Mayreau is the smallest inhabited island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with an area of about 1/2 square mile (119 hectares) and a population under 300 people. Electricity was installed in 2002, provided by a central generator located on Saline Bay where we anchor. A single-lane concrete road leads from the wharf on Saline Bay across the hill to the village of Saltwhistle Bay on the other side of the island. At the top of the hill between the two towns is the elementary school, the telecommunications building, and the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, christened in 1930
We're going to have a beach barbeque on Mayreau, but first we take a catamaran ride through the Grenadines archipelago to the very small island of Mopion, a tiny, uninhabited sandbar and coral islet famous for being just large enough to hold a single wooden thatched umbrella. Often called "One Umbrella Island," it is a picturesque stop for snorkelers with its size dependent on the tides (but the umbrella is never fully submerged). On the way we pass Petit Saint Vincent, Petite Martinique, Union Island (where the airport and secondary school are located), and Palm Island (resort and spa closed due to hurricane damage).
The ocean swells are rough today and we skip the short Zodiac ride to Mopion's [tiny] beach and enjoy the view from the much-larger and more stable catamaran. The few who do go to the beach say that the rough water today makes snorkeling difficult and they soon tire of touring the tiny islet and return to the mother ship.
On the way back to Mayreau, we pass close by Palm Island, one mile from Union Island, only accessible by boat. The spectacular, well-known Palm Island Resort and Spa was completely destroyed by Hurricane Beryl in 2024 and the five beautiful white sand beaches are currently empty.
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