Road on Hog Island
Grenada’s south coast is chocked full of bays you can anchor in, but Hog island is one of my favorite. The island protects the bay from almost all swell, so it is usually flat calm. The best part is Mt Hartman Bay is around the corner and Clark’s Court Bay is under the bridge. This gives you great access ashore and to the various activities planned by the cruising community.
Hog Island itself is a great island to hang out on and explore. If you just want to hang out on the popular cruiser’s beach and socialize, you will find food and drink are available. Cruisers love to chill out here and you will see kids running everywhere. It is great.
View of Clarks Court Bay From Hog Island
To explore you have two choices. First, is a goat trail on the east side of the beach (left looking from the boat) that will take you through the swampy area as a short cut from the other way. The second way is a “road” at the back of the beach more on the west side. This road is very rough and you have to wonder how any vehicle can use it. It will first pass the southern end of the island where you will find very cool natural piles of boulders. Following it farther you will come to a fork with the left being the main way. If you take the right fork you will come to a grassy field and it leads to another beach that you may have to yourself. The main fork will take you up and around the hill giving you some great views of the very large Clark’s Court Bay before it leads down to the bridge.
The bridge has dirt roads on either side of it and appears to be unfinished with a locked gate on the mainland side. The story I have heard is this bridge was built to allow access to develop Hog Island, but a conservation group ended up buying the whole island and plans for the development stopped leaving only this “bridge to nowhere” as a reminder. From it you get a great view of the Hog Island anchorage and some of the Clark’s Court anchorages. Looking down you will see how shallow the water is and realize why there is a German flag hanging in the middle of one of the opening between the pilings. This is the “deep” water passage and boats are not shy at all about using it…..at full speed. 🙂
Oh did I forget to mention there are a dozen head of cattle on the island also? Water your step. 🙂
Beach on the other side
