Hello once again!

We haven’t checked in with you since February, so it’s high time we updated you about life in Bequia paradise & beyond!

 

Continuing the season in style!

You would think that after an epic Bequia Music Festival and waving off our visiting family, the season could only tail off from February onwards.  Not at all. 

The family hadn’t even departed Argyle airport in St. Vincent and we had already turned our attention to preparation for hosting the Action Bequia gala at The Sail House on Mount Pleasant.  Due to global pandemics and volcanic eruptions, this was to be the first time the event had taken place since 2020 and excitement & anticipation was building. 

On February 18^th 2023, 160 lucky people descended upon The Sail House for an evening of food, drink, and entertainment.  The auction, as ever, was the highlight and contributed to what was the most successful fundraising event ever for Action Bequia.  We’d like to think that we were an integral part of that success by running the bar that lubricated the attendees and helped to persuade them to bid a little higher than perhaps they were originally planning to 

THE SAIL HOUSE PROVIDED A STUNNING VENUE FOR THE ACTION BEQUIA AUCTION

 

Some of the other events that took place over the latter part of the winter season included the Positive Vibes Festival, the Boley Bash, and Keegan’s Seafood Festival.  We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again.  For a tiny island, Bequia packs a real punch for locals and visitors alike.

THE MUSIC JAM AT THE GREEN BOLEY, THE POSITIVE VIBES FESTIVAL AT DE REEF, & KEEGAN'S SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

 

A destination for all seasons

When we first started to seriously think about a move to paradise, we were fully aware that the season is traditionally very short and was way behind more established islands like Barbados & St. Lucia.  However, the post-covid bounce and an increasing thirst for less mainstream destinations, has led to a lengthening of the season on Bequia. 

Every tourist-related business on the island was grateful for an uptick in visitors after a tough couple of years.  Speaking personally about “The Lookout”, we had a record season and welcomed guests from the start of November all the way through until the end of May – a 6 month period. 

In our humble opinion, Bequia could easily welcome & enthral visitors for an even longer period than that, probably up to 10 months of the year.  Why not.  Most businesses remain open and the weather is consistently favourable.

The island sits in a blessed location, near the equator and far enough south of the “hurricane belt” (touching wood as we write!)  This means that the weather is beautifully predictable all year round.  The forecast is simple – plenty of sunshine with the occasional downpour and a constant temperature of 28 to 32 celsius (82  to 90 fahrenheit).  You would be unlucky to get two rainy days back-to-back at any time during the year. 

Included in The Lookout’s revolving door of wonderful guests this season was our old school friend Hazel.  We celebrated 20 years of marriage in July and have actually been together for 31 years.  Hazel is to thank/blame (!) for introducing us back in 1992 

HAPPY LOOKOUT GUESTS ENJOYING ISLAND LIFE

 

We are so lucky to attract such amazing people from all over the world who choose to stay with us at The Lookout’s two apartments.  We pride ourselves on going above & beyond to make sure their stay is a truly memorable one and it’s so humbling to receive such positive feedback in return.  You can read all our guest reviews here;

https://thelookoutbequia.com/reviews.php

 

Preserving the underwater beauty of Bequia

Did you know that Bequia is just as beautiful below the water as it is above.  We want to help to keep it that way for generations to come.

Coral reefs are amazing underwater treasures and they're hugely critical for our environment and the health of our planet.  They provide a habitat for 25% of all known marine species and they protect coastal communities from extreme climate events like storm surges. 

However, since 1950 the world's oceans have lost 50% of their living coral reef coverage.  If swift action isn't taken, all coral reefs could be dead by 2050.  A sobering thought.

This decline in coral reefs is caused by numerous factors such as climate change, destructive fishing practices, and pollution.  Bleached & damaged reefs will ultimately affect tourism and negatively impact the local economy.

This would be devastating for a small island like Bequia.

However, this little rock in the Caribbean Sea is taking measures to combat the issues and much credit has to go to both of the island’s dive operators and, the charity organisation, Action Bequia.

BOTH DIVE OPERATORS ARE LOCATED ON THE WATERSIDE ALONG THE BELMONT WALKWAY

 

So, what specifically is happening on Bequia.

 1) Installation of new dive moorings

In 2021, Dive Bequia and Bequia Dive Adventures came together to lay new moorings at Bequia's six main dive sites.  This project was financed by Action Bequia and provides enhanced protection for the reefs and marine life from anchor damage. 

2) Bequia’s very own coral nursery

In June of 2022, Cathy from Dive Bequia collaborated with Reef Renewal to start a conservation project in Rocky Bay. One of the newly installed moorings allows safe access to the coral nursery which has eight hundred fragments of Elkhorn coral that are showing impressive growth.  

3) Outplanting

This new coral is now being used to repopulate the nearby reef at Devil's Table and other locations too. 

Chris & Louise from The Lookout are qualified scuba divers and have been delighted to volunteer their time (and cleaning skills!) to ensure that the nursery remains healthy, thus maximising the chance of success for this vital project.  We have also been privileged to assist with the out-planting of the newly grown corals and did this at a reef directly in front of “The Lookout”, between Princess Margaret & Lower Bay beaches.

If you’d like to know more about diving & snorkelling ready for your next visit to paradise, then check out our useful blog on the link below;

 

Diving & Snorkelling in Bequia & beyond - The Lookout Bequia Blog

 

Newly improved flight schedules

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines is slowly starting to get recognition as a truly world-class tourist destination.  And rightly so.  With 32 islands & cays to explore, the country has so much to offer those lucky enough to visit. 

A big step forward came when the Argyle International Airport opened on the mainland of St. Vincent in 2017.  Bequia paradise lies just a 1hr hop across the channel by ferry.  Argyle airport is now receiving carriers from all over the world, including Virgin, American Airlines and Air Canada.

These operators are now increasing their services to St. Vincent for the upcoming winter 2023 season. 

VIRGIN ATLANTIC (UK)

Service increasing from 2x per week to 3x per week from Heathrow to St. Vincent (Mondays, Wednesdays & Sundays)

In addition, inter-island flights using Virgin planes now operate between Barbados, Grenada, & St. Vincent.  This opens up the possibility for twin or even triple centre holidays!  

AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN AIRLINES (U.S.A)

This winter, direct flights from Miami to St. Vincent are increasing to 5x per week.  Caribbean Airlines also fly once a week from New York JFK to St. Vincent.

AIR CANADA ROUGE (CANADA)

From Dec 2023, the above service out of Toronto is moving from 3x per week to 4x per week (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri)

 

More visiting family!

After hosting up to 20 family & friends back in January, we were blessed to have the time (& energy) for one more family visit in June.  Louise’s mum & dad returned to the island after first visiting back in 2019 when “The Lookout” first opened its doors to guests.

We managed to cram in all the major Bequia highlights and even persuaded Louise’s mum to board the “Friendship Rose” on a day trip across to the private island and celebrity hotspot of Mustique.

HANGING OUT AT BASIL'S BAR ON MUSTIQUE

 

A couple of sad farewells

Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to two island legends who passed away in 2023. 

“Irish” John Whitney was originally from (not surprisingly!) Ireland, but had made Bequia his home for several decades.  We personally used to love sitting with him at De Reef at sunset happy hours in the summer months.  No one else around. Just us three, drinking rum, watching the sun set, and putting the world to rights!

In March, we attended a memorial at his favourite bar and his ashes were sprinkled along the shoreline right outside his favourite spot.  We will continue to raise a glass to him every time we visit this particular part of Lower Bay.

SCATTERING JOHN'S ASHES ON LOWER BAY BEACH AT SUNSET

Patrick “Doc” Chevallier was a true character.  Originally from France, he lived on Palm Island in the southern Grenadines for over 20 years.  He made Bequia his home in more recent times. 

A talented artist, he set up his gallery and Doctor’s surgery in an idyllic setting next to the Frangipani on Bequia’s waterfront (now the Sugar & Spice Café). He produced fabulous oil paintings of underwater life and sailing boats.

He was a friendly, quirky character with whom we had several memorable interactions with. 

A few years ago, Louise had a suspected ear infection so we decided to pop by and see if Doc could help.  As usual, he was happily painting at his easel outside the gallery with his shirt off.  On hearing about the ear problem, he promptly put down his brush, donned his white coat, and ushered us into his surgery which was just behind a curtain within the gallery itself! 

Within minutes the problem was diagnosed, the prescription was written, and he was back to painting in the sunshine.  We insisted that we pay for Doc’s services and, after a sigh and a shrug of his shoulders, he decided that we were neither locals nor tourists.  So, he came up with a figure somewhere in between.  It was a nominal fee.

Rest in peace Doc.  We have lost a true Bequia legend.

 

An action-packed summer for Chris & Louise

We first moved out to Bequia in late 2017 and the last six years have been a hectic mix of renovations, guest hosting, property management, global pandemics, & volcanic eruptions!  We wouldn’t change anything for the world.  Each & every opportunity & challenge has helped us to grow and we love our island life more than ever.

However, we came to the realisation that we hadn’t actually taken any sort of break for many years and thought it was high time to book a holiday.  This summer we took six weeks out and, after catching up with friends & family across the UK, we jetted off to the wonderful country of Montenegro.

FIRST STOP WAS AT THE FAMILY'S WILDLIFE PARKS IN THE UK, WITH COUSIN LYNN "WING WALKING" IN KENT 

 

Although we needed the change of scenery, we simply don’t do “relaxing”.  We hiked up mountains, swam in lakes, messed about on boats, and got our adrenaline rush from zip-lining over canyons and parasailing above the Adriatic Sea.  Don’t worry, we also found time to indulge in Italian ice cream, cocktails, fresh seafood, and pizza!

 

You can also have a giggle watching Chris & Louise get a dunking on their parasail in the video below;

 

 

The Lookout:  Season 6!

We are back on Bequia and ready to go for the new season ahead. 

Those who have stayed at our apartments will know that we set our standards impeccably high.  We don't just renovate "The Lookout" every 3 or 5 years, we spend two months EVERY single year.  2023 is no different.

We paint, we varnish, we sand, we maintain, we replace, we check, we improve.

This means that you can be reassured that our apartments live up to the glossy photos on our website & social media.  In fact, most guests remark that the place looks even better in the flesh.

This year we have completely re-painted inside & out.  Internally, our apartments have a modern, bright & clean look with some clever design touches.  Make sure you pack your shades though.  Our bright mango external colour scheme is very vibrant & undeniably Caribbean!

We re-open on 1^st November and it looks like another record season lies ahead.  Our calendars are already looking pretty full, but there are gaps if you are seeking some winter sun.  Naturally, as the winter weather starts to bite in Europe, the US, and Canada enquiries for those gaps will flood in.  Therefore, we urge you to get in touch as soon as you can!

You can watch our new walkaround videos for each apartment below;

 

 

Don’t be a stranger

 

If you can’t wait until the next newsletter, then please follow our social media pages below.

 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/The-Lookout-Villa-Bequia-284750105603349/

Twitter https://twitter.com/lookoutbequia

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thelookoutbequia/

 

You can message us using these platforms or simply drop us an e-mail or WhatsApp or fill in the contact form on our website.

E-mail: louise@thelookoutbequia.com

WhatsApp:  +1 784 527 2377

Contact Form:  https://thelookoutbequia.com/contact-us.php

 

Sending sunshine & warm wishes,

Chris & Louise