Why the Caribbean is the perfect sailing destination
The diversity of the Caribbean makes it a wonderful region to explore from the sea. Colourful landscape, seascape, rooftops, boats, clothes, and even the language! There are thousands of beaches, rum stocked bars, turquoise waters and wonderful people. The beauty of the islands is that for all the things the islands have in common, there’s also much that makes them different.
The Caribbean is a large area and we cannot cover it all each Caribbean sailing season, but we do our best! The area we are currently sailing in is known as the Lesser Antilles, a chain of islands running from the Virgin Islands in the north down to Grenada in the South. This chain of islands is further separated into the Leeward Islands to the north end of the chain, and the Windward Islands to the south (see map tab).
The Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands of the Caribbean span some 200 miles and include ten main islands. As you will see anchorages vary from sophisticated harbours to deserted white-sand beaches, and sailing conditions vary throughout. Up in the northeast from Anguilla to Saint Martin and onto St. Barts passages take a few hours, making for easy and leisurely cruising. Further south, the passages become longer, so you can really experience trade winds and ocean swells.
Travelling south, the next island group includes Saba, Statia, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Montserrat. These are the newest of the islands, with Montserrat still growing! The final group of Leeward Islands includes Barbuda, Antigua, Guadeloupe and Dominica. These islands’ landscapes vary tremendously, ranging from pink beaches to mountainous and jungle-like terrain, all of which are great when exploring from the sea and ashore.
The Windward Islands
From the French island of Martinique, the Windward Islands stretch southward almost 200 miles to the island of Grenada. Fortunately, they lie almost exactly across the easterly trade wind, which makes for fairly easy passages up and down this part of the island chain. They are just far enough apart to allow for some wonderful sailing in the open water before being able to dive into a secluded bay.
There are four main islands – Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada. Between St. Vincent and Grenada lie the Grenadines – a group of tantalisingly beautiful islands with picture-perfect white beaches, crystal clear waters and colourful reefs, all waiting to be explored from the sea and ashore.
Sailing Holidays in Style
If you have not been to the Caribbean before, you really must come. And if you have been before, then you know you want to come back! Whether you are travelling solo, as a couple or a group, you will have an unforgettable sailing holiday with BlueFoot Travel. So select a sailing destination, and join us onboard Yacht Nemo and experience an unforgettable cabin charter.
