Ins & Outs of Grenada

ON THEWATER  35 INS Hundreds of sailing vessels were once launched from the beaches of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, more than anywhere else in the West Indies. Schooners were used for long voyages with big shipments, whereas the smaller sloops were needed for trade and transport between the islands, carrying people, cattle, crops, cargo, cane sugar and of course, rum. The backbone of the trade was the boat builders, passing their skills from father to son. Boat Building A Proud Nautical Tradition Endures The boat-building industry dates back to the nineteenth century, when Scottish boat builders were brought to the island of Carriacou to build cargo vessels for the booming transport of goods between the islands. These boats became the lifeblood of the Caribbean and sparked a lucrative boat-building industry in Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Over 200 years, the Scottish boat builders married local women, blending African and Scottish descendants to establish a vibrant cultural mosaic in Windward, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. “In those days, life came from the sea – you were either a fisherman, sailor or boat builder,’ says Jobe McKree, a shipwright from Bequia, who worked on many of the ships such as Friendship Rose, a sloop now in Bequia sailing guests around the island, and to the Tobago Cays. The fervent trade consisted of one part lawful transport of goods from the Alwyn Enoe and his son (below) working on a boat in Windward, Carriacou By Monique Mills and Danny Donelan, Savvy Sailing & Jambalaya Sailing Photos: Alexis Andrews, courtesy Vanishing Sail