HURRICANE BERYL UPDATE: The island nations of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada were the worst affected by Hurricane Beryl at the start of July 2024. The Grenadines, Carriacou and Petit Martinique and Union Island were particularly hard hit. One year later, the islands are still recovering. Most marine services are back up and running and restaurants and shops are re-opening, but cruisers should be aware that some services may still be limited or not available. See this July 2025 update from David H. Lyman from Caribbean Compass magazine. Hurricane Beryl Recovery – The islands are Green Again
Canouan Island is south of St. Vincent, Bequia and Mustique and north of Mayreau and the Tobago Cays.
The whole of the northern half – some 1200 acres – is privately owned and you are not even allowed to walk there. The middle part of the island is a typical Caribbean village and residents live in and around the main settlement, Charlestown, which is also the location of the island’s main wharf. The southern part of the island is dominated by the airport and marina.
There are beaches on both the leeward and windward sides of the island.
Sandy Lane Yacht Club in south Glossy Bay caters for yachts and superyachts with 120 berths. It is situated next to the airport runway on the SW side of the island.
The island has incredible beaches and great walks and hopefully, Canouan will still manage to retain some of its sleepy, rural charms with all the new development.
Airport: The safety department at SVG Air strongly urges yachts to avoid the area within 3.2 km (two miles) of the airport's final approach area. On numerous occasions vessels have been crossing the final approach path at Canouan, at the same moment, an aircraft is on its final approach. This poses a problem to both the aircraft and the yacht alike, especially at night or in low visibility. This is especially difficult for a pilot unfamiliar with the area.
The airport closes at 19.00. Flight movements are pretty infrequent (4 SVG Air flights per day, one by Mustique Air and a few private flights).
Anchoring: Anchoring is banned on the east side of Canouan. Anse Guyac is closed as an anchorage, ostensibly due to fisheries concerns.
Kiteboarding: Kiteboarding is also banned on the east side of Canouan.
Yacht Security: Cruisers need to be cautious if visiting Canouan. Unfortunately, boardings and thefts are common here, particularly in the summer months. Do not leave your boat unlocked when ashore or at night - and even when onboard at night. Make sure all hatches are properly secured and any cash and valuables are carefully hidden from view. According to the Caribbean Safety and Security Network, there have been more than 30 incidents in and around Canouan in the past, including a spate of thefts during April/May 2025 when thieves entered vessels, undetected, through unlocked doors and companionways.
Do not leave your dinghy in the water. Lift and lock it securely on deck. Dinghy thieves operate throughout the Caribbean so maintain a high level of security awareness
See St. Vincent and the Grenadines Security section for more details.
12° 42.6'N, 61° 20'W.
Last updated: July 2025
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