Sundaze Adventures: Grenadian Beaches

It may not be #flashbackfriday but we are going to flash back.. way back to when my life brought me to this little island in the southeastern Caribbean. During my 3 years on the island I met, cared for, and adopted my island pups. While Hazel Nut is my only dog now, she wasn’t my only dog on the island, or only dog that came home with me.

Sophie and Hazel Nut were a year apart, and as different as they were similar. Soph hated swimming, but loved being outside and enjoying the beach, sunshine, and island life. She was my explorer. It’s no wonder she never was hit by a car when she would run off! Yikes! Hazel Nut was attached to my hip and rarely left my side.

Grenada is a small island near Trinidad & Tobago. It’s known for the spices they grow… especially nutmeg. I’m definitely OVER nutmeg in my kitchen. But the island is a beautiful mixture of ruins, topical forests, history, and rebuilding. The island was hit hard and devastated when hurricane Ivan hit in September 2004. Like many of the Caribbean islands, Grenada does not have the infrastructure of larger governments like the USA, or England. To this day you can wander the country’s hillsides and see the previous structures that remain in ruins. Many of which have plant life growing through them creating an interesting mix of beauty and sorrow.

The country has more history than just hurricane Ivan. It’s also the place of the Grenadian Invasion of 1983 when the USA sent troops into Grenada. While I’m sure people still debate the origin of USA’s involvement to this day, it is common knowledge that the US evacuated it’s students from the island… Regardless of the inciting cause, Grenada became a democratic country after that. If visiting Grenada you can tour the fort in the port of St George that is the place of Maurice Bishop’s execution. The fort is also one of the tallest points in St George, allowing you to see out over the hillsides and enjoy the view.

St George does not have a beach to enjoy however. To enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches in Grenada all you have to do is travel down the main road (there’s really only one that circles the island for the most part) to Grande Anse. The Grand Anse beach is pictured below. And while Hazel Nut steals the photo, the view of the island also isn’t half bad. Grand Anse is the main beach of the lower portion of the island. You will find locals, tourists, and students enjoying the sun, rum, and socializing along it’s shores. You’ll even find a pothound or two trying to earn a quick meal. While Grand Anse is a great beach beach, the spot the girls and I like to go was Magazine beach, or the nameless beach at the very end of the island. It probably has a local name, but as you have to hike to it there isn’t really a name for the beach on any map during my time there. This beach is quiet, private, and secluded. The girls could roam the beaches shores, play in the waves, or roll in the sand. It was a great place to let off some steam without prying eyes, or worry of coming across others.

The moments captured in these photos reminds me of the great days and experiences we had the fortunate luck to experience. Grenada, and it’s good and bad experiences will forever be an adventure I’m grateful for. Not only because it brought Hazel Nut to me…. but because it helped me realize just how much of life we can take for granted. Even to this day I have to remind myself that I have so much more than the locals on the island I called home for 3 years. Time to be grateful for that.