Windward

Carriacou village with Scottish boatbuilding roots and a surviving tradition of wooden sloop construction.

Windward is a small village on the eastern coast of Carriacou, the largest of Grenada's sister islands. It has an unusual history: a group of Scottish boatbuilders settled here in the 19th century, and their names and skills have been passed down through the generations.

Traditional boatbuilding is still carried out on the beach, using hand tools and techniques that have barely changed in two hundred years. You can watch the craftsmen at work on fishing sloops and trading schooners, though fewer boats are being built now than in past decades. The Carriacou Regatta, held every August, is the best time to see these locally built boats in action.

Guide

Things to Do

Windward is small, but its beach is one of the most distinctive things on Carriacou. This is where the wooden trading sloops and fishing boats are still built by hand, in the open air, using techniques carried down by descendants of 19th-century Scottish boatbuilders. A short walk takes you past every workshop in the village.

Guide

When to Go

The best time to visit Windward is during the Carriacou Regatta in late July or early August, when the boatbuilding tradition is on full display and the village is at its liveliest. The dry season runs December to May and brings the steadiest trade winds — pleasant for travel but quieter on the beach.

September and October are hurricane months and many businesses close. Note that Carriacou was hit hard by Hurricane Beryl in July 2024; some buildings and boats were damaged or destroyed, and recovery is ongoing. Check current conditions before booking.