|
|
|
|
Where to go on your Sailing Vacation |
|||||
The Virgin Islands By far the most popular charter area (and the easiest to sail) is the Virgin Islands. These Islands are more sheltered from the open ocean than other Caribbean areas, they are much closer to each other and there are numerous quiet anchorages. You rarely need to sail more than an hour or two to get from one place to the next, and will quite often stop somewhere for lunch and end up somewhere else for dinner. There are over 200 crewed charteryachts currently available in this area. We have inspected most of them. 
If you are a first-time Charterer we strongly recommend the Virgins unless you have prior Blue-Water experience. This is unquestionably one of the finest sailing areas in the world and very easy to navigate. There are dozens of quiet anchorages to enjoy, many excellent spots for diving and snorkeling, a variety of shore excursions are possible and you can always find something going on in the evening, it that's your goal. Most smaller yachts operate out of St Thomas as it's easier to fly into, though you'll sail into and spend most of your time in the British Virgin Islands. The larger yachts that carry more than six passengers operate out of Tortola in the British Virgins rather than St Thomas as at present U.S. laws do not allow most yachts to carry more than six passengers. Hopefully this law will be changed one of these days and there is a movement afoot to petition Congress to do just that. Which Island you start and end at is far less important than the yacht and crew that you select for your voyage. 
The Leeward Islands
These islands lie southeast of the Virgins. St Martin, St Barts, St Kits, Anguilla and Antigua are most easily recognized names. Unless you care to stay close to home you'll do some day-long passages in this area, often in fairly rough conditions. For those who enjoy lots of sailing the Leewards are an excellent choice. One of the things that's particularly Appealing about this area is the variety in both topography and cultures. Some islands are high and mountainous while others are low and sandy. Some islands were British and are now independent, like Antigua and St. Kitts. Anguilla remains a British protectorate, while St. Barts is French and St. Martin half Dutch and half French. Fierce battles were fought by the European nations for control of these islands before the days of refrigeration when salt, spices and sugar were valuable commodities used to preserve food. Each Island has it's own unique culture and is of great interest to history buffs. Excellent seven and ten day itineraries are possible in this area, and one-way sails between St. Martin and Antiqua can be arranged. One advantage to sailing in this area is that non-stop flights are available from the USA to St. Martin. The French West Indies The romance of the Caribbean comes alive in the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique which lie mid-way between the Leeward and the Windward islands. There are fewer yachts cruising this area than others due to licensing restrictions by France. Some knowledge of French is useful when sailing here as the majority of the people you'll run into speak little if any English. The standard of living is higher in the French Islands than in those that were formerly British. Apparently French colonialism was kinder to the Island residents under their jurisdiction. We particularly recommend stopping at the small group of islands just south of Guadeloupe known as the Isles des Saintes. You'll love them. There are some fairly long sails required in the French Caribbean, but much of your sailing is in the lee of a large island and rough passages between the islands rarely last more than three or four hours. The Windward Islands Here the seas are rougher going than in the Virgins but calmer than found in the Leewards, and sailing here is a logical progression after several charters in the Virgins. The highlight of your cruise is sailing in the Grenadines, which lie between St. Vincent and Grenada. Visiting the Tobago Cays is a must....the water colors are so spectacular that you'll have a hard time believing what you are seeing! Distance between islands is not as great as in the St. Martin area once you get down to the Grenadines. However, there is a day-long sail from St. Lucia down to Bequia (the most northern of these islands) or a day long sail up from the southern end of Grenada to Carriacou, just south of the Grenadines. We recommend beginning and ending your trip in St Vincent if you only have a week to spend here. If you can spare ten days, a delightful choice would be to begin in St Lucia and end in Grenada. This will give you a variety of island to visit, both large and small. |
|
|
|
