Canouan Island
Set in the middle of the Grenadine archipelago, Canouan (ca-o-one) lies approximately 25 miles south of St. Vincent. A crescent-shaped island surrounded by wide shallows and coral - A scuba diver's dream.A barrier reef runs along the Atlantic side of the island. The highest point on the island is Mount Royal. A ridge with spectacular views runs the southern end of the island with sea on both sides. Beautiful white sand beaches line two bays, Glossy and Friendship, on the southern side. Flowering cactus adorn the hillsides of Canouan
Canouan is an island of only 5 square miles. Like its sister islands, Canouan's first settlers (circa 3,000 BC) were a nomadic people from South America collectively referred to as the Ciboney.
The next wave of migrants were the Arawaks who arrived around 250 BC by canoe. They brought with them the rudiments of farming and established corn and cassava crops. Living as one with the land for over 1,500 years, the Arawak people of Canouan were brutally displaced by the invading Caribs ("Cannoun" is the Carib word for turtle). The warlike Caribs succeeded in keeping the Europeans at bay through a series of aggressive battles. Possession of the Grenadines swung back and forth between the British and the French until the British defeat of the Caribs in 1797.
In 1770, during England's claim to the islands, King George III sent a team to survey for lands. Reputedly, Canouan was granted to five families -Brisbane, Decato, De Cazeau, Patrice and Snagg-with the latter family becoming the most powerful.
The Snagg brothers cultivated sugar and gradually accumulated lands until they held 1,700 of the 1,830 acres. When the price of sugar plummeted they switched to the cultivation of cotton. Wind-driven cotton gins were built at Carenage, Barbruce and Rameau. One of Snagg's sons invited the British shipwright, Benjamin George Compton, to teach boat building techniques. These boats became the basis for the whaling trade that was established in the area. While Bequia dominated the trade, two whaling fisheries were set up on Canouan.
After the hurricane of 1921 destroyed the village on the northern side, the island was resettled in Charlestown which provided greater shelter. In the mid-1990s, 800 acres were sold to an Italian consortium (Canouan Resorts Development Ltd.) who began the development of a luxury resort. Raffles Resort Canouan Island formerly The Carenage Bay Beach and Golf Club, designed by the Italian architect Luigi Vietti, occupies 200 acres.
