Grenada to the Virgin Islands

Publisher: Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson; 2nd ed.; £30
Publication Date: 2007

When I reviewed the 1st English edition, 4 year ago, I was sufficiently impressed to prefer it to the Cruising Guide Publications equivalents, which had always been my first choice before this. The 2nd edition has 6 more pages, for the same price, is as well produced as the last and would still be my first choice despite a strong feeling of loyalty to Chris Doyle! The first edition of the Guide des Anguilles was published in French in1981 and the author, Jacques Patuelli, is clearly the French version of Chris Doyle, and like him, has an excellent knowledge of the area, honed by constant trips up and down the chain of Islands. Grenada to the Virgin Islands is laid out in a traditional style more in keeping with what a voyager would expect from a Pilot Book. In one volume, rather than Doyle’s three, it covers the entire route that most yachtsmen would cruise if doing the transatlantic ‘milk run’ to the Caribbean and back. However, unlike the Cruising Guide Publications, there are no recommendations, or adverts, for specific restaurants/bars, so you will need to find your own. Written in plain English, it is easy to assimilate the information, lavishly illustrated with colour photographs and chartlets, the volume covers all one could reasonably want to know, if planning to cruise safely through the Lesser Antilles. - Ian Galletti