Grenada - Security

Grenada Security for Yachts

Overall Crime and Safety

Based on reports to Noonsite from cruisers, petty theft is on the rise in the Caribbean in general. Cruisers should take basic safety precautions and use common sense when ashore. Avoid walking alone in isolated areas, especially at night. Don’t carry large amounts of cash around or wear expensive jewelry.

The risks of petty theft, pickpocketing and assault increases during regattas and festivals. Do not leave drinks unattended.

General Maritime Issues

Dinghy thieves operate throughout the Caribbean. Be sure to lift, chain, and lock your dinghy and outboard when not in use, especially at night. When leaving your dinghy ashore, ensure that your dinghy and outboard are securely locked.

AirTags and other cell based/Bluetooth tracking devices are being used by cruisers to track their dinghys/outboards. Some thieves are aware of this practice and may detect, locate and disable them. Understand the limitations of using tracking devices. (See this May 2024 Jost Van Dyke, BVI CSSN report.) The use of GPS trackers (rather than Bluetooth trackers) is recommended. See this Report by David Lyman.

Advice throughout the Caribbean is to remove items from the deck that may be tempting for thieves. When going ashore close all hatches, lock your boat, hide valuables out of sight and secure any loose items, including fuel/jerry cans and jugs. Keep the boat well-lit to deter boarders. It is also advisable to keep your cockpit/salon areas and hatches locked at night when sleeping onboard.

A new method of corruption appearing in Caribbean islands is for a “finders” fee to be demanded when a stolen dinghy is “found”. (See this Nov 2023 Tyrell Bay, Carriacou CSSN report and this Apr 2024 Clifton Harbour, SVG CSSN report.)

Specific Areas of Concern

Dinghy and outboard thefts are consistently reported from Grenada. In recent years, reports of vandalism on moored and anchored yachts at locations around the coast have increased including Gouyave and Prickly Bay. Attempted break ins and theft of deck gear continues to be reported from Prickly Bay.

In 2024, there was a serious incident involving a cruising catamaran hijacked from Grenada by 3 escaped criminals and subsequently discovered abandoned in St. Vincent with the crew missing. Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel from yacht Simplicity were living the bluewater cruising life that so many of our readers aspire to. That they have gone missing, presumed dead, in such awful circumstances is truly tragic, and their families and friends are in our thoughts. The recaptured prisoners have been charged with capital murder and other serious offenses. Read the News item here.

Caribbean Safety and Security Net

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN) collects and shares reliable reports of crimes against yachts in the Caribbean, helping cruisers make informed decisions.  

The CSSN website offers current and past incident reports, stats, regional piracy info, and annual summaries. Here are some of the ways to use their site: 

• Subscribe to CSSN to receive free alerts via Telegram or Email. 
• View the Interactive Map to view the latest reports in your cruising area. 
• Search Reported Incidents to view reports by event type, country or key words. 
• Review Incident Statistics to view statistics by type, country and time. 
• Report an Incident if you’ve experienced or witnessed a boarding, robbery, or other security issue, report it via the CSSN Incident Reporting Form. 
• Review CSSN’s General Security Precautions for Cruisers. 

Incident Reports

Visit the CSSN Grenada page or visit the CSSN Interactive Map to keep up to date with the latest incident reports.

Also review Noonsite security reports for Grenada.

Communication

VHF Channel 66 Repeater was privately donated to the Grenadian Government and is used by the Grenada Cruisers Net to provide coverage to all Grenadian waters. It can also be received in southern parts of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the northern parts of Trinidad including Chaguaramas Bay. The Grenada Cruisers Net is for weather, advice, security reports and information on many subjects to help make Cruisers’ stay in Grenada more rewarding. It broadcasts Monday – Saturday at 07:30 and is a fully interactive radio net.

Yacht Security: Trinidad & Tobago Waters

In response to incidents where yachts were boarded and robbed on passage between Grenada and Trinidad in the past (2015), all yachts transiting these waters should submit a float plan to the Trinidad & Tobago Coastguard (TTCG). See this news report for more details. Even if taking part in a convoy, a float plan should still be submitted. The TTCG remains responsive to yachts and has coordinated assistance for vessels in distress.

Last updated: July 2025