Petit St. Vincent (better known locally as PSV), which lies 40 miles south of St. Vincent, is a paradise of softly rolling hills spread over 113 acres surrounded by two miles of white sand beaches.

PSV has been tamed just enough to allow for the presence of 22 discreet and simple, yet luxurious cottages. Lying well off the tourist mainstream, PSV could be best described by what is not there. There is no airport, no formal check in, no keys. There are no televisions nor are there telephones in the cottages.

Above all however, there is privacy. Here, amid untouched nature and surrounded by warm, crystal-clear, turquoise water, one senses that the island is one’s own.

The truly hermitic guest need never meet another visitor. Room service is available for all meals, either in your own cottage or at any other location on the island. Most guests however, choose to make use of the resort’s beautiful bar and dining room for at least some of their meals.

Adventures

Petit St. Vincent resort has many activities on and around the island for you to enjoy all at no additional charge.

Sailing and Kayaking We have steady breezes that are perfect for sailing here at PSV. At the dockhouse we have Hobie Cats, Sunfish, windsurfers, and glass bottom kayaks.

Snorkelling If you want to snorkel off our sandy shores, snorkelling equipment is available at the dock (exceptional opportunities are only a few yards from the beach).

Petit St. Richardson Petit St. Richardson is a small sand spit island not far from PSV, great for snorkeling and swimming. A picnic lunch for two can be arranged there for the ultimate getaway.

Tennis There is a lovely lighted tennis court surrounded by fragrant flowers and bushes, where guests play during the cooler hours of the day.

Hiking A hike to the summit is not to be missed. The path winds through untouched tropical jungle and past banyan and rubber trees with local orchids nestling on the branches. At the top, the views of the surrounding islands and ocean are magnificent; there is a sense of utter tranquility.

Day Charters If you would like to go off the island, we have day charters and scuba diving that are not included in the price.

The sailboat Jambalaya and the speedboat Jahash are available to take you to the Tobago Cays or neighbouring islands. Personal itineraries can be made for a fun filled day of snorkelling, fishing, or just exploring.

Scuba Diving We can arrange for scuba diving instruction and equipment rentals from Grenadines Dive, owned and managed by Glenroy Adams from Union Island.

Massage and Facial Care Lisa is a British-Grenadian therapist living on the neighbouring island of Petite Martinique. She will come to Petit St. Vincent by request.

History

PSV is not owned by a resort chain. It is the personal creation of Haze Richardson, who lives on the island with his wife Lynn and their four yellow labs. Chances are he will be on the dock to greet you, and will often spend time chatting at the bar in the evening. Haze and Lynn’s picture of what makes a perfect island hideaway permeates every detail of PSV. Petit St. Vincent is the Richardson’s own home which they share with guests who return again and again.

In 1962 Haze finished his tour with the air force and with a flying buddy, Doug Terman, bought a yacht and sailed off into the horizon with no timetable or final destination. Their sailboat was the Jacinta, designed by Samuel Crocker and built in Massachusetts in 1931 of mahogany over oak frames. A seventy seven foot schooner, she had sitka spruce masts and magnificent lines. They sailed from New York to Bermuda and then headed south to the islands. En route, they met an agent who agreed to sell charters on their boat.

Their first customer was a Mr. H.W. Nichols and family of Cincinnati, to be picked up in Grenada and cruised to Martinique. During the three week cruise, Mr. Nichols expressed a desire to purchase an island.

The following year Haze and Doug sailed the Grenadine chain in search of that island. They anchored at the then uninhabited Petit St. Vincent and learned from the people on neighbouring islands that it was owned by a lady living high up on the hill on nearby Petit Martinique. It was rumoured however, that she would never part with her island. Finally allowing them into her home to talk, she liked them and eventually agreed to sell.

Arrangements were made between Mr. Nichols, Doug and Haze to purchase the island and build a small hotel. In May,1966 they returned to PSV and began to clear the necessary land.

Life in those days, even in the Grenadines, was not easy. There was no water, electricity, food or communication. They had only the marine radio on Jacinta, where they lived for the next seven months. Their commute however, was only the short ride to the beach and their meals were caught to order (literally!) by the cook who dived off Jacinta for lobster, fish or conch, with only a few minutes notice.

Haze and Doug’s mission was to build the hotel and find a manager for it. But before completion in December 1968, Mr. Nichols asked Haze to stay on as a "temporary" manager. He did, and now, thirty years later, Haze is the owner and manager of his own vision of paradise.