St. Vincent & Grenadines
Bequia
Bequia: Boatbuilders and Whalers of the Grenadines
Bequia is a small island of the Grenadines, about an hour by ferry south of St. Vincent, in the country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Its hills are much lower than St. Vincent's peaks, so it gets fewer rain showers. Taxis here have no meters, so settle the fare before the ride starts.
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Good to know
Arriving in Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth, the main town, faces Admiralty Bay on the west coast, and your ship will tell you how you come ashore. The taxi stand and the tourism office are beside the ferry wharf.
- The Bequia Tourism Association office is just outside the main ferry wharf. It has maps and can help you arrange tours and taxis.
- Taxis wait under the trees next to the ferry terminal.
- The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD). US dollar bills are widely accepted, but US coins are not.
- Port Elizabeth has banks with cash machines, and most hotels, shops and restaurants take credit cards.
Bequia on Your Own
Most places in and around Port Elizabeth are within walking distance, and a beach lies just beside the town on the same bay. For the rest of the island, take a taxi from the stand by the ferry terminal.
- Princess Margaret Beach: It sits inside Admiralty Bay next to Port Elizabeth. It was renamed after Princess Margaret visited in the 1950s, but many islanders still call it Tony Gibbons.
- Belmont walkway: Craft sellers set up along the Belmont walkway, and it is a good place to look for Bequia-made pieces, including model boats.
- On foot: Walking from Admiralty Bay across to Friendship Bay takes less than an hour.
- By taxi: A taxi tour covers much of the island, including the views from Fort Hamilton. Agree the price before you set off.
- Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own.
Getting Around Bequia
Taxis are the usual way for visitors to see the island, and local buses cover most of it. Ferries link Port Elizabeth with Kingstown, on St. Vincent, in about an hour.
- Taxis do not have meters. There are set fares for most destinations, so agree the fare in Eastern Caribbean dollars before you leave. You can often pay in US dollars instead.
- To drive yourself you need a local temporary driving license, and car rental companies usually help you get one.
- Two companies, Bequia Express and Admiralty Transport, run the ferries across the 9 miles to Kingstown.
Food and Drink
Fresh seafood is a mainstay of Bequia's restaurants, which serve both Caribbean and international dishes. Breadfruit first came to these islands during slavery, as cheap food for enslaved people.
- The Whaleboner Bar & Restaurant on the Port Elizabeth waterfront is entered through an arch of two whale ribs, and its bar seats rest on whale vertebrae.
- A vegetable market stands on the main street near the dinghy dock. Prices are lower at the stalls on the back streets.
Island Life and the Sea
Bequia's way of life has grown out of the sea, and boats are at the center of it.
- Easter Regatta: Held at Easter to honor the island's seafaring past, it brings boat races, including races for model boats, along with events ashore. Easter is one of the island's busiest times of year.
- Bequia Music Fest: Four days of music at venues around the island, held in January or February.
- Whaling: Under the International Whaling Commission's rules for aboriginal subsistence whaling, Bequians may still take a small number of humpback whales each year with hand-thrown harpoons from small open sailboats. The hunt is disputed: other member countries have argued that a hunt begun by settlers in the 19th century is not aboriginal.
- Lilo Regatta: Since 2010, New Year's Day has brought a crossing of the bays on anything without a motor that floats.
A Brief History
Bequia changed hands between France and Britain in the 18th century, grew sugar on its plantations, and turned to the sea when sugar declined. It became independent in 1979 as part of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
- The Kalinago: The island's early people were the Kalinago, and the name Bequia is said to mean "island of clouds" in an Amerindian language.
- 1719 to 1763: French settlers built indigo, cotton and sugar works, worked by enslaved Africans.
- 1763 to 1783: The Treaty of Paris gave the Grenadines to Britain. France seized Bequia again in 1779, and the Treaty of Versailles confirmed British possession in 1783.
- 1774 to 1790: James Hamilton, father of the American statesman Alexander Hamilton, lived on land granted to him along Southeast Bay. Father and son never visited each other.
- The 1800s: Sugar carried the island for about 70 years. When it declined, Bequians turned to fishing, whaling, boatbuilding and sailing, and whaling began here during the 19th century.
- 1937: Port Elizabeth was named for Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, to mark the coronation of her parents.
- 1960s: Thomas and Gladys Johnston founded Moonhole on the island's western tip, building open-sided stone houses with whalebone details beneath a natural arch. It is now a private nature preserve.
- 1979: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Bequia included, became independent from Britain.
- 1992: The J. F. Mitchell Airport opened near Paget Farm.
Bequia with Children
A family day on Bequia works best close to Port Elizabeth, with a beach next to town and boats everywhere to watch. Older children can add a short hike.
- Younger children: Spend time on Princess Margaret Beach and watch the yachts and ferries come and go across Admiralty Bay.
- School age: Look for the model sailing boats built on Bequia, often on display in Port Elizabeth, and find the whale-rib arch at the Whaleboner.
- Teenagers: The hike up to the lookout on Mount Peggy takes about 45 minutes. Two dive shops run trips to the island's dive sites, where hawksbill turtles, moray eels and lobsters are not unusual sights, so ask them about age limits and certification.
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