Tobago time

After 7 months on the move, visiting 17 islands in 7 countries and 7,500 sea miles under her keel, Saecwen has finally arrived in the Caribbean. Crew and ship now ready for a change of pace, starting with ‘Tobago time’.  Tobago is the smaller of the two islands that make up the country of Trinidad and Tobago in the southeastern corner of the eastern Caribbean island chain.

Unlike her larger sister island, Trinidad, which is a busy, hustling place currently under a self-declared ‘state of emergency’ to combat drug trafficking from Venezuela, Tobago is a peaceful haven of natural beauty moving at a slow pace and home to the most friendly and welcoming people. 

Saecwen in Man o' War Bay

Tobago is just 42 km long and 10 km wide and home to one of the oldest protected primary rainforests in the world, where logging was first declared illegal by ‘mad King George’ when under British rule. Although partially destroyed in 1963 by the Hurricane Flora (which also wiped out most of the former sugar plantations), much of the forest has regenerated with some of the old-growth trees still standing.  

Main Ridge Forest Reserve

The Main Ridge Forest Reserve hosts some of the some of the islands most vibrant species, including the Blue Crowned Motmot, the Golden Olive woodpecker and the Red Squirrel – all of which we were lucky enough to see (and capture on camera) whilst hiking through the rain forest with our most knowledgeable guide, Mr Darlington. 

Blue Crowned Motmot

Golden Olive Woodpecker

Like much of the Eastern Caribbean, the island’s war-torn history is ever present in the names of the bays and harbours; Tobago has passed hands between the French, Dutch and English over the centuries. We first stopped in Man O’ War Bay, a delightful anchorage off the little down of Charlottesville, sharing the delights of the crystal-clear water with turtles, pelicans, a large stingray, schools of beautiful fish and our new friends who had also sailed from Brazil and the Guianas.  Here we said farewell to Jem and Emily, our amazing crew of the last three months, who headed home to a wet and wintery England.

Supper on Saecwen with families from yachts Odara and Tao

We then sailed past Bloody Bay and stopped for the night in Englishman’s Bay, the only boat in a remote anchorage with nothing but a wooden bar and a local artisans stall who set up shop during the day for the odd passing tourist.

Anchored at Mount Irvine beach, a paddle away from the reef break

Our final stop was Mt Irvine’s Bay at the southern end the island, which for Heloise had the incredible attraction of having an amazing surf break over a beautiful coral reef just 200 meters from where the boat was anchored.

Mount Irvine's right break

Charlie was equally entertained by the proximity of the sea grass flats of the huge Bucco Reef system and its neighbouring mangrove lagoons, where he could flyfish for Bonefish and Tarpon. Tobago time came into its own in this magical spot, slowing right down to enjoy this wildly beautiful country and incredibly welcoming people.

A Tobago bonefish

It's going to be a seriously sad moment when we move on from Tobago. But we have the Grenadine Islands to look forward to, where we plan to spend Christmas with family, before taking the boat south to Grenada in the New Year.

Here she will have a much-needed haul out and mini-refit in January, and then her adventures can resume again in the New Year.