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
Union Island is located midway between Grenada and St. Vincent and is equidistant from Barbados, Trinidad and Martinique. It is the largest island in the southern Grenadines and the clear waters of the protected bay at Clifton Harbour is a popular anchorage.
Following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, the villages of Clifton and Ashton have been slow to recover. A year later, roofs are still missing, the landscape is still littered with debris and the people are vegetation are struggling to survive. The beach bars on Chatham Bay on the west side of the island are slowing returning - albeit under makeshift conditions.
The safety department at SVG Air strongly urges yachts to avoid the area within 3.2km (two miles) of the airport's final approach area in Union Island. Parasailing activities south of the airport can cause difficulties in aircraft landing there.
Be aware that marked/unmarked hazards may exist in the Clifton Harbor mooring field and be certain to carefully observe your approach, even as helpers/boat boys guide you to a mooring. See this CSSN news item about a Hazard to Navigation in the area.
There is no anchoring near the reef, which is part of the MPA and where the Tobago Cays Marine Park has about 20 moorings. Anchoring is permitted in the west side of the bay.
Boat vendors in Clifton (who operate their own moorings) have always been pushy and sometimes cause issues with yachts that don't want to take up their moorings. This will probably be exacerbated for the 2024/25 season by post-Beryl desperation - Clifton being one of the slowest affected areas to recover and rebuild.
Dinghy and outboard theft and petty theft from yachts is quite common here. Be extra vigilant with securing your valuable items at all times (including dock lines and fenders) and be sure to lift and lock your dinghy and outboard at night. In an unsettling incident in March 2024, charter cruisers who were spending the night at Clifton Harbour on Union Island had to pay a "recovery" fee after their dinghy mysteriously disappeared from where it was tied at the stern of their vessel.
Read Union Island Security reports and comments from cruisers via the speech bubble icon.
12° 35'30"N, 61° 24'25"W
Last updated: July 2025
If you have information for this section, or feedback on businesses used, please let us know at editor@noonsite.com. We also welcome new information about businesses you have used (see Related Businesses).
As a free user of Noonsite you are restricted to viewing 3 country formalities per month. You have viewed 0 formalities this month – but can view the countries you have accessed to date as many times as you want.
Become a Noonsite Member and you can view unlimited formalities each month and enjoy additional member benefits. Membership fees help our team keep country formalities information up-to-date in support of cruisers worldwide.
Find out more about membership levels and Become a Noonsite Member.
