Going Down the Islands in Trinidad

After just a short time of living at Power Boats in Chaguaramas it became pretty clear that going down the islands, or "Down De Islands", is a popular weekend trip for many Trinidadians. We're going to break down which islands they're talking about and where the best anchorages are at each, just in case you're thinking about heading their with a tour or yacht.

CONTENTS:

• What is DDI Trinidad?

• The Bocas Islands

• Things to do Down De Islands

• When to go DDI

• What to take down the islands in Trinidad

DDI Trinidad

If you're in Trinidad for a while you'll no doubt see or hear something about people going DDI, which just means they're going "Down De Islands". The islands they're talking about are the Bocas Islands.

There are boat cruises, private tours, taxis and private yachts that do the run down the coast out to certain spots on the islands where they anchor and give people a relaxed, Caribbean island liming experience. These anchorages get very busy and noisy on the weekends, but are much more peaceful during the week.

The Bocas Island chain in Trinidad

The Bocas Islands are a group of five islands located off the north west end of the island, between Trinidad and Venezuela.

• Gaspar Grande

• Little Gasparee

• Monos

• Huevos

• Chacachacare

Most people who go DDI head to Mono or Chacachacare.

Gaspar Grande Island

Starting from the east and working our way out, Gaspar Grande is near Chaguaramas, the main yachting hub for Trinidad and Tobago. Also known as Gasparee, this small island was once a whaling station but is now used for leisure with a few hotels, resorts and private holiday homes on it. The main attraction is the Gasparee Caves, which can only be entered with a guide from the Chaguaramas Development Authority.

If you're visiting Trinidad in a private boat it's easier to anchor, moor or dock the yacht in Chaguaramas Bay then take a dinghy to the island. That being said, the only attraction is the caves which need a guide, so you may as well keeping heading down the islands.

We had the chance to spend time at one of the homes on Gasparee and it was the best way to do it!

Little Gasparee Island

Near Gaspar Grande is the much smaller Little Gasparee, also called Gasparillo Island. It is made of limestone rock and covered in vegetation, and is currently uninhabited. It's mostly known for the fishing around it and a couple spots on the south side where you can cliff jump, but there's no beach or moorings nearby.

Monos  Island

Monos island is one of the largest Bocos Island, sitting between Scotland Bay on the Trinidad mainland (a popular anchorage for weekenders!) and Huevos island. Aside from a few private holiday homes the island is jungle with not much ashore. People who visit Monos as part of a DDI experience tend to anchor in one of the bays and lime.

The most popular anchorage on Monos for people who are sailing Trinidad is Turtle Bay. It's about 2.7 nautical miles from the shipyards in Chaguaramas, across the Bocas del Dragon channel. If we're taking the dinghy out for a ride it's our preferred bay as it's not far from the yards but is nice to visit.

Huevos Island

Huevos is between Monos and Chacachacare but is privately owned so is skipped by most people going DDI. Even if it wasn't, it has no large bay or beach, making the next and last island in the chain a better option anyway.

Chacachacare Island

Of all the islands in the Bocas chain, Chacachacare is the favourite for people going DDI, including us! A U-shaped islands with a large, protected bay in the middle, it's extremely popular on the weekends with many private boats, tours and international sailing vessels anchoring there and enjoying a swim in the water. 

Over its history the island has been used as a cotton plantation, whaling station, leper colony and US Marine station. It was then abandoned in 1984. Today the remnants of building and facilities belonging to the leper colony can still be explored, including diesel generator rooms built for them by the Marines. A lighthouse is maintained at the top of the island which you can hike up to.

There are multiple spots to anchor in Chacachacare, with Perruquier Bay and Bummsie Bay being two of the most popular spots. If you're lucky you might get to spot a turtle or two swimming around.

Ruins at Chacachacare

Things to do down the islands

Most people who cruise down de islands in Trinidad go to relax by the water. They enjoy good food, drinks and company along with some great (and often loud!) music. The centre point for each group is their boat and around it they might swim, float or go paddle boarding. Some tow tubes or wakeboarders behind them for a little bit of action.

While you can swim in the bay, the water has a green tinge from tannins in the water. As a result, it's not great snorkelling.

When to go down the islands in Trinidad

Since Trinidad is outside the hurricane band and has a tropical climate you can go down the islands all year round. The weekends and public holidays are very busy, but during the week the islands and bays can be almost empty.

What to pack to go DDI Trinidad

If you're going down the islands in Trinidad you want to pack everything you need to have a fun and relaxing lime. Here's what we took.

Food and drinks

We took snack food, premixed drinks, water, soft drink and spirits. You can buy this in advance or pick it up from the Dockside Mart at Power Boats, which is a similar price to Massey Stores. They sell ice which you can keep in a cooler alongside your drinks. Don't forget to take cups as well; our favourite are the Brumate insulated cups because the ice doesn't melt, especially the coffee cups which are stable on a boat.

Swimwear

If you're going DDI just wear your swimwear with whatever you want over the top and some flip flops; there's no need for much more unless you're planning on hiking. A hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a towel are also a good idea. 

Water toys and extras

Here's some of the other things to consider bringing down Trinidad's islands.

• Biodegradable straws and plates for any food

• Drybag to keep valuables safe from salt water

• Trash bags for any rubbish

• Speaker so you can listen to music - we use a portable Bose S1.

• Water floats and toys

• Action camera to record the experience; check out our DJI Osmo review

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