"You'll see things you've never seen before," said Bill Tewes on the day I met him. I had printed a list of local critters from his Dive St. Vincent website after I booked a photo tour with Stephen Frink, and was now beginning my week of diving with great anticipation.

Bill and his guides are excellent critter spotters. Carrying an erasable slate, they guided us to something special, wrote the name of the subject on the slate, then swiped the slate clean and moved on to the next critter.

Bill Tewes

Red banner blenny. Swipe. Yellow faced pike blenny. Swipe. Leech headshield slug. Swipe. Pea crabs on a sand dollar. Swipe. Bumblebee shrimp on a sea cucumber. Swipe, swipe, swipe. On one dive I became so engrossed in photographing my subject I didn't realize I was getting low on air. I held up three fingers, for 300 pounds in front of Bill's mask. He writes, "You're going to die". Swipe. "Not yet" I think to myself, for I haven't seen the red-lipped batfish. Well, that and the fact that we were right under the boat.

There is so much more than small critters. Eels, butterflyfish, cowfish, seahorses, juvenile French and queen angelfish, damselfish and other tropicals, surround sponges, gorgonian, and corals. Night dives reveal octopus, shrimps, crabs and squid, alongside drowsy reef tropicals.

Overall, the variety of sealife and island ambiance exceeded my expectations and on my last day with Bill I took his slate and wrote, "I'll be back". Swipe.

Tracey Bennett, Young Island Resort, St. Vincent, October 28, 2005

With the words above Tracey captured the spirit of a photo event we staged recently on St. Vincent. With "Destination St. Vincent" we invited a small group of very enthusiastic underwater photographers to join me on location for a week. While there was digital photo instruction and pointers on workflow included in our daily routine, these shooters were tasked from the very beginning to think and perform like a photojournalist.

"What will it take to capture the essence of this unique destination"? I asked on our night of arrival. Their job was to think about what topside and underwater images could communicate the essence of the St. Vincent experience. Of course, having never been here before, they wouldn't have known what that essence might be, but the joy of discovery was part of their "assignment". They were to immerse themselves in discovering St. Vincent, and then share with us a short paragraph and their favorite images of the week. I invite you to click on any of the portraits below to get a personal glimpse into their vision of the week, in words and pictures:

With that extraordinary introduction to St. Vincent, allow me to share some of my insights from the week:

First, St. Vincent is definitely not known as a "marquee" dive destination in the Caribbean. Rather, it is kind of well-kept secret, like maybe those who have been there and love the place are almost afraid to mention it for fear it will get too urban or accessible. Here is destination that delivers consistently clear water and gorgeous wide-angle scenery, yet is extraordinary for the smaller cryptic critters as well. But, rather than the hordes of divers from multi-passenger boats, there were maybe 8 or 10 other divers on the island the week we were there. Think about it … 8 or 10 other divers? This is like going back in time two, maybe even three, decades anywhere else.

How can this be? Well, obviously some weeks are busier than others, and we happened to be there in late October, a notoriously soft season for the Caribbean. But, I think the issue is more probably airlift. St. Vincent has not been that easy to get to in the past. American Airlines or Continental serve Barbados and Grenada as hubs, but then you'd need to board Liat or some other local carrier for the next leg to St. Vincent. The connection schedules don't make that easy, as if St. Vincent was an afterthought. But, now there are terrific connections via San Juan as well.

Caribbean Sun has a great fleet of Dash 8 commuter planes, making it very easy to first get to San Juan on whatever carrier works best, and then fly directly to St. Vincent. The only wild card for us was that they will allow 2 bags checked luggage, but they have to be no more than 50 pounds each. Overweight is $75 per bag. So, with my two 70 pound bags, as I have been used to checking international, I got hit with $150 in overweight each way. I think this is just the first salvo in a barrage of airline weight restrictions however, and don't really fault Caribbean Sun. I think we are all going to have to rethink our packing priorities to meet a universal 50 pound weight restriction (per bag), or simply budget overweight fees as part of the cost of embracing our underwater passion.

That aside, I don't really know why St. Vincent has not exploded for the underwater photo enthusiast. In 2003 I went to St. Vincent on assignment for Scuba Diving magazine and found what is likely the most pristine marine environment remaining in the Caribbean.

Seahorse, frogfish, flying gurnard was the "usual suspects" on many dives; and strange and wonderful shrimp, crabs, and nudibranch abound here. Huge barrel and azure vase sponge provide the backdrops, and deep-water gorgonia stretch their polyps to the passing nutrients.

Those of you who know me well realize that I don't typically spend much time underwater photographing invertebrate life, but here it was so diverse and compelling, even I could not help scouring the reef with my 100mm macro lens, and actually photographing some of the most bizarre and colorful creatures I had ever seen in this hemisphere. Nor was my wide-angle imperative stunted, for there were vertical walls draped with all manner of filter feeders providing vibrantly colorful foregrounds. Visibility was 80 to 100 feet on almost every dive, and I was very surprised, and definitely pleased, to find such photographic opportunity so relatively close to home.

On this year's tour we were not blessed with the stellar water quality we had previously. The weather everywhere in the Caribbean has been strange this fall, and during the week we were in St. Vincent Hurricane Wilma was ravaging South Florida. We had some rain, and the runoff definitely affected water clarity. But incredibly, the effect was not global. Some bays had very muddy water due to nearby streams, but others stayed clear enough so we could have shot wide-angle if we'd wanted to. The reality is that the reef creatures are so diverse and unusual, I think none of us really wanted to put away our 50mm or 100mm macro lenses in favor of wide angle zooms, just because that might be the dive we'd see some unusual eel or octopus or seahorse or batfish.

Young Island

For this event Scuba Diving magazine collaborated with Dive St. Vincent and Young Island Resort, in retrospect both excellent choices. We had two private dive boats, with 4 to 6 divers each. More significantly, we had the expertise of long-time St. Vincent dive veteran Bill Tewes. Bill was able to choose the best sites on any given day, depending on variables of visibility, group special interest, and the likelihood of a particular critter being predictably found. Bill and his crew know these reefs intimately, and are extraordinarily talented critter spotters. With a destination so very rich in both wide angle and macro life, local knowledge was a huge asset to our photo imperative.

Our upscale home for the week was the Young Island Resort. Located on a private island, accessible by a short water taxi ride from the main island, Young Island offers individual cabanas situated along the beach or up a scenic hillside overlooking the Caribbean. We had a spacious conference room to set up our laptop computers for daily editing session, and having it conveniently located just steps away from the bar was fortuitous when those editing sessions ran long into the night. The rooms featured both 110 and 220-volt electricity, some with air conditioning and some vented by louvered windows and ceiling fans. Their fresh water swimming pool was under renovation at the time, not that our dive and digital processing schedule would have allowed much time to relax poolside anyway.

Our daily routine involved a leisurely breakfast at our table overlooking the beach. Peacocks wander the grounds, and the rich tropical vegetation very much conveys a sense of "oasis". As we had two boats, we arranged that they would go to two different locations at staggered departure times. The early boat left the Young Island dock at 9:00, while the more "civilized" departure left at a casual 9:30. Actually, I came to really like the later departure as it left plenty of time for camera prep and a bit of e-mail in the morning. I note from the Dive St. Vincent web site that they often leave for the morning dive at 9:30 or 10:00, allowing plenty of time for a two-tank dive and still be back to the resort before the lunch service closes down at 2:30. However, with our group, 75-minute dives were not at all uncommon, so our schedule was just perfect for two long dives, separated by a nice one-hour surface interval.

After lunch, some of the group opted for the optional afternoon dive, while others retired to their cabanas to begin processing their digital images. Night dives can be scheduled most evenings, and our group did two in the course of the week.

The Diving

When I traded e-mails with Bill Tewes in preparation for this trip I was concerned that there was no Nitrox available. He assured me this would not be a big issue as all the dives were shallow. Now, Bill hasn't seen as many recompression chambers from the inside as I have, so I figure his impression of "fine to do on air" and mine might differ. However, in retrospect I have to say he is right. I don’t think I ever dropped below 54 feet, and most of the good critter stuff was between 25 and 35 feet deep. The water temperature was 84-degrees and with the shallow depth combining with the warm water, we were all very comfortable for some veeeeeeery long dives. I'm sure we averaged 75-minutes per dive, for there was that much to shoot on our 4GB cards.

They do full one-hour surface intervals, and typically pick a second dive that might be even a bit shallower. So, too much nitrogen is unlikely to be an issue here, and no one is going to rush a diver saying it is time to be back on the boat. "Island-time" is often a derisive term for things that don't run on a schedule like we might choose in our city back home. But, we aren't in our cities (gratefully). We're in the West Indies, and things move at their own pace. When it comes to coxing small creatures to within macro range, slow is definitely better.

One part of the dive that is accelerated is the finding of the creatures, however. Bill and his staff are incredibly adept at spotting the fascinating reef creatures. They know the reefs intimately, which helps, but more significantly they understand the natural history of why the animals live where they do. The guides can show a shooter something of interest, and then move on to scout the nearby seafloor or reef for the next photo-op.

Finding a macro subject is not a team sport, which is another reason the small groups typical of St. Vincent are a big advantage. Often, it requires a diver to slow down, or maybe even stop for a bit. Let your eyes scan a coral head and watch for movement or contrasting colors. Wait even longer and tiny critters that went into hiding at our cacophonous approach will come back out. Young eyes, or corrected vision, are important in seeking out these tiny, camouflaged critters. Knowledge of what is symbiotic with whom also helps. Macro shooters don't spend cumulative hours of their lives peering up sea cucumber butts because of some weird fetish, but in pursuit of some weird shrimp instead.

While there are dozens of locales in the Dive St. Vincent portfolio, we really only visited 6 or 7, just because they were so productive we kept wanting to revisit them time and again. I think the real issue was that once we had a great dive on New Guinea Reef (or wherever), we'd go back to the resort for lunch and everyone would have a tale about some amazing creature they had seen on the very same dive that WE had missed. Well, no alternative but to go back, being the competitive kinds of shooters we all are.

Among our favorites were:

Orca Point

I had dived this one back in 2003 and found it one of my favorite wide angle dives for the massive tube sponge that cloaked the rocky face along the seaward wall. This time, being more restricted to macro, I found the subsurface faces of the near shore rocks to be absolutely encrusted with all manner of life. There were plenty of long-spine sea urchins, the harbinger of a healthy coral reef, which probably helped explain the minimal algae along these reefs. The sheer density of encrusting sponge and macro life was very much like some of my favorite dives in Indonesia, or even in British Columbia (albeit in MUCH warmer water). Here I found a goldspotted eel cohabitating in the same coral crevice with a spotted moray, and a variety of invertebrate life that was quite compelling.

Orca II

While it is only just around the point, in a different bay, this dive is not all that similar really. More of a gradual slope, this reef offers a better opportunity for flying gurnards, peacock flounders, and sand dwellers. But, having said that, there are also big schools of blackbar soldierfish and azure vase sponge to serve as frame for wide-angle scenics.

New Guinea Reef

This is really a very special dive, not only for the abundance of sponge and coral, but for the diversity of macro life. Bill has probably dived this site 5 or 6 times a week for at least the past 20 years, so it should come as no surprise that he KNOWS where the stuff it. He'll take his little pointer out and show you something you may or may not be able to see. Then he'll write some arcane common name on his dive slate, just so we can knowingly nod, as if we'd ever even heard of a cryptic teardrop crab before. For even the experienced macro enthusiast, put your arrogance and preconceptions away and let this man show you the reef. You'll definitely see some things you've never been shown before.

Anchor Reef

This is one of the longer boat rides, maybe 30 minutes, but definitely worth it. There is a very rich rocky slope running perpendicular to the beach, and within this environment are plenty of eels, scorpionfish, schooling soldierfish, and other usual suspects (for this part of the world); but it is maybe the sandy bottom in 20 - 25 feet that is most fascinating. Here are the seahorses (as many as 5 different seahorse on a single dive), flying gurnards, flounder, and strange little sand-dwelling worms and such. Go with Bill and his little slate, and you'll have a much greater appreciation for all the life that resides on what, at first glance, appears to be barren and boring.

Critter Corner

Just off the western end of Young Island is a fascinating muck dive. The vis is not typically great here, and the corals aren't high profile or particularly colorful, but here is an awesome place to find juvenile angelfish, obscure crabs, and maybe even a seahorse or two.

Frink’s Fantasy

OK, that really isn't the name of any reef on St. Vincent, but on the last day we had a lot of rain, and we had just about run out of visibility in our normal favorites. So, at my request we did a dive from a live boat along a rocky shore between Orca II and Pinnacle. To our surprise, it was a great dive! Bill went into exploration mode and found a lovely sea turtle tucked into a ledge along the drop-off at 84 feet, and I found plenty of intricate gobies burrowed into crimson encrusting sponge in only 12 feet of water. In between were puffers, sergeant majors guarding eggs, spotted drum, hamlets, angelfish, chromis, juvenile highhat, and several species of squirrelfish. Oddly, Bill had never dived this site, but promised there would be a mooring here when we return.

I think finding diving this good just by simply dropping into the water at a place that looked "likely" speaks to the overall quality of the destination. No doubt there is a lot more to be discovered, but damn, the stuff they've already found is just so good that it is hard to look farther!

Trip Preparation

Both Dive St. Vincent and Young Island Resort have very informative websites; with their permission I've incorporated some of their trip-prep information herein to save you a few mouse clicks:

Dive St. Vincent - Travel Tips

LOCATION: Picturesque St. Vincent and the Grenadines lie at 60 degrees 56' west longitude and 13 degrees 15' north latitude, approximately 1,600 miles southeast from Miami. St. Vincent is the largest of the more than 30 islands that comprise the nation, covering roughly 150 square miles. The Grenadines extend 45 miles to the southwest, like a kite's tail. The major islands, north to south, are Young Island, Bequia (beck-way), Mustique (mus-teek), Mayreau (my-row), Union Island, Palm Island and Petit St. Vincent. As part of the Windward Islands, which are in turn part of the Lesser Antilles, St. Vincent's closest neighbors include the islands of Grenada, 75 miles to the south; St. Lucia, 24 miles to the north; and Barbados, 100 miles to the east.

TIME ZONE: St. Vincent and the Grenadines are located in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone. During daylight savings time, from April through October, local time is the same as U.S. Eastern Daylight Time, and four hours behind GMT. During the remainder of the year, the islands are five hours behind GMT and one hour ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time.

CLIMATE: Being close to the equator, St. Vincent and the Grenadines do not experience a wide fluctuation in temperature, ranging between 64 degrees F/18 degrees C and 90 degrees F/32 degrees C. The coolest months, with temperatures in the mid-70's, occur between November and February. The "dry season" generally runs from December through June. During the July to November "rainy season," rain showers can be expected most days.

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: BWIA, American, USAir and other major airlines offer flights to Barbados where you can make arrangements with smaller planes like LIAT, Mustique Air, SVG Air, and Caribbean Star for the 35-minute flight to St.Vincent. Dive St.Vincent can assist with these connections if asked.

MORE FLIGHT INFORMATION: As of March 21st Caribbean Sun now flies direct to St.Vincent from San Juan on Thursday, and round trip from San Juan to St Vincent Friday though Sunday, with a return trip to San Juan only, on Monday. The 2 1/2 hour flight to St.Vincent departs at 2:30 PM and the flight from St.Vincent departs at 9 AM.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Most visitors are required to carry a passport. Visitors from North America and Canada may enter without a passport if they have a birth certificate and one piece of identification bearing a photograph. A valid onward or return ticket is also required. Check with your airline for luggage restrictions.

CUSTOMS: Formalities Visitors may bring in duty-free for their own use one quart of wine or spirits, 50 cigars and 200 cigarettes.

DEPARTURE: The departure tax is $40 E.C.

ELECTRICITY: The electricity is generally 220/240 volt, 50 cycles, except for Petit St. Vincent, which has 110 volt, 60 cycles. Most hotels have 110-volt shaver outlets and/or voltage converters for guests, but it’s best to bring long your own personal adapter.

TELECOM: Telecommunication services are provided by Digicel and Cable and Wireless. Worldwide direct dialing, telex, and facsimile services are available. Prepaid Caribbean phone cards are available. Cable and Wireless (the telephone co.) has arranged for local internet connections that can be arranged through the hotels. Internet connections are available in most hotels and most cell phones can be activated here. 800 numbers cannot be used locally as a toll free call.

RECREATION: Sporting activities are centered around the water. Visitors can choose from deep-sea fishing, sailing excursions, windsurfing, water-skiing, snorkeling, scuba diving and beachcombing. Pristine reefs, abundant marine life, and excellent visibility make St. Vincent a world-class diving destination. The islands are an ecotourist's paradise. Visitors can enjoy unspoiled wilderness and native flora and fauna in areas set aside as historical interest. Stargazing is extraordinary! Nightlife includes local bands playing traditional island music at bars and restaurants, some nightclubs. Souvenir shoppers will find Caribbean paintings, T-shirts, shells, locally made handicrafts, and videotapes about the Islands. Boutiques carry a selection of resort wear, postcards, and sundries. Duty-free outlets sell liquor, jewelry, and perfume.

LANGUAGE: The language of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is English.

CURRENCY: The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean (EC) dollar, which is linked to the U.S. dollar. The exchange rate will vary slightly depending on whether cash or traveler's cheques are involved, and whether you convert them at a bank or business establishment, such as a hotel or restaurant. The normal range is between $2.60 and $2.68 EC to $1 US.

TRANSPORTATION: Car Rentals - You must purchase a local driver's license to rent a vehicle. A local license may be purchased at the airport, the Police Station on Bay Street, or the Licensing

Authority on Halifax Street upon presentation of a valid driver's license from your place of residence and $50 EC. Please note that driving is on the left.

Taxis - While taxis are not metered, fares are set by the government. As rates are subject to change, it is best to obtain an up-to-date price list from the Tourist Bureau Office in the Government Administration Building on Bay Street in Kingstown. It is always advisable to settle on the fare before entering the taxi.

Ferry Boats Between Islands - There is ferryboat service between St. Vincent and the islands and prices range from $13 EC to $20 EC. Check the schedules.

WHAT TO WEAR: Casual resort wear is the general rule for both men and women during the day. While most restaurants do not require a jacket or tie for dinner, if there is a doubt, it's best to inquire ahead of time. During the cooler months, a light wrap or pullover may be needed. Out of respect for the local customs, swimwear should not be worn on the street or in shops and restaurants.

WATER: The water throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines is completely safe to drink, but for those who prefer, bottled water is readily available.

MEDICAL FACILITIES: There are a number of fine physicians, dentists and surgeons on St. Vincent, Bequia, Mustique and Union Island. Your hotel can provide their names and phone numbers. Kingstown General Hospital serves the island's medical need, offering emergency care, as well as general medical and surgical services. While there are a number of pharmacies on the islands, it is wise to bring any prescription medicines you require, plus a copy of any prescriptions.

The staff of Dive St. Vincent

THE DIVING: Dive St. Vincent caters to divers booked at any hotel on St. Vincent as well as divers booked through the DSV packages. If a diver brings 6 divers on package here, they will get their own dive boat and will be able to plan their own dives as to what time of day to start, how many dives that day, and which ones they want. Packages can be booked directly through Bill Tewes and most include a week's stay with 10 dives. Additional dives can be readily added to your package prior to booking or during your stay.

Dive St. Vincent is an efficiently run operation with a staff that is genuinely friendly and helpful. Bill Tewes' dry wit is definitely an asset to his operation - he keeps his customers well entertained. Bill is also something of a famous underwater photographer, he has had the distinction of having three of his underwater photos used on special collectors government issue stamps. Bill is also on the local postage stamp, a bit unusual for a living person in most countries.

DIVE CENTER: The Dive Center is located right in front of the Young Island dock on the mainland side. The area has several small hotels and restaurants on the waterfront. Sailing yachts anchor in the protected area in front of the shop. The shop is a 10 min. drive south of Kingstown and about 5 min. south of the airport.

We offer daily two-tank dive trips, night dives, instruction, rental gear and snorkeling tours. Additional dives can be added if requested. We also offer day trips that combine sightseeing, diving or snorkeling, lunch and a taste of the famous "jet fuel" that makes our trips go so fast. (Sorry, no jet fuel for divers until dives are completed!) No Nitrox is available on St. Vincent at the present time.

DAILY ROUTINE: The daily routine is a two-tank morning dive excursion, but additional dives can be added if requested. Gear is loaded onto the boat by the DSV staff. The boat leaves the dock at 10:00 am. Pickups are made at Young Island, from other hotels and yachts. It's a 10-15min. scenic ride up the Leeward coast.

The first dive is generally one of the deep dives, computers allowed, no rush. Surface Interval (about 1 hr.) Second dive, shallow dive, again no rush. Scenic ride back to the dive shop. Arrive at the dock about 1:30pm. Gear is unloaded, washed and stored to dry by DSV staff

DIVE BOATS: Dive St. Vincent operates three dive boats (see them here.)

DETAILS PREPARING FOR A DIVE: After the boat is safely moored at the dive site, a divemaster gives a thorough dive briefing to inform the divers of the underwater terrain, expected marine life, depth, and instructions for performing the dive.

Divers find a spot and stay seated until a DSV staff member brings an assembled tank and helps the diver put it on. When fully ready and checked out, the usual method of entry is a backroll off the side of the boat.

The Dive - Experienced dive pairs are allowed to execute their own dive. Beginners and those wishing to have a guide are accompanied as a group (remember only 6 or less!) by two dive guides who will point out creatures (seahorses! frogfish!) and be ready to help inexperienced divers.

The Exit - At the end of the dive, each buddy pair surfaces when they are ready. Divers are allowed to continue until their air supply reaches 500psi.

At the surface, the camera, weight belt, BCD and fins are handed up to the DSV staff and the diver climbs a ladder back into the boat.

STAFF: All the divemasters are Vincentian and can help find plenty of creatures help you with your buoyancy or model for underwater photos.

About Young Island

Young Island was established over 30 years ago as one of the first exclusive Caribbean resorts. In 1980, it was acquired by its current Vincentian owners, Mr. Vidal Browne and Dr. Fred Ballantyne. Since it's beginning, this 35 acre island near the coast of St. Vincent has continuously been a hotel resort of international standing and a popular vacation destination.

St. Vincent's native tongue is English, having been a British Colony until 1979, and encompasses 144 square miles. Population is approximately 108,000. The Young Island Dock is a 20 minute taxi ride from the Capital, Kingstown, and 8 minutes from the ET Joshua Airport at Arnos Vale.

BARS: Our Coconut Bar is a swim-up bar located a few yards off the beach. It is opened most days from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. while the Captain Bligh bar (Main bar) operates from 9:00 a.m. until...

BOAT EXCURSIONS: Young Island owns and operates Two (2) yachts, which can be chartered for a day sail to Bequia or Mustique. Please inquire at the front office for current rates and availability of our yachts. In the event that one of our yachts is not available we can try to arrange a chartered yacht at the prevailing rates.

A ferry service is also available to and from Bequia. The journey from Jetty to Jetty is one hour.

CHILDREN: The informality of Young Island is ideally suited to families. The services of a baby-sitter are required for children under SIX years and may be easily obtained by contacting the Front Office, before 12:00 noon. Dinner starts at 7:30 p.m. but an early meal hour can be arranged for children. If you wish to join your children for an earlier dinner, please inform the Front Office.

CUISINE: Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, and local seafood have world-renowned West Indian flavors combined with Continental Cuisine. Our famous freshly baked bread delights guests with six different flavors available at lunch and dinner.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE: US $1.00=EC $2.60. Other currencies may be exchanged at the Front Office. In addition local banks in Kingstown are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

DOCK SHOP: Located at the mainland Dock, a 3 minute ferry ride away. The shop offers swim wear, Young Island T-shirts and sundry items. Purchases here can be paid for in cash, charged to your account or applied to a credit card.

DRESS CODE: We are totally informal. Barefoot is the mood - swimsuits with a top or a cover-up or shorts are perfect for breakfast and lunch. Jackets or ties are never required for dinner. Swimsuits, shorts, blue jeans, baseball caps and men's tank tops are unacceptable for dinner. Dinner Attire - A collared shirt and casual slacks are acceptable for men. Slacks, skirts and blouses or elegantly casual dresses for ladies. In addition, swimsuits and other beach gear should not be worn at the bar from 6:00 p.m. onwards.

ELECTRICITY: Electricity is 220 volts 50 cycles, however, some cottages are wired with both 110 and 220 volts. If unsure, first consult with the Front Office or the housekeeping department before you plug in any electrical appliances. Please be aware that adapters are neither converters nor transformers and should not be used as such.

E-MAIL: E-Mail can be sent or received at our e-mail address which is: youngisland@caribsurf.com There is a computer in the hotel office for complimentary web access, although as there is only one, it is first-come-first-served and guests are asked to limit access to 15-minutes if anyone is waiting.

ENTERTAINMENT: Friday - Manager's Cocktail Party with Bamboo Melodian Band. Saturday - Steel Band Music & Barbecue Dinner. Wednesday - Musical Entertainment (in high season only).

Several nightclubs are across the channel and can easily be reached from our ferry dock.

FLORA AND FAUNA: Young Island is a national wildlife reserve, all animals and plants are protected under this act of Parliament. The following are a few of the animals on Young Island.

AGOUTI (DASYPROCTA AGUTI): The Agouti, which originated in South America, and ranges from Mexico to Argentina is a short-tailed, short-eared, rabbit like creature with short front legs and long hind legs for jumping. They were introduced by Siboney Indians.

The Agouti belongs to the same group of animals as the guinea pig. They grow to about sixteen inches long and weigh around ten pounds when fully grown.

The Agouti lives in holes in the ground, which it scratches to remove the soil. This burrow houses a pair of individuals, in which the multiple young are born. The gestation period is relatively long and the young are virtually independent at birth, being active and able to fend for themselves.

The Agouti is a vegetarian eating mainly fruits and flowers.

They run uphill at an incredible rate, but downhill, if pursued, they are apt to tumble head over heels. At other times, if frightened they leap away over an incredible distance, making one wonder at the explosive burst of muscular energy required to accomplish this. They are an endangered species on St. Vincent, and Young Island is proud to have created a natural sanctuary for them, enjoying the delight of visitors and guests on first sighting them.

IGUANA: A large harmless lizard, growing up to 3 to 5 feet long, (including the tail). The beautiful variations of green that they assume are in sharp contrast to their natural pre-historic look. If seen, they may at first startle you, but, enjoy this rare privilege of seeing one and do not harm it. It will not, and cannot, harm you.

LIZARDS: Part of our "island insect control program" and they are totally harmless. In fact, they avoid being trapped in your cottage. They are insect eaters and tend to remain close to foliage. The lizard population is quite small for the tropics.

PEACOCKS: You’ll hear them before you see them. Their cry can be annoying until you understand that this noise comes from such a beautiful creature. Peacocks now freely roam the grounds of the Young Island Resort, but come and go at their own pace. They are not "pets".

PLANTS: There are several hundred different plants on our Island. Please ask any of our Gardeners for assistance in identifying them. The grounds are free of harmful plants and animal life.

TREE FROGS: Again, you'll hear them (constantly at night) but rarely see them. Their "chirps" are beautiful to hear, starting at around sunset with a "chirp" or two, then swelling into a chorus until after dark.

GAMES: These are available at the Bar or the Front Office.

GRATUITIES: Our staff is a team and we are proud of them. If you feel there are individuals who have provided outstanding service and you would like to leave tips for them, this may be done at your discretion on check out from the hotel.

HAIRDRYERS: These are provided in your cottage.

ICE: The ice bucket in your cottage is filled daily. If you require additional ice, please ask at the bar.

LAUNDRY: We maintain a hand laundry. Dry cleaning is available in Kingstown, at prevailing local rates.

MAIL AND POSTAGE STAMPS: Mail is posted and delivered daily.

MEALS: Breakfast - served in the gazebos from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. In addition, a limited room service breakfast menu is also available. Lunch - a la carte 5 days a week from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner - A five-course menu is served 5 nights per week from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Note that meals are taken at a leisurely pace at Young Island Resort. Sometimes this was a bit of a problem with our multi-tasked days of diving and digital processing. Obviously, those with a more relaxed pace, suitable for holiday, would be less vexed by time spent awaiting meal service.

MASSAGES: We can arrange for an appointment at Beachcombers on St. Vincent. Advance notice is required as these services get booked up rather quickly.

NEWSPAPERS: The New York Times Fax is available free of charge every day at the Front Office. In addition one of our local weekly newspapers is delivered to your room, free of charge, every Friday evening.

PICNIC BASKETS: Picnic lunches are available. Please give at least half a days' notice by placing an order at the Front Desk.

POOL: Our Swimming pool is fresh water, and is open 24 hours a day. Guests using the pool at night must be considerate of other guests in nearby cottages. We have NO lifeguards, swimming is at your own risk.

ROCK FORT: (Fort Duvernette) - This 250 foot high rock offers a magnificent view of Young Island, the Grenadines, and St Vincent. English cannons and remnants of the Fort still remain. The Fort was commissioned during the reign of George III, (1760- 1820), mainly as a deterrent against Napoleon's expansionism in the Caribbean, however, it never saw any action. The fort can be viewed from the lookout point beyond the tennis court. We no longer visit the fort as it is now considered unsafe by government engineers.

ROOM SERVICE: Room service is available for breakfast. Simply fill out an order form, available in the folder in your Cottage or at the bar and leave it with the head barman or the restaurant staff by 9:30 p.m. the night before. For room service lunch or dinner please make arrangements in advance for the appropriate menus to be delivered to your room.

SUNBATHING: Please note that we do not allow topless sunbathing on the beach, at the swimming pool, or at other public areas.

TAXIS: We will be happy to arrange a Taxi for you. Simply inquire at our reception desk.

TELEPHONES: Full telephone service is available at the office. After office hours, see the head bartender. No phones or Internet access in the rooms.

TENNIS: Use of the tennis court is complimentary both during the day and at night. For night playing however, lighting tokens must be obtained from the Front Office. Sign up for play at the Front Office. If you require a Tennis Pro for lessons or a partner, our Front Office staff would be happy to make these arrangements with Peter Nanton for you.

TRANSFORMERS: These are available for your use from our Front Office.

TRANSPORTATION TO ST. VINCENT: Our ferry runs 24 hours on demand. However, if you plan to be in St Vincent later than midnight, please inform security and the boatman.

VALUABLES: For the mutual protection of guests and management, we request that cash and valuables be placed in the hotel's office safe. For your added convenience safes are also provided in each cottage.

WAKE UP CALLS: If you require a wake up call, please inform the Front Office the night before. When the Office is closed contact the head barman, or security.

WATER: Our source of water is high in the mountains on St. Vincent. It is pure, unadulterated, and perfectly safe to drink from any tap on Young Island. Please use it conservatively.

WATERSPORTS: Our Beach Attendant is a qualified Windsurfing Instructor and arrangements for lessons can be made with him.

Snorkel equipment, Sailing dinghies, Pedal boats, & Windsurfers are available with our compliments, for use of these, arrangements must be made with the Beach Attendant. While the foregoing are all on a complimentary basis, a charge for all items will be entered on your account when you receive them and full credit will be given on their return in original condition to the Front Office.