Grenada Saling Week 2026
Paul Russell and Kate Bould swapped the cold and wet in England for a week's racing in the Caribbean
For anyone who remembers the 1960's program That Was The Week That Was, or TW3 as it was affectionately known, two HOEOCA club members, Paul Russell and Kate Bould have just returned from their own TW3 adventure competing in Grenada Sailing Week.
Signing on with SeaTo Sky Sailing, whose offices are based in Vancouver, but their 45ft Salona, Panacea X is based in the Caribbean, was a fantastic opportunity to experience warm weather sailing where shorts and team rash shirts were the order of the day rather than Musto oilies, sea boots, sweatshirts and thermals.
Panacea X arrived on Carriacou after securing 1st place in the Rum (Barbados) To Spice (Grenada) race in first place and so the week's expectations and performance level requirements were high as Panacea X and its skipper Katy Cambell both have strong reputations on the region's race circuit.
After arriving in Grenada on Wednesday and checking in to the wonderful Radisson Beach Resort, Grand Anse, on Saturday am, I took a short flight across to Carriacou to meet the rest of the crew. The flight was on the smallest turboprop plane I have ever travelled on, and I commented that both the pilot and co-pilot didnt look old enough to be in long trousers, never mind flying a 16 seater plane! The view of the group of islands was fantastic, even if the descent seemed tremendously steep to arrive at an airport which at best could be described as "rustic". First stop was The Paradise Beach Club on a gloriously typical picture postcard Caribbean beach, with pure white sands, azur blue seas and coconut palms reaching over the beach.
A quick lunch and off we went to board Panaxea X for Training Day 1. Skipper assigned roles and off we set in winds averaging 17 - 24 knots which were to be constant during the whole week, as was the temperatures of 30-32 degrees C! No time was wasted in getting familiar with Pancea's 3 spinnakers and the permanent crew threw these up and down expertly. Accommodation was by courtesy of AirBnB at Lambi Queen apartments (very basic) but a well deserved beer or two first at Lambi Queen bar, again very rustic is doing it a favour.
Day 2 saw more onboard training and the practice of a down wind start as the first race around Carriacou was expected to start with. Race Day 1 arrived on Monday and it was great to see 2 classes of yachts with 24 boats in total competing. It was fantastic to be racing against Kialoa III, a yacht which had held the Sydney to Hobart record for 21 years, set in the mid 1970's! (worth a Google). Our day started with the anticipated upwind start and as soon as the line was upon us up went the first kite. Cat 5 and Whistler, both smaller and lighter boats set off like rockets towards 2 sisters rocks but Panacea was a credit to herself and we closed quickly as the congestion around 2 sisters caused some concerns. Once that was sorted we set off around Carriacou avoiding many of the shoals and rocks off its coastline. Hard work trimming and grinding sails plus the scramble to windward rails both took their toll on my shoulders and knees! Our hard work paid off as Panacea took Class honours in first place for the Round Carriacou event of GSW.
Race Day 2 (Tuesday) consisted of a 2-hour inshore course followed by the stretch from Tyrell Marina, Carriacou to Le Phare Bleu back on Grenada. Here Panacea placed second and after a hot day in the sun, the crew took advantage of both the bar and swimming pool at LPB. We also drank a good deal of the rum won on previous legs!
Wednesday was a lay day and so the crew gathered again on Thursday for a day's Round The Cans racing with a decent leg finishing in Grand Anse bay. Here Panacea achieved placings of 2nd, 2nd and 3rd. Friday was a day of short course inshore racing, accompanied by a huge rain squall which made me now wish for my Musto oilies as I was soaked to the skin and beyond, but Caribbean heat soon dried most of our clothing, and what it didn't, didn't matter. Panacea achieved a 3rd and a 2nd on the last day and managed to fly all 3 kites on the course as we competed with other yachts more suited to short course inshore racing. Overall, Panacea placed 2nd in Class for the whole week's event, a result that the skipper and whole crew were most pleased with.
So that's the racing covered. The other side of Grenada Sailing Week is the huge spirit of friendship as well as competitiveness which exists between all the crews. It's known as the friendliest regatta (don't be deceived that this masks the competitiveness all the skippers display!) on the circuit. Every race day included a presentation, at which all crews applauded their competitors' achievements roundly before the evening entertainment of reggae bands, sailing chatter and drinks took attendees and guests well into the night.
Overall, this was a most enjoyable experience and a great week of sailing in tremendous conditions at a race pace. Thankfully it was followed by re-uniting with my wife Beverley at The Radisson Beach Resort, Grand Anse Beach for a further 5 days R&R, further enjoying the fabulous hospitality and friendliness of Grenada. My photos and memories will be cherished and allow me to dine out on stories of my Caribbean adventure for a while to come.
For those interested, visit the following web pages for regatta photos and information, compiled by people who make a better job of photography than I can.
