadines (three hour sail)
- Day #6 Back to Grenada (seven hour sail)
We can also send you up the mast to do a rigging check!
A Note On Homeschooling (Families with children)
Homeschooling is usually completed right after breakfast while the other members of the boat are preparing for passage. If you’re a family with children, you’re welcome to bring homeschooling materials or we can create a variety of learning projects based around a variety of themes including: Sailing, Ocean Conservation, Marine Science, or a relevant topic of your choice.
The aim of having children do homeschooling is to give them an idea as to what live aboard life is truly like. Yes – there’s swimming, snorkeling, playing on the beach and loads of fun places to explore but education and boat jobs come first.
And with the entire itinerary, you decide what you want to include or not – it’s your experience.
Get the full scoop here on the Britican Experience.