Trinidad and Tobago    

 We had heard a great deal about the advantages and delights of making Trinidad our destination as we made our way south down the islands. We were not disappointed and stayed seven months. 

From Grenada the island of Trinidad is only an overnight sail away, about 80 NM. So early one morning we were excited to see the coasts of the big island appear and then the mouth of the Boca de Monos which Christopher Columbus must have sailed through when he was in Trinidad in 1498.

The yachting centre is Chaguaramas Bay  in the Gulf of Paria on the west coast.  

It was a big navy base in WWII when Trinidad was part of the Lend Lease deal with the United States and remnants of the buildings (and a small museum) are still there.  Here you can anchor in mostly quite deep water and find just about everything you will need.  There are five or six boatyards with ample boat storage ashore, also chandleries, workshops, contractors of all kinds, bars and restaurants; in fact everything a yachtie needs for replenishment, rest and recreation.  As Trinidad is south of the hurricane belt it is a very popular place to leave your yacht for the summer.

In our experience the people are friendly and outgoing, happy with themselves and their homeland, welcoming to strangers -- a pleasant surprise to the "welcome" afforded us in some of the islands to the north.  We have observed that when a small country is exposed to mass tourism the bad habits of the visitors are picked up by the inhabitants to the detriment of both.  This does not happen in Trinidad or Tobago.

For a  Carnival  Mas Camp  follow this link     And another!