Grenada - Facts

HURRICANE BERYL:  The island nations of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada were the worst affected by Hurricane Beryl at the start of July 2024. The Grenadines, Carriacou, Petit Martinique and Union Island were particularly hard hit.  While the islands are recovering and all major marine services are back up and running (apart from on Union Island), cruisers should be aware that the islands are still in recovery mode and some services may still be limited or not available.

Grenada FAQs

Pre-Arrival Boat: Pre-register with SailClear. See Clearance for full details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: Visas are not required by nationals from a number of countries. Typically a 90 day entry stamp is issued on arrival. See Immigration for more details.
Where can I enter? There are 5 ports of entry: 3 on the main island of Grenada and 2 on Carriacou. Click on the anchor symbol in the blue “Explore Country” drop down, to see ports of entry. See Clearance for additional details.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? For a double handed yacht under 50ft it is approximately $50 (US) for entry and $10 (US) for exit, if cruising for less that 30 days. See Fees for more details.
What security concerns should I know about? Grenada is generally a safe country with a large number of cruising boats visiting every year. There have been some issues of vandalism on boats, including a violent highjacking of a catamaran by escaped criminals in February 2024. Dinghy / outboard thefts are reported on a regular basis. See Security for more information.

Grenada Facts for Sailors

• Grenada is a three island state: Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique, located in the Eastern Caribbean at the south of the Windward Islands and 100 miles north of Venezuela. To the north lies St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to the south Trinidad and Tobago. Its capital is St. George's.
• Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" due to its production of nutmeg and mace crops. It is a beautiful island with lush mountains and silvery beaches and many activities to do ashore.
• The current population of Grenada is 113,235 (2021) and English is the official language, though it is not uncommon to hear nationals speak French-African Patois.
• The Eastern Caribbean dollar is the local currency.
• Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique are in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone, one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time and four hours behind GMT. UTC−4 (AST).
• Average temperatures range from 24C/ 75F to 30C/ 87F, tempered by the steady and cooling trade winds. The lowest temperatures occur between November and February. The driest season is between January and May. Even during the rainy season, from June to December, it rarely rains for more than an hour at a time and generally not every day.
• Grenada is the usual turning-point north for a cruise among the Windward Islands.
• There are a series of wonderful bays along the southwest and south coasts of Grenada, however, these tend to be large with poor holding and many are not tenable in storm conditions. Water quality can be poor for swimming.
• Carriacou is the southernmost and largest of the Grenadines; relatively undeveloped, it is attractive with its green hills, sandy beaches, and sheltered natural harbors such as Tyrell Bay.
• Petit Martinique is not often visited by yachts cruising the popular nearby Grenadines
  (which belong to St. Vincent) as this means having to sail down to Carriacou to clear out and then sail back. Once you are checked into Grenada you can sail between the various islands of Grenada without restriction.
• Considered a good hurricane season option if hauling out, Grenada has great yachting services and an active cruising community.