Any Recommendation for Tobago ?

[seajoy]

Hi,
will be spending the summer in Grenada, but looking for some alternatives for a change. Trinidad and Venezuela seems to be to dangerous ( we are cruising with kids and want to stay in safer areas). Any suggestions about traveling to Tobago?
Nicole

[captain465]

There is no problem with Trinidad, it is a industrial nation, with the same kinds of problems that industrial areas all over the world have.......just be carefull of how you conduct yourselves.......don't flash wads of cash or wear expensive jewelry, just as you would not do that in any "big city" environment. There are always those that would want more than they already have........don't tempt them with your assets.
Tobago is part of Trinidad, but relys on tourisim instead of industry.....do go ther and enjoy!!!!!!!Don't miss the incredible manta rays there.....

[osirissail]

Grenada is great for the hurricane season, I have spent the last 3 here in Grenada. You can take a break and sail up to the Grenadines and still have time to run south if something threatens.
I have done Trinidad a dozen times and really like the place. But as mentioned you have to be "big city street wise" or you can get into trouble. There are tons of wonderful tours and hikes and things to do there. Tobago on the other hand is getting rather nasty about cruising sailboats and where you can go. Lots of restrictions and bureaucratic hassles. The only problem with Trinidad is you are "stuck" in the bay/marina/anchorage you choose and really cannot sail anywhere (there are exceptions, but not many).
In Grenada there are lots of bays along the south shore; west shore; and up into the Grenadines (Carriacou, Petite St. Martinique, PSV) where you can sail without having to check out of the country.

[frankh]

We are have an option to visit Tobago as live aboard cruisers for about 5 weeks this coming Oct-Nov. Interested to receive any recent reports/recommendations/advice etc from fellow Cruisers with Tobago experience. Thank you, FrankH

[Cheechako]

Trinidad is not to be missed. Generally it is safe in the daytime... similar to many US cities. Charguaramas is fun and the music scene in Trini is good. Tobago seems to have limited anchorages , most fairly exposed so watch the weather. We rented a jeep and toured the island while there, had some great fun and found a place for dinner in the woods with a drum show, just by happenstance... We sailed up to the North (?) end and around the tip, there was some current involved and some heavy beating to windward. We occassionally met some aggessive people throughout the carribean, I'm not sure I would count Trinidad any worse really, especially for it's size/population. I would avoid going into the big town at night though, the locals get pretty rowdy at times during music concerts etc and throw bottles etc... I wouldnt put Tobago at the top of my must see list, but it was fun. If in Grenada and bored, I would go more toward the Grenadines.... or go to Triini for a couple of weeks and eat rotis!

[ksalt]

Tobago was one of our favorite stops in the whole EC. We spent about 10 days there after spending the bulk of hurricane season 07 in Grenada. Very few cruisers make it there. All the anchorages are exposed to the north which isn't really a problem in the summer months when you don't have to worry about northerly swells. But this is no place to be if a storm comes through, so you'll need a plan to either run back to Grenada or down to Trinidad if the weather turns ugly. You can supposedly anchor in Bon Accord Lagoon if a storm threatens and your draft allows entrance.

It has some incredible beaches, a nice rainforest, great snorkeling and diving, cheap and good restaurants, cheap taxis, free diesel (well almost), and cheap provisioning. Groceries here will cost you about half what it does in Grenada. It is a very clean island and the residents seem to take a lot of pride in this, it's a completely different world from Trinidad. The Pigeon Point beach is one of the best in the Caribbean.

There aren't any boat services here though, the anchorages are deep so you'll need a lot of rode, and the clearance procedures are a bit of a hassle. There aren't really any dinghy docks so you'll have to beach the dinghy when going ashore. It's worth the inconveniences to get off the beaten path though.

[frankh]

Thank you Ksalt for the Tobago info which will help us with our plans.
According to the Doyle guide Anse Bateau Bay is the best storm anchorage in 15ft of water in the NE?
Fair winds, frankh

[night0wl]

Englishman's Bay...that is all

I love Tobago, but more from a land excursion perspective. Good diving I hear.

[Sonosailor]

Our Weblog has our experience of Tobago, from around the end of May in 2005, and it was good:
Cat Tales

[s/v Moondancer]

We spent a week in Tobago last month. Free moorings in Store Bay near the airport, intended to protect the reef, which is very nice. Only dinghy dock we found was in Charlotteville where we anchored in 50 ft. But the immigration people in Charlotteville were passive aggressive and we will not return. A lot of crime ashore with recent attacks against afluent foreign residents. Virgin Air Lines has recently removed it from their recommended vacation locations and the Brits have issued a crime advisory.

Trinidad is not much more dangerous than other Islands providing you stay with the rest of the cruisers, crime is down in Chaguaramas and TTSA. The police have a great deal of internal corruption but it is not directed at the cruisers. Biggest danger is riding in a maxitaxi with the lunatic drivers, providing you do not wander at night.

Chaguarama has a very good 'cruisers service' run by a Trini called Jessie James. He organizes shopping, movie and sight seeing tours.

Best marina is Crews Inn, safe, well run, nice pool and about 95c/ft/day with lousy internet connectivity.

Customs and Immigrations in Chagauramas are a delight to deal with in spite of too many rules. We even got a free night on their dock.

Phil & Nell at Crews Inn

[sobriyah]

Hi. My first post here. Not too sure why there are so many negatives about Tobago. I have not heard of a single boat being boarded, or cruiser attacked there in 10 years of visiting the island, and not a single dinghy stolen for that matter either.
Charlotteville is a very sheltered, albeit rather deep, anchorage in a delightful setting. The rain forest comes right down to the beaches and it is just the most relaxed fishing village I can think of. A world away from tourism. Immigration and customs definitely work on 'island time' in C'ville and are not always present. last year it took five days before we could complete check-in, but I have never found them rude or discourteous. It is a pain to have to clear out again before you venture down the coast, only to have to check-in again in Scarborough, but thats how it is. Scarborough is not exactly the most charming town in the Caribbean, and can have a bit of an attitude, as can the authorities there, but by and large if you are courteous, so are they. The Store Bay end of the island is where most of the tourism is, and the vast majority of the tourists are Trini's getting away for a few days. Trini's certainly know how to party and make a lot of noise, that's how they are. The anchorage at Store Bay can be a bit uncomfortable in any swell, so head up to Pigeon Point and anchor off the jetty behind the reef, PP is a private beach but you can do a deal with them to use their facilities, or you can go up to Mount Irvine Bay which is surprisingly well protected in northerly swells and its easy to hop on a bus from there. Tobago is still a favourite amongst the islands

[s/v Jedi]

Well, we know multiple cruisers who had their dinghy stolen in Tobago... by other cruisers.

cheers,
Nick.

[sobriyah]

A shame to hear that. Why didn't they report it on the caribbean safety and security net, then we would all know?

I should have thought it was pretty obvious 'whodunnit' as so few boats go there.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by sobriyah

A shame to hear that. Why didn't they report it on the caribbean safety and security net, then we would all know?

I should have thought it was pretty obvious 'whodunnit' as so few boats go there.

They knew whodunnit and reported it everywhere incl. with Melody. This was in 2004 I think. The yacht was later spotted in Venezuela and reported to the authorities who boarded it and found heaps of stolen dinghies and outboards. They let them go with all this stuff because it was stolen outside their jurisdiction.

cheers,
Nick.

[barnakiel]

Trinidad and Tobago not the same country anymore?

b.