This is a bit of a deviation from normal site content. Which is what is great about having one's one website. No picky editor to argue consistency. Petit St. Vincent is a place everyone should know about, so here it is. Grease stains didn't seem appropriate so I'm going with the clich conch shell instead.

Petit St. Vincent is a special kind of place - as close as I'll probably ever get to owning my own private island in the Caribbean. One hundred and thirteen lush, tropical acres, two miles of white sand beaches and maybe 30 or 40 other guests to share them with. Or not. Fly a red flag and you disappear. No one will seek you out.

Petit St. Vincent is part of the Grenadine Islands, a bit north of Grenada as the frigate bird flies. These are the windward islands, separating the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. Trade winds blow day and night, off the Atlantic and across the island. Intrusive at first; soon a dependable friend. No need for air conditioning despite the year round temperatures in the 80's.

There are twenty two private cottages. Some right on the beach, others high aloft, cut into cliffs. All have a living room, dressing room and bedroom inside - outside, a private terrace or patio and a personal hammock for two. Total privacy. No neighbors in sight. No phones, television or computer connection either. Sanctuary. No forced fun, either. The activities director now swims with the fishes.

Communication is by the flag pole located along the road at the path to the cottage. There are two flags, red and yellow. Hoist a yellow flag and the ever-roaming staff will check the tube attached to the pole. With a yellow flag you can command morning coffee, breakfast in bed, a jitney ride across the island, afternoon tea, sunset cocktails, or dinner on the terrace. And whatever else you may need. The red flag signals your desire to be left totally alone. No visitors, except for perhaps the island owner's band of golden labs that have yet to have mastered the flag system. But they are gone as suddenly as they arrive.

A typical day. Coffee is waiting on the terrace when I awake. Breakfast arrives an hour or so later. All manner of tropical fruit and juices. Caribbean fish soup, eggs benedict (I customized them with salmon on one day, lobster on another), kippered herring, or any of the traditional breakfasts - eggs, pancakes, and french toast.

My cottage is on the windward side and the water is a bit choppy for relaxed swimming. So after breakfast, a stroll or hitched ride to the leeward side where private niches complete with hammock, table and chairs, and chaise lounges line the beach. Come lunch, either fly a nearby yellow flag for a lobster roll and an iced beer, or hike to the pavilion for the lunch buffet. Very bountiful. Chilled or warm soup, fresh fish and seafood, sliced meats, salads and a dessert or two.

Then again to the leeward beach or to the cottage to relax and rest up for afternoon tea. Later, the pavilion for cocktails followed by dinner. Maybe escargot to start, sautéed barracuda and some homemade ice cream for dessert. Each day's dinner menu is on the blackboard by lunch time. To read a sample menu, click the board on the right for an enlarged version. Well fed, stretch out on my cottages hammock under the Caribbean sky, comtemplating what activities to avoid the next day.

Next day for variety maybe take a hobie cat for a sail, snorkel the coral reefs off the island, or charter the sail boat or motor cruiser for a Caribbean adventure. Or maybe back to the hammock. Plenty of time for adventure manana, or perhaps next year.

Getting There: Fly to Barbados and Petit St. Vincent takes it from there. First an island hopper to Union Island where you are met by Petit St. Vincent's Captain. He transfers you from airplane to cabin cruiser for a 40 minute voyage to Petite St. Vincent. There you are greeted with a Pina Colada and hop on one of the jitneys for the trip to your cottage.

Pricing: Prices are on their website. My wallet and I prefer semi off season - mid November to mid December. The charge includes all meals and most everything else except for alcohol and charters. A 10 percent service charge is added and absolutely no tipping beyond that.