Overall Crime and Security

While most visits to SVG are trouble-free, visitors should be vigilant as in the rest of the Caribbean. Avoid walking along isolated roads and on beaches at night and don’t carry large amounts of cash around or wear flashy jewelry.

Despite the relaxed atmosphere, there have been incidents of violent crime, including murder. While these crimes mostly occur within the local community, trouble may still affect visitors. Muggings, theft from yachts, hotels and holiday homes do occur. 

Maritime Issues:

Reports to Noonsite of theft from yachts at anchor in this part of the Caribbean (in some cases armed robbery) have increased over the last few years (see reports adjacent). Current advice is to be vigilant if planning on anchoring in Cumberland Bay and Chateaubelair and to be extra vigilant with security measures in all anchorages on the West Coast of St. Vincent and around the Grenadines, in particular, Admiralty Bay, Bequia, Tobago Cays, Canouan and Mayreau.

Be sure to lock all hatches when leaving the boat unattended and in particular during the night whilst sleeping on board and don’t leave loose items in the dinghy or on deck.

Dinghy and outboard thieves operate throughout the Caribbean. Noonsite and CSSN continue to receive regular reports from boats who have had their dinghy and outboard stolen because they left them in the water overnight, tied to the back of the boat, unsecured.

Remember to padlock your dinghy and outboard at all times to the yacht, even when at anchor or in a marina. We recommend you lift your dinghy out of the water at night using a lifting strap and halyard, or lift it on deck. When leaving your dinghy ashore, always padlock it to a permanent structure using a wire that runs through the engine and fuel tank, with a padlock.

Reported Incidents: (see related reports)

• Young Island Cut: Five boats were boarded and theft attempted on the same night in August 2020. Boardings continued into September. The police/coastguard have increased daytime and nighttime patrols in the anchorage.
• Union: Frequent burglaries, attempted theft and dinghy/outboard theft are reported from this island.
• Bequia: Bequia Coastguard is now patrolling at night, however, their resources are limited and cruisers need to remain vigilant. St. Vincent Coastguard Advice to Yacht Owners. Noonsite continues to receive reports of burglary/attempted break-in, from yachts in Bequia.
• St. Vincent, Wallilabou Bay: Burglaries continue here. In the early hours of Friday 4 March 2016, a yacht at anchor in Wallilabou Bay in St. Vincent was boarded by masked armed gunmen and a German crew member shot and killed. Read the full report here.

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net provide information by anchorage or by the island. If you experience a boarding, robbery or attack on your yacht or have information about a yachting-related security incident, go to the CSSN homepage and click on the “Report an Incident” icon.

VHF Channel 66 Repeater was privately donated to the Grenadian Government and is used by the Grenada Cruisers Net to provide coverage to all Grenadian waters. It can also be received in southern parts of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the northern parts of Trinidad including Chaguaramas Bay. The Grenada Cruisers Net supplies weather, advice, and information on many subjects to help make Cruisers’ stay in Grenada more rewarding. It’s broadcast each day at 7:30 AM.

Rescue 1 is a private rescue service of the Prickly Bay Marina, Grenada, and is on call 24 hours each day. As well as the rescue vessel it provides excellent liaison between cruisers, Police, Coast Guard, and other Authorities.

Emergency Numbers: See General Info for more details.

Last updated: September 2020