Welcome to the Caribbean!
After 6000nm in a six-week period, with only two short stops, we are finally here. Our first stop after 10 days at sea? The beautiful island of Tobago.
What a place. It was so friendly and welcoming — everything we’d been dreaming of during those long days at sea.
It would take me forever to write about everything we did there, so let me just tell you the highlights… ready?
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Food – Doubles!
One of the main things everyone had been hoping for was cheap, local food that we didn’t have to cook ourselves… and we were not disappointed.
There was one dish that completely blew our minds.
If you haven’t heard of Doubles, I’m sorry to say you’re missing out. How do I explain them? Messy. Delicious. Slightly chaotic.
Here’s a link to help my random explanation: Doubles
It’s basically two pieces of roti layered underneath a chickpea curry (I genuinely don’t know how they make it taste so good), all folded together in a way that you kind of eat like a taco.
Did that make sense? Maybe.
We ate these as often as possible — breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They were ridiculously cheap too. We could get 12 for $15 AUD (one double is $6 TT).
But what I really want you to hear is this:
If you’re anywhere near Trinidad and Tobago — even Grenada — you must try Doubles.
Okay. Glad I got that out.
Surfing in Tobago
Full disclaimer: the swell was small the whole time we were here.
But… we still had so much fun, and it was definitely one of the highlights of sailing to Tobago.
Sunset Rights
The first break we surfed was called Sunset Rights. It was such a fun little wave — just the right size so Mum could come out, but Dad could still stand up.
Yep. Perfect family session.
If this spot had more swell? Wow. It would be a proper firing barrel. Keep that in mind.
The best part was we could paddle there straight from the anchorage — ideal for those of us (ahem, Archie and I) who like to get up and go.
And the anchorage? Super comfortable. Hardly any roll at all.
Mount Irvine
The second spot is one of the most well-known surf breaks in Tobago — even in the Caribbean — Mount Irvine.
We had high hopes and were a little sad when there wasn’t much swell. But we went anyway and found a sweet little right-hander.
It was only about waist-high on the sets, but we absolutely frothed. We paddled out almost every morning, mostly on longboards.
One thing though — watch out for the fire coral on the bottom!
If you’re keen to surf and want a beautiful anchorage right next to the break, this spot is highly recommended.
There’s also a cool little restaurant on shore that fills up with locals every afternoon, which brings such fun vibes. And if you didn’t bring your own board, there’s a guy who hires them out right on the beach.
Just so you know!
Waterfalls in Tobago
There are so many waterfalls in Tobago that we couldn’t get to all of them in the time we were there — but we made sure to visit at least one.
After hiring a car for the day, we did a full lap of the island (which is a LOT bigger than we first thought). We found Doubles up in Charlottesville — fuel for the mission — and then went hunting for waterfalls.
The one we visited was only a two-minute walk from the parking lot, but it had two awesome pools — one at the top and one at the bottom.
The waterfall itself wasn’t huge, but swimming in fresh water after weeks at sea? So good.
There are plenty of others around the island too — including one with three levels and three pools, which sounds pretty epic.
So yes, if you’re there, go chase some waterfalls.
The People
One of the biggest highlights of sailing Tobago was, without a doubt, the people.
We were so welcomed here. After sailing to so many countries, you really appreciate the places where people greet you with a big smile and seem to have all the time in the world for you.
Every person we passed on the street smiled and said hello. Taxi drivers told us about their favourite parts of the island or food we had to try. The officials who cleared us in and out were super helpful.
It was just… amazing.
And the accent! Oh man. I’ve never heard anything like it. Full Caribbean twang. They speak English, but sometimes it’s only just understandable — you nod and say “yeah” while catching about half of it.
But it doesn’t matter, because everything is said with such enthusiasm and huge smiles.
The people were probably the biggest highlight of them all, and we’ll definitely miss the happy vibes as we continue on.
Summary
Our time sailing Tobago was exactly what we needed after a long passage, and we’re so glad this was our first stop in the Caribbean.
If you’re planning a Caribbean sailing trip, keep this amazing island in mind.
And don’t forget to eat as many Doubles as you possibly can!
If you’ve been to Tobago or any other Caribbean islands and want to share stories or ask questions, drop a comment below!
Hi Bells, thanks for the update. Keep surfing and stay safe
Thanks Frank 😊
After an epic passage what a great and interesting stop for you !
Yeah, it was really cool and definitely an awesome reward!