Since late April 2026, nine cruising sailboats have been trapped ashore at a boatyard on the Caribbean island of Carriacou in Grenada, caught in a property dispute between the marina operators and a local family, according to local news reports and video documentation provided by affected sailors.
The standoff began on April 24, 2026, when a metal barrier was erected across the Tyrell Bay marina yard on Carriacou, cutting off the facility’s travel lift from the basin where vessels are normally relaunched. According to French sailor Lou Le Sommer, whose catamaran is among those stranded, the sudden closure trapped her vessel on blocks just as she was finishing routine hull maintenance. Le Sommer had planned to splash her boat on April 29 after hauling it out on April 19.
The Impact on Cruising Sailors During Hurricane Season
The blockade leaves foreign yacht owners unable to move their vessels back into the water, creating severe logistical and safety concerns as the region navigates the Atlantic hurricane season. According to affected sailors documenting the situation online via channels such as the catamaran channel Mistertong, the travel lift is the sole mechanical means of launching boats from the dry storage yard.
Le Sommer noted that her boat and eight other yachts remain stranded on the wrong side of the newly installed fence, isolated from the portique de levage. Affected owners state they have found no alternative path to the water while the land dispute between the marina management and the landowning family remains unresolved.
Background of Tyrell Bay Marina Operations
Carriacou, the largest dependency of Grenada in the northern Lesser Antilles, has previously faced severe meteorological challenges, including Hurricane Beryl, which heavily impacted the island. The current property dispute at Tyrell Bay directly restricts maritime access to the basin, halting standard haul-out and relaunch operations for the international cruising community docked at the facility.
As the legal and physical standoff extends past its initial months, stranded boaters continue to push local authorities for an intervention to clear access to the travel lift. Neither the marina management nor local representatives have yet announced a definitive timeline for removing the barrier.
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