St. George's Carenage
St. George's Harbour · The Carenage
12°03.2'N 61°45.2'W
Depth
4–8m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
75m
Holding
Fair
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
75m
75m in the outer harbour on mixed sand/mud. Holding is fair — commercial traffic and ships' wash can unseat anchor. Check swing room carefully given commercial vessel movements. Consider Port Louis Marina (0.5nm N) for a more secure overnight.
About This Anchorage
St. George's Carenage is one of the most visually dramatic capital city harbours in the entire Caribbean. The horseshoe-shaped inner harbour is framed by the colourful colonial waterfront — pastel-painted warehouses and merchants' buildings in Georgian and French Creole style dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Above the Carenage, Fort George (1706) commands the promontory with panoramic views of the harbour and surrounding bays. The word 'carenage' derives from the practice of hauling a vessel ashore for hull cleaning (careening) — St. George's served as the primary ship maintenance station for the southern Windward Islands during the colonial era. Anchoring in the outer harbour gives dinghy access to the Carenage markets, fresh fish, and the town's excellent produce market. Commercial ferries, inter-island schooners, and cargo ships share the harbour — approach with care and anchor clear of the fairway.
Protected From
N · NW · W · NE
Exposed To
S · SE · E
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free anchoring in outer bay; prefer Port Louis Marina (0.5nm N) for overnight
- Permit required
- No
- Mooring buoys
- Not available
Restrictions: Do not anchor in the commercial ship and ferry fairway. Inner Carenage is too shallow and reserved for commercial traffic. Q flag and customs/immigration required if this is first port of call in Grenada.
Hazards
- !Commercial ship and ferry traffic — anchor clear of the fairway; large vessels manoeuvre without warning
- !Mixed holding in outer harbour — some areas of dead weed and silty mud; check anchor is set firmly
- !Ship's wash from ferries and cargo vessels can cause rolling — not ideal for overnight in busy periods
- !Inner Carenage too shallow for most yachts — do not attempt to anchor inside
Skipper's Tips
- →Dinghy into the Carenage for the most atmospheric approach to St. George's — tie at the public dock steps
- →The Saturday produce market is one of the best in the eastern Caribbean — arrive early for nutmeg, mace, and spices
- →Fort George (1706): 10-minute walk from the Carenage — panoramic views of the entire south coast
- →Most sailors anchor in outer harbour for a day visit only and overnight at Port Louis Marina or Prickly Bay
- →The Nutmeg restaurant on the Carenage waterfront is a Grenada institution — good local food and harbour views
Facilities
Extensive dining along the Carenage waterfront and in town. Fresh fish market at the Carenage. Central market (Saturday best) for produce. All provisioning available in St. George's.
Nearest provisions: St. George's Carenage market and supermarkets (0.1nm)
Best Months & Season
Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May
Year-round access as a day anchorage. Overnight possible but commercial traffic and wake make Port Louis Marina (0.5nm N) preferable for overnight stays.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 75m
In Grenada's trade wind anchorages, SE swell and squalls can drag anchors at night. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously — alerting you the moment your anchor starts to drag.
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