Sailing Grenada to Trinidad – Barracuda, Moonlight and an Overnight Caribbean Passage

Sailing Grenada to Trinidad is one of those Caribbean passages that deserves respect. On paper, the forecast looked friendly: moderate trade winds, no rain and a manageable overnight sail. In reality, the Caribbean added its own ingredients — changing winds, a lively sea, moonlit clouds, two barracuda and a slow fight against the current through the Dragon’s Mouths.

Leaving Grenada

Our day began in Prickly Bay, Grenada, with the familiar routine before an international passage. First Customs, then one last trip into town to provision a few fresh things, then back to Aurelia Blue to prepare the yacht for the overnight sail south.

This is always the quiet part before a passage. Everything gets checked one more time. Loose items disappear below deck. Fishing gear is prepared. The cockpit becomes less of a lounge and more of a watch station. And somewhere between paperwork, shopping bags and passage planning, there was still just enough time for a short nap.

At 6:00 pm we slipped the lines, hoisted the sails and pointed Aurelia Blue towards Trinidad.

Sailing Grenada to Trinidad – A Different Start Than Expected

The forecast looked almost perfect: around 15 knots of wind, no rain and only a short increase to about 20 knots expected.

Reality had other plans.

Even before we had properly left the shelter of Grenada, the wind quickly climbed to around 25 knots. The sea built fast as well, with short, steep waves reaching nearly 2.5 metres. It was not dramatic, but it was lively enough to remind us that an offshore passage is never just a line on a chart.

Fortunately, the stronger wind did not stay for long. After a while the sea settled, the wind eased and the night began to find its rhythm. But it remained changeable. Throughout the passage, the breeze shifted in strength and direction, so the sails and course needed small adjustments again and again.

Nothing stressful. Just real sailing.

Life During an Overnight Passage

Night passages have their own atmosphere. One person stays on watch while the other tries to sleep for thirty minutes, sometimes an hour. Coffee appears at strange times. A small snack suddenly feels like a proper meal. Conversations become deeper than they would ever become in daylight.There are fewer distractions at night. No mobile phone. No noise from land. No casual movement around the boat. Just wind, sails, instruments, moonlight and the sound of water passing the hull.

Aurelia Blue handled the conditions beautifully. There were no major sail changes and no stressful manoeuvres. Most of the night was about small corrections: a little trim here, a slight course adjustment there, always watching the wind and the current.

Our speed reflected the changing conditions. At times we surfed along at nearly eight knots. A little later we were crawling at barely three. Strong currents pushed us sideways from the Atlantic, giving the boat noticeable drift and forcing us to compensate throughout the night.

In the end, we averaged around five knots over the ground. Fast enough to keep moving. Slow enough to make the night feel long.

Barracuda for Dinner

The evening rewarded us in a very Caribbean way.

As darkness settled over the water, the larger predatory fish became active. Our trolling lines had not been out for long before the first reel screamed. Then the second followed.

Within a short time we had two barracuda aboard. A beautiful catch, and more than enough fresh fish for several meals. There is something deeply satisfying about catching dinner during a passage. It connects the rhythm of sailing with the rhythm of life aboard in a way no restaurant ever could.

Of course, barracuda also brings discussion. How big is too big? Where was it caught? Is it safe to eat? In the Caribbean, sailors talk about fish with the same seriousness others reserve for weather forecasts. This time, everything looked right, and the catch became part of the memory of the passage.

Sunrise Off Trinidad

Eventually, as always, darkness gave way to dawn.

The first light changed everything. The long hours of the night suddenly felt lighter. The boat looked more familiar again. The sea became easier to read. About two hours after sunrise, Trinidad slowly appeared on the horizon.

But the final miles were not the easiest ones.

Approaching Trinidad can be demanding. The wind accelerates around the island, the sea becomes confused, and the current begins to make its presence very clear. Lowering the sails required careful timing as Aurelia Blue rolled heavily in the disturbed water.

Once under engine, we entered the famous Dragon’s Mouths, the narrow entrance into the Gulf of Paria.

Here the current reminded us who was really in charge. With the engine running comfortably, we still made barely three knots over the ground against what felt like two to three knots of opposing current.

Slowly, the water flattened. The wind eased. And ahead of us, the wide bay of Trinidad opened up.

Arriving in Trinidad

After almost eighteen hours at sea, we finally dropped anchor in calm water. The passage was over, but the arrival process had only just begun.

First we went to Peake to collect the paperwork for checking in. Then came the waiting. Arriving around lunchtime is not ideal, because Customs and Immigration overtime fees can become an unnecessary extra cost. So we waited until after one o’clock before continuing.

Before Customs and Immigration, there was still the Health Office. A short walk, another form, another certificate. No dramatic examination, no tropical movie scene, no doctor looking into your throat. Just paperwork.

Trinidad has recently introduced the SailClear electronic pre-arrival system. In theory, that sounds like progress. In practice, it currently adds a QR code to a process that still relies heavily on handwritten forms, carbon copies, signatures and personal visits to several offices.

Handwritten forms. Carbon-copy paperwork. Multiple signatures. Several offices.

The digital system may become useful one day. At the moment, it mostly feels like one more step in an already complicated arrival procedure. Current arrival information can also be found on the Trinidad & Tobago Customs and Excise Division website.

By the time we returned to Aurelia Blue, it was already four in the afternoon.

A Well-Earned Rest

After an overnight passage and a full afternoon of formalities, there is only one sensible decision.

Sleep.

We woke again around ten that evening, shared a late dinner aboard and let the day slowly settle. The boat was quiet. Trinidad was calm around us. The passage was already beginning to turn from effort into memory.

A Smile to Finish

After catching two barracuda on this passage, someone joked that Ritter Sport should finally introduce a proper Caribbean edition. So we imagined it: Barracuda Caribbean Style. Maybe not for the supermarket shelf — but definitely for the Captain’s Log.