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The beaches of Bequia are white sand, some are secluded, and all are clean and uncrowded. The waters are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, sailing, diving, and other water sports.

• Princess Margaret Beach is just down from Port Elizabeth on the leeward side of the island. This beach is a lovely ribbon of golden sand and is so named because Princess Margaret enjoyed a dip there in 1958.
• Lower Bay is nearby, and is a popular, expansive beach. There are a number of very good, and reasonably priced, bars and restaurants, making it a favourite venue both during the day and in the evening.
• Friendship Bay is a short ride from town, and it is a long, wide sweep of beach, with excellent conditions for diving, sailing and snorkeling. The Friendship Bay Hotel is located there (27 rooms), which has a beach bar and restaurant. Also in Friendship, Herby and Spicy is a delightful beach bar with chair-swings, and weekly jump-ups.
• Hope Bay is north of Friendship, and is a remote, picturesque beach. It is difficult to get to, but that makes it all the nicer! There are no hotels or bars nearby, so bring a picnic. It has rather shallow waters and a long line of breakers from the Atlantic Ocean; this makes it ideal for body surfing and windsurfing.
• Spring Bay is a bit further north and it is romantic and very secluded. There are acres of tall palm trees, the working plantation and hotel of Spring.
• Industry Bay is located just above Spring, and is inaptly named! There is no heavy industry anywhere on the island. Industry has a nice beach and is wonderful for snorkeling.
• Park is a short walk around the corner from Industry, and it is another palm-shaded, undeveloped sandy beach. It is also home to the Oldhegg Turtle Sanctuary.

William Thomas Wallace Jr came from Scotland, and he introduced whaling to Bequia. Having worked on one of the New England whaling ships that came to the Caribbean chasing the humpback whale, Bill Wallace started his own shore whale fishery in the mid 1870s out of Friendship Bay. The Ollivierres from France followed suit in 1876 with a fishery at Petit Nevis (a small off-shore island just south of Bequia). Whale meat was a staple food for the population in those days.

Today only one small whale fishery exists. A crew of six sails out on a 26-foot traditional double-ended whale boat. The design is based on that of the small boats carried aboard the large whaling ships that sailed the Caribbean before the 20th Century. There is great excitement on the rare occasion when a whale is caught. Groups gather on the hills to follow the hunt. The butchering is done on Petit Nevis with a constant stream of small boats carrying loads of people to watch and celebrate.

This is written in order to alert the General Public and in support of the ancient path
and Right Of Way leading from Port Elizabeth along the Plantation House Hotel across
Princess Point to Princess Margaret Beach and further across Retreat Point and to Lower
Bay.

This Right of Way is shown on survey maps as early as 1763 (“London printed for
Rob Sayers. Map&Printseller, No 53, in Fleet Street, as the Act directs…”) and as
recent as the geographical map reprint of 1998 (Director General, Ordinance Survey Romsey Road, Southhampton, England) published by the Govt.of the UK for the Govt.of SVG, 1983.

For centuries people have been using this path. Older Lower Bay folks recall having
walked this road to school in Port Elizabeth. More recent, weekenders from the mainland,
Bequians from the entire island and visiting tourists enjoyed the convenience to get from
the harbor in relatively short time to the two most frequented beaches on Bequia, “Princess Margaret” and Lower Bay. In doing so one is avoiding the much longer and often hot and high traffic main road and at the same time is enjoying one of the most scenic
hikes on Bequia.

Unfortunately, over the past months a new landowner has engaged in gradually closing off
the path while smartly applying some sort of “salami tactics”: First, making the path difficult with all sorts of construction debris, than build a small wall then a house on top of the path while still allowing a certain detour leading around a construction site. The final straw: huge signs saying “further access denied” and to crown the malicious act, the erection of a 10 ft wall across the Right of Way barbed with glass splinters.

Interestingly, over the years, the various owners of the nearby PLantation House Hotel, formerly the “Sunny Caribbee”, the oldest and largest hotel on Bequia, habe never blocked this Right of Way which leads along the hotels vast grounds although they might have claimed reason to protect their guests. On the contrary, they build steps and a planked walkway in order to accommodate the General Public.

Who ever put up signs and walls is demonstrating contempt of the people of SVG and as far as I know, is in contempt of the existing law. We need to uphold this people’s Right of Way so our children and our children’s children may continue to walk to their favorite beaches along this ancient path where their ancestors had walked before.

Vinci-Mas as it is known the world over began in the 1890’s and was celebrated the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It was a time when the religious world said farewell to sins and begin the period of fasting called lent in which people refrained from loud behaviour. The 1900 saw the introduction of calypso, but the street parade was made up of mostly working class people. Not so today, as status, ethnic background employee as well as employer comes together in one major outburst of celebrating. 1947-1961 saw the carnival growing and by then consisted of the steelband and is now celebrated from the weekend to the Tuesday of the following week.

The Jaycees took control of the organizing of the carnival during the period of 1962-76 and incorporated the different competitions and costumed bands as well as introducing Queen shows and calypso competitions.

1977 saw the changing of the date and the creation of a 10-day festival in July managed by the now organized Carnival Development committee. This date change in no way halted the carnival fever but in many ways made it a bigger and better event. The partying continued to a maximum with a fresh sense of abandonment. Calypso music provides the correct atmosphere and creating the right climate for the real bacchanal. This is a time for throwing away inhibitions and hang-ups to the wind and “freeing-up”. The streets of Kingstown become a hive of activity buzzing with round the clock excitement. During this season the society is classless, non-racial, a miniature United Nations held together by dance, a tower of Babel whose lingus franca is music. The community undergoes s distinct personality change. It is African market place, Mid-Eastern bazaar and downtown Brixton/Brooklyn rolled onto one. Always, there is a constant hammering in the streets to deafening Deejay music blaring out of temporary bars built without doors. A delightful pandemonium reigns supreme in Kingstown on Carnival Monday and Tuesday marking the climatic outbursts of this ten-day orgy of mirth and gaiety. One cannot help by being struck by the clash of music, riot of color, display of talent and the general movement of a teeming mass of humanity. It is the grand finale, the last lap that builds up in a rising crescendo to the final explosion. The lengthened shadow of the festival lingers as plans are made for the next year. The sweet taste of the parties and fun filled days still in the mouth and the yearning begins and the hearts jumps ahead to the year ahead and plans are made to do it all over again.

Beaches – The island maybe small however one can be spoilt for choice when it comes to number and variety of beaches. Bequia offers crystal clear waters and is also perfect for sports diving and snorkelling. “June Field of the UK’s Guardian newspaper included Princess Margaret’s beach on Bequia in their list of the 10 best beaches in the world” Bequia Easter Regatta – A highlight of the year is the annual Bequia Easter Regatta which, for almost twenty years, has welcomed visiting yachtsmen, sailors and holiday makers. During Easter Bequia is busy not only with an abundance of activities but also its local traditions i.e. the locally-built fishing boats which have been gradually perfected and also take part in the races. Carnival – St Vincent’s carnival features a 12-day run of calypso and steel band music, colorful costume parades and lots of dancing.

Come and see some of the most beautiful costumes ever designed. Windsurfing, sailing, kayaking – Admiralty Bay is ideal for an abundance of water sport activites. Snorkelling/Scuba – Bequia diving ranks with the best in the Caribbean. There are some 35 excellent dive sites around Bequia and the nearby islands. Full certified dive operations are available. Sport Fishing – Spanish Mackerel, Barracuda, Marlin, Tuna, Bonito and Kingfish are just some of the fish in our local seas.

It’s no problem to arrange a fishing boat for a day out fishing. Yacht Charters – Please visit our stay and sail page for more information. Arts and Crafts – Visitors will find a variety of local arts and crafts in the boutiques of Port Elizabeth and at artists’ studios around the island. Model boats, scrimshaw, woodcarving, stained glass, ceramics, and crochet are among the artworks Bequians and foreign expats do here. Spring Plantation – is a romantic 200 year old working plantation overlooking Spring Bay. It used to be a 19th century sugar factory. The ruins are now the location for The Spring Pottery where you can see pottery being made and an exhibition of works for sale. Moon Hole – It’s facinating unique architectural style is based on the concept of living in harmony with nature and taking full advantage of the Caribbean environment, as interpreted by Tom Johnston, the designer.

To achieve these goals, these Flintstones houses have been designed on sites overlooking the sea, maximising both views and breezes. Tours can be arranged. Mustique – Just an hours sail from Bequia will take you to the home of celebrities such as Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Princess Margaret and the like. This island can be ideal for a days visit by sail or power boat. Tobago Keys – are a famous small collection of coral islands with some of the most spectacular waters in the world. With clear and turquoise blue waters, the area is quite simply breathtaking.

Day trips can be arranged. St. Vincent is just 9 miles north of Bequia. With regular ferries throughout the day, it is one of the most naturally spectacular and undeveloped of the large Caribbean islands. Below are full and half day trips that can be made to some of the natural wonders of this island: Our Volcano – St. Vincent’s La Sofriere rises majestically to over 4000 ft. It last erupted in April 1979. A tour of La Soufriere volcano takes you along the picturesque windward coast of St. Vincent, through banana and coconut plantations to where the foot trail begins. Mesopotamia Valley – a richly fertile valley thickly planted with local crops.

A sight to behold. Vermont Nature Trails – leads one through tropical rain forest where vistors have a chance to see the rare and unique St. Vincent Parrot (Amazona Guildingii) and Whistling Warber. Good for bird watching the habitat around the trails houses several unusual species of birds. The Botanical Gardens – were first established in 1765 making them the oldest in the Western Hemisphere.

The gardens feature a descendent of the original breadfruit tree brought to the island by Captain Bligh in 1793 and has many ancient and impressive specimens of flowering plants, palms, cycads, and tropical trees. Falls of Baleine – The spectacular waterfalls are situated in the lush tropical rainforest at the northern tip of St. Vincent. Cool waters come cascading from the mountaintops to reside in a pool at the base. These falls can be easily reached by boat… and much much more…

Courtesy The Bequia Tourism Association

Bequia’s earliest permanent inhabitants, dating back to the beginning of the first millennium AD, were small groups of pottery-making Amerindians whose origins lay in the northern coastal regions of South America. These indigenous people were followed in around 1400 AD by another group, the Island Caribs, who along with their fellow Caribs in St. Vincent and Dominica, successfully resisted the ravages of European colonization in the 16th and 17th centuries. There is plenty of evidence of pre-historic life on the island which has been unearthed, with doubtless still more to be discovered.

A small exhibit of artifacts and shards can be seen in the Tourism Office and at the Frangipani Hotel, providing an intriguing glimpse into Bequia’s distant past. By the late 1600s, indigenous (”Yellow”) Caribs had to a great extent merged with runaway or shipwrecked African slaves, giving rise to the so-called Black Caribs. So fervent was the resistance of these Caribs to European settlement that both the French and the English essentially agreed to leave the Caribs of St. Vincent and Dominica in peace, despite both countries’ desire for further colonisation of ‘new’ lands. A 1659 account of the French Antilles describes Bequia as being “too inaccessible to colonise”, and used only by Caribs from St. Vincent for fishing and for “cultivating little gardens”. But by the early 18th century the French were showing renewed interest in the lush and fertile island of St. Vincent. After developing if not an alliance, then at least a working accord with the Black Caribs, the French were permitted to develop small settlements there. Bequia and the other Grenadine islands however, were at this time considered to be part of French-owned Grenada and very much under French control. British ships were banned from setting ashore for lumber or water and French ships rigorously patrolled the Grenadine waters. First cultivated in the early 18th century by a scattering of French smallholders from Grenada, the earliest crops on Bequia were indigo, cotton, sugar and lime, and its tiny population was made up of French whites, “free coloureds”, slaves and Black Caribs. (Traces of French works and roads can still be found on parts of the island, and as in St. Vincent, many locations, and indeed families still carry French names.)

The turning point in St. Vincent’s colonial history came with the cessation of hostilities between the French and British in the Seven Years War, marked in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris. By this treaty, previously ‘neutral’ St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands were ceded to the British, along with Grenada, Tobago, Dominica and Canada – while Britsh-captured Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Lucia were returned to the French. Although interrupted briefly by a short-lived French seizure of St. Vincent in 1779, the long period of British settlement, colonisation and control of St. Vincent & the Grenadines had now truly begun. On Bequia, whilst the existing French settlers were at least initially allowed to claim the acres they had cultivated, the 1760s and 1770s saw the lion’s share of its prime land going, as always, to the British elite who either expanded and developed, or sold on their allocations. Much smaller tracts of land – nineteen in all – were offered to so-called “poor white settlers” – English, Irish and Scottish labourers, many formerly displaced from small farms or exhausted plantations elsewhere in the British West Indies – who applied to come to this newest British territory, eager to acquire those precious virgin acres and desperate to finally settle down. well in Industry 18th century well at Industry estate By 1829, Bequia boasted nine sugar plantations of between 100 and 1000 acres, numerous smallholdings, its own new church and a close-knit population of maybe 1400 people, of whom at least 1200 were slaves.

But the island’s prosperity was short lived: 1828 was the peak of production of sugar in the islands. Thereafter the industry slowly declined, and in the years following Emancipation in 1838 the once wealthy planters returned to England or moved on, often bankrupt, while the majority who remained sought new ways to make a living. Maritime activities were nothing new to Bequians; the island had for more than a century been totally dependant on inter-island trading for its survival. Just as today virtually all supplies, including all but the simplest ground provisions, were imported into Admiralty Bay, and the island’s produce – sugar, molasses, rum, coffee, indigo and cotton – left on the same island traders. Many of the island’s earliest settlers and smallholders were also shipwrights, seamen and carpenters, and with an abundance of indigenous White Cedar on the island, the development of boat building was a natural – and essential – progression to ensure the islanders’ survival.

The waters surrounding the island were also fabulously rich fishing grounds. Yankee whalers frequently ventured south to the Grenadines in search of their catch, and one young Bequian, William (Old Bill) Wallace Jr. worked for many years on New England whaleboats before returning to his native island in the 1870s to start a whaling station in Friendship. A second station, started by Joseph “Pa” Ollivierre swiftly followed. Even as early as the 1870s whale oil already ranked fourth in value of exports from the whole country, whilst the whale meat became – and today still remains – a staple food for many Bequians. It was not long before Bequia became renowned for her uniquely successful whaling fleet and her heroic whalermen. old Bill Wallace William “Old Bill” Wallace (left), founder of Bequia’s first Whaling Station (photographed in Bequia c. 1914) It was the building of whaleboats in the last quarter of the 19th century that gave the real impetus for the rapid development of Bequia’s home-grown boat-building into a thriving industry. In just ten years, between 1871 and 1881, the number of mariners and shipwrights on the island increased from 73 to 157. Boats of all sizes, from 28ft whaleboats to large island schooners, were built on beaches all over the island – at Friendship Bay, Lower Bay, La Pompe, Paget Farm, Hamilton, Belmont and of course Port Elizabeth.

In the 20th century, boat and ship building in Bequia continued to dominate over the rest of the Grenadines. Of the 153 ships registered as having been built in St. Vincent & the Grenadines between 1923 and 1990, no less than 71 were built in Bequia by thirty-seven of the island’s boatbuilders. schooner launching Admiralty Bay One of the most famous of these vessels was the “Gloria Colita” built in 1939 on the beach at Belmont in Admiralty Bay, by Reginald Mitchell. (Photo left) At 165 feet including bowsprit and 182 gross tonnes, she was the largest wooden ship ever to be constructed in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and indeed the whole of the West Indies. Reginald Mitchell was from a richly talented boat-building family. His father James Fitzallan (”Uncle Harry”) Mitchell was one of four boat-building sons of William Mitchell and Mary Compton, daughter of English-born shipwright Benjamin George Compton who had emigrated to the Grenadine island of Canouan in 1838. Although Bequia’s golden age of shipbuilding has now passed, descendants of the Compton/Mitchell boatbuilders, (and indeed of many of Bequia’s other renowned shipwrights), are still building boats on the island today, employing skills and methods that have remained unchanged for generations.

Twenty-first century Bequia retains its proud seafaring heritage, its fierce independence and its open-hearted welcome for visitors from other shores. Today’s Bequians are for the most part direct descendants of those African, Carib, English, Irish, Scottish, Asian and Portuguese settlers, labourers and slaves who came to the island in the 18th and 19th centuries, and who chose never to leave – or at least always to return. And Bequia is still casting that spell; many of its more recent “settlers” from America, Canada and Europe came once, then came again, and never left. Visitors too return year after year, eagerly anticipating that very special warmth that is shared by Bequia and its people.

BEQUIA GENEALOGY There is a keen interest worldwide in tracing the history of Bequia families. Cheryl Hazell, a Vincentian-born editor, writer and researcher from Toronto, Canada, whose family emigrated from St. Vincent to Canada in the late 1960s, is a major contributor to an extraordinarily interesting website about Vincentian history and genealogy. You can visit her page at http://sv.usaroots.com/hazell.htm or the Vincentian genealogy research page at www.sv.usaroots.com or www.sv.usaroots.com/history.htm Cheryl welcomes new information and contacts and is keen to hear especially from members of Bequia and southern Grenadine families who have links to the following names: Hazell, Ollivierre, Wallace, Simmons, Derrick, Snagg, Mitchell, Adams, Gooding, Peters, Stowe, Williams, and Kydd.

As you reach The Old Fort, prepare to have your breath taken away. Once you breathe again, you’ll be in love! This must be the most romantic villa in the Caribbean – although the term “villa” really doesn’t do The Old Fort justice. This isn’t just a villa, it’s a very comfortable, welcoming home. The Schaedle family will do everything to make it yours from the moment you walk in.The Old Fort boasts characterful, comfortable bedrooms; great places to relax and dine – outside and in; a lovely pool with amazing views out to Mustique…all this and donkeys too! What more could anyone possibly want? We just can’t wait to get back! Getting to Bequia may sound a bit complicated, but don’t be put off: it’s really not difficult. The journey’s a great part of the experience, anyway. We flew north to St. Vincent, from Trinidad, and were just captivated by the Grenadines, floating in the clearest, bluest ocean we’d ever seen. From St. Vincent’s airport, a friendly taxi driver soon got us to Kingstown. He checked ferry times and suggested breakfast at Cobblestones restaurant. It was good advice! Don’t rush to the ferry; amble, soak up island life – chill and connect.

Soon the Bequia Express ties up and discharges passengers with efficient chaos. Climb aboard for the one hour crossing – and relax! Bequia’s silhouette crystallizes into an intricate, green paradise, as Admiralty Bay embraces the returning ferry. Port Elizabeth grows from hillside specks and soon you’ll see its streets merging seamlessly with the tree-lined, restaurant-fronted beach. Then you start to meet the people and the love affair becomes irresistible!

Each island in this tropical archipelago promises divers something different: St Vincent’s steep black coral curtained walls, Bequia’s monster schools of fish, Mustique’s currents, Canouan’s shapely hard corals and the nurse sharks of the Tobago Cays.

The diving is so diverse and there is no reason not to see it all—see the book for details of a dive package that lets you do just that, as well as information about how to move between the islands. Read descriptions of St Vincent and the Grenadines 12 dive operators and 67 dive sites. Checkout dive site 15 – Fish Mouth 1 Petit Byhaut 2 Dive St. Vincent 3 St. Vincent Dive Experience 4 Bequia Dive Adventures 5 Dive Bequia 6 Bequia Beach Club 7 Dive Paradise 8 Mustique Watersports 9 Dive Canouan 10 Glossy Dive Club 11 Scuba Shack 12 Grenadines Dive st vincent and the grenadines dive sites and dive centres Click on map for larger version bequia dive sites and dive centers HOT NEWS Updated March 2001 Bequia Dive Bequia now has a Nikonos 5 available for rental, so you make your own take home record of Bequia’s marine life.

Make them find a seahorse for you, their instructors know just where to find them. St. Vincent Wallilabou Dive Experience is now operating from 2 boats. One is a 31 feet Cabin Cruiser, capable of carrying 12 divers, plus they have a 21 feet rigid hull inflatable capable of carrying up to 6 divers. They are now offering a dive/hotel special, go to www.diveexperience.com. Previous HOTNEWS St. Vincent St. Vincent’s west coast now has a dive store. Wallilabou Dive Experience is owned and managed by Kenard Cruikshank, a PADI dive instructor.

We always thought that Wallilabou would be a great location for a dive store as there is quick access to the pristine diving off the west coast. Check out Kenard’s website for more information.

The location is marked as ‘NEW’ on the enlarged version of the top map of St Vincent above. http://members.nbci.com/walldivexp Dive Bequia Dive Bequia has hired two new divemasters to compliment the regular instructors. Both are experienced Bequia divers and are able to give you an informed and entertaining tour of Bequia’s reefs. Bob Sachs, owner of Dive Bequia (which has now purchased the Sunsports operation) tells us they saw a whale shark on a resort dive recently.

How come the beginners get all the luck? Dive Bequia have recently invested in some extra small tanks so if your children want to give it a go (PADI allows children to start at 10 years old) Dive Bequia have the equipment. Friendship Divers is currently closed. Bequia Dive Adventures is a new store run by former staff of Sunsports.

Industry Bay, Bequia This scenic bay is a good snorkeling spot for beginners.

Lower Bay Beach, Bequia This excellent beach is one of the highlights of Bequia.

Friendship Bay, Bequia The site of a beach that is popular with Bequia tourists.

Anthneal’s Private Petite Museum, Bequia A small museum with exhibits on the history of the whaling industry in Bequia. Attraction type: Maritime museum

Princess Margaret Beach, Bequia One of Bequia’s most popular beaches.

Frangipani, Bequia This bar is usually crowded with yachtsmen from around the world as well as locals and features local bands and good barbecue.

Port Elizabeth, Bequia This quiet seaside village is known for its fantastic scenery.

Cathedral, Bequia This reef is positioned on a steep slope and is covered with corals and sponges.

Pigeon Island, Bequia This small island is a diver’s paradise, with four excellent dive sites nearby.

Devil’s Table, Bequia Located at the mouth of Admiralty Bay, this dive site is popular among both snorkelers and divers.

Moon Hole, Bequia This dive site, which has water depths ranging from five to 45 feet, is covered with various corals.

The Wall, Bequia This Bequia dive site is inhabited by corals and schools of smaller fish.

Hamilton Fort, Bequia The remains of this 18th-century fort have a great view of Admiralty Bay. Attraction type: Historic site

Courtesy Nicola Redway, Bequia Tourism

THE BIG LITTLE ISLAND

The tiny island of Bequia has a unique, magical charm which is hard to find anywhere else in the Caribbean. With fewer than six thousand inhabitants, it feels like home from the moment you arrive; friendliness is the watchword, and the pace is relaxed and easy-going. Don’t be surprised if you are greeted with a warm hello as you walk along the street – a centuries-old dependence on inter-island shipping and trading has meant that Bequians have been eagerly welcoming visitors to their shores for generations. The island’s enduring seafaring heritage is one of its most striking features. Virtually every Bequia family has some connection to the sea either past or present, and today’s fishermen, sailors and boat-builders are quietly proud to share their marine traditions with newcomers to the island.

Bequia fulfils many dreams of the perfect small Caribbean island: beautiful sandy beaches where more than ten people may constitute a crowd, lush green hillsides, attractive little villages, intimate, well run hotels and guest houses, hardly any traffic, places to get together and places in which to find that perfect solitude. Variety and choice on so small an island may come as a surprise – but there are both wherever you look.

Choose a holiday of total beach relaxation or exhilarating sailing and diving in some of the most beautiful waters in the world. Get to know the island on foot, or hire a car and discover so much more than just the golden beaches; take day or overnight trips to neighbouring isles or simply fill up another perfect day doing what is increasingly necessary to unwind – nothing!

Your choice of holiday home could be a luxury hilltop villa, air-conditioned self-catering apartment or first class small hotel, a friendly beachfront guesthouse or a privately chartered yacht swaying quietly at anchor off a deserted beach.

A choice of nightlife too awaits you – gourmet international cuisine, or delicious local cooking; elegant cocktails or sundowners in a local bar; a lively jump up to steel band music or a wonderfully romantic candlelit dinner far away from it all.

And then of course there are the warm tropical nights, with an orchestra of singing cicadas and gently murmuring surf, and the brilliance of the star-studded sky which tells you, if you didn’t already know, that this is where you have always wanted to be.