The larger of the Grenadine islands include Mystique, Bequia, Petit St Vincent, Canouan, Palm, Union and Mayreau. There are many uninhabited islets and rocks including the Tobago Cays. The clear waters here are good for Scuba diving and snorkeling

St. Vincent is a lush, volcanic island of valleys, waterfalls and mountain ridges The Eastern coast is filled with rocky shores and cliffs while the west coast dips down into gold and black sand beaches, The northern volcano, La Soufriere rises over 4,000 ft. The fertile volcanic soil produces many vegetables, spices and fruits.

The official 1anguage is British and cricket is the favorite sport. The islands boast some centuries of British heritage blended into a casual West Indian lifestyle. A few of the smaller Grenadines retain some of the French cultural heritage in language and customs It is understood that the original inhabitants were called Ciboney and came to the Caribbean from South America by AD 120. They were later followed by the Caribs.

The Carib islands, including St. Vincent were among the last to be colonized by the Europeans as the dense Carib population made it difficult for them to gain control. In 1626, the French were in possession of St. Vincent. In 1627 the British took over. In 1675 a slave ship sunk in the Bequia & St. Vincent channel and some slaves managed to reach St. Vincent and Bequia where they were welcomed by the Caribs and created a new generation of Black Caribs.

Since St. Vincent is not a popular tourist spot, it was not accessible by direct airline flight, requiring, instead,  overnight stopovers in Barbados. On the return leg of our trip, we had sufficient time to spend the day in Bridgetown, the capitol city of Barbados, enjoying the sights.

A highlight of the trip was a hike to the summit of La Soufriere volcano.  The volcano has a long history of violent eruptions, the last occurring in 1979.  The 3 1/4 mile trail to the 4000 foot summit begins in a tropical forest and gradually opens into a stark moonscape--still devastated from the 1979 eruption.  The summit is cloud covered, very windy and cold.  After a long wait, the clouds parted enough to enable us to take a few pictures.  Notable was the slowly growing lava dome--a precursor to what will inevitably be another eruption.

Another highlight was a day-trip to the Falls of Baleine.  Reachable only by sea, followed by a short hike, this 60 foot waterfall plunges from the side of La Soufriere into a deep pool--perfect for swimming on a hot day.

The Kingstown botanical gardens are the oldest in the Americas.  Here you will find an offspring of Captain Bligh's original breadfruit tree.

Pre-Columbian petroglyphs and rock carvings  created by Cibonys, Arawaks and Caribs are among the most dramatic in the Caribbean.

In Bridgetown, Barbados we took a trip on the Atlantis submarine.  Diving to depths of 150 feet, the 28 passenger Atlantis has large windows and gives passengers beautiful views of the ocean floor.