Carribean Islands

Few places on earth rival the Caribbean as a sailing destination. The northeast trade winds blow reliably from December through April, making the winter months the classic sailing season, though adventurous souls venture out year-round.

Barbados is a natural starting point for many Atlantic crossings, offering excellent provisioning, warm hospitality and a lively sailing scene centered around the Careenage in Bridgetown.

St. Lucia is arguably one of the most dramatic anchorages in the world. Sailing into Marigot Bay or dropping anchor beneath the twin volcanic peaks of the Pitons is an experience that stays with you long after you've left.

The Grenadines - the chain stretching between St. Vincent and Grenada - are special. Tobago Cays, a protected marine park with five uninhabited islands, offers some of the finest snorkeling in the Eastern Caribbean, while the laid-back harbors of Bequia and Carriacou invite lingering.

Antigua has built its reputation as the sailing capital of the Caribbean. Home to the famous Antigua Sailing Week each April, its 365 degree beaches and the beautifully sheltered English Harbour provide a perfect base for exploring the Leeward Islands.

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are considered by many to be the ideal sailing ground in the whole Caribbean, with calm seas, short passages between islands and a well-developed infrastructure of moorings and marinas. The Baths on Virgin Gorda, a maze of giant granite boulders and tidal pools, are not to be missed.

Martinique and Guadeloupe bring a distinct French flavor to the mix - fine cuisine and a European atmosphere set against a lush tropical backdrop. Grande Terre and Basse Terre in Guadeloupe offer strikingly different landscapes within the same island.

The Caribbean is best sailed from east to west, running with the trades rather than beating into them. Allow yourself more time than you think you need, as the temptation to stay just one more day in each anchorage is irresistible! And always keep an eye on the hurricane season, which runs from June through November, peaking in August and September.