Huahine saw things this way:
Overall
5
Snorkeler's and beach-lover's delight, December 23, 2015
Reviewer: Huahine
Pros: White sand beaches, blue waters make it what you imagine the Caribbean to be
Cons: Reefs not as colorful as in past due to global warming
This sprinkling of islands in the Southern Grenadines doesnt get a lot of cruise traffic aside from the sailboats and yachts that meander its aquamarine waters. This morning our small sailing ship anchored amid them and sent its tender ashore to set up camp for the day on a secluded beach of white sand fringed by palm trees. Local fishing boats painted in bright colors bobbed along shore, one loaded with live lobsters that would end up on some lucky persons dinner plate. A few chartered sailboats anchored a few yards away and Zodiacs zipped from shore to a catamaran ferrying passengers on shore excursions. I was one who booked Discover the Southern Grenadines, a snorkeling trip to the Grenadines Marine National Park. Our skipper dropped anchor 100 yards from Horseshoe reef, since vessels the catamarans size are not allowed to come too close to the protected waters. We swam for it and snorkeled a few feet above the coral. I spotted a nurse shark lying on the bottom, parrot fish pecked at the coral and dozens of other varieties of marine life flitted in and above the reef. Back on the boat, we lolled on the deck drinking rum punch as we cruised around Mayreau and Canouan islands. Mustique was off-limits, a crew member told me. Although all beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are public, money talks and the rich and famous here somehow manage to keep us plebians away. Mick Jagger, Michael Jordan, Tommy Hilfiger, Puff Daddy and Britains Princess Margaret are among the celebrities who have, or had, homes here. No matter. We dropped anchor at Salt Whistle Bay on Mayreau and spent a half hour or so swimming in crystal clear water before boarding the cat again for more rum punch and a ride back to the beach where our ship's crew had set out a barbecue on the sand. After a rest to digest we were back in the water snorkeling among rays and grouper. I spotted an eel slithering along the bottom trying to hide from my camera by wedging itself in a conch shell. The ships sports staff had carted bright yellow kayaks to the beach and I couldnt resist the chance to explore more of the island under my own power. The setting was postcard perfect, the kind of beach that many people imagine when they think of the Caribbean, but almost never see: secluded, uncrowded, clean, pristine.
