Why I Love Where We Live

A little farther south, a world apart.

Some places are worth travelling a little farther for. For me, St. Vincent & the Grenadines is one of them. I love the yachts resting in a harbour, the green hills rising above the sea and the possibility of finding a beach where there is room to simply be. These are the things that make a place stay with you—and eventually have you wondering what it would be like to call it home.

A life connected to the sea

Long before visitors arrived looking for a Caribbean escape, these islands drew seafarers to their sheltered bays and natural harbours. On Bequia, Admiralty Bay helped sustain generations of sailors, shipwrights and boatbuilders. There is even a pirate connection: the Bequia Tourism Association’s historical account records that Blackbeard fitted out Queen Anne’s Revenge here in 1717.

What I love is that the maritime heritage still feels like part of everyday life. Boats come and go, the harbour scene changes throughout the day, and travelling between islands becomes part of the pleasure. You might spend a morning exploring, stop somewhere for lunch and return home by sea. For someone who loves the water, that is a wonderful way to live.

A Rare View from Belles Point Land Offered at $540,000 USD

Worth the extra journey

In the southern reaches of the Eastern Caribbean, St. Vincent & the Grenadines offers the pleasure of looking a little beyond the familiar. Depending on the island you choose, the final part of your journey may be a ferry crossing or an onward flight. I find that approach part of the attraction: watching the coastline appear and feeling the pace of the day begin to change.

I’m drawn to the quieter corners, the unhurried lunches and the opportunity to get to know a place properly. Over time, you find your favourite swimming spot, recognise the boats in the bay and become a familiar face at a waterfront restaurant. A holiday introduces you to those pleasures; a home gives you time to make them your own.

Why our southern location matters to me

Our position on the map is another part of the appeal. St. Vincent & the Grenadines lies toward the southern edge of the Atlantic hurricane belt, where hurricanes have historically been relatively uncommon.

A system that passes our islands as a disturbance or tropical storm can develop into a hurricane later in its journey, drawing energy from warm ocean waters as it travels towards the western Caribbean or Gulf, if conditions favour its development. The hurricane reported farther along its path may therefore be very different in strength from the system we experienced here.

Beryl brought devastating damage in 2024, particularly to the southern Grenadines, and its historical context deserves recognition: the World Bank describes it as the most powerful hurricane to affect the country since 1875—almost 150 years earlier. When I think about choosing a home for the years ahead, I value our southern location alongside the lifestyle. A home is somewhere to return to, spend time with people you love and gradually make your own.

When rain is a blessing

Across the Grenadines, collecting rainwater in tanks and cisterns is an important part of island life, so a welcome shower means replenished supplies as well as refreshed gardens. I love seeing the hills turn greener after rain and the landscape take on that fresh, vibrant colour. Sunshine draws us outdoors, but the rain helps sustain so much of the beauty we enjoy. It’s another reason I love where we live.