St. Martin and the Windwards

[Chuck Howard]

We are heading off for a 2 week bareboat in the Windwards and would welcome some suggetions as to the best places to go. We have cruised extensively in the Leewards and the BVI, so we decided to expand our horizons this year.
We will be picking up the boat in St. Martin. We are divers and enjoy sampling all the best that the Caribbean has to offer :cubalibre

Thanks

[Hud3]

Hi, Chuck.

Two weeks will give you a chance to see a fair amount. Be sure to get a copy of Chris Doyle's Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands. You'll get a lot of ideas of what you might want to see from reading it.

I'm sure you'll spend some time poking around St. Martin. Don't miss the fabulous restaurants in Grand Case, and Tintamarre is a nice lunch stop.

On St. Barths, Anse du Colombier is a pretty anchorage with hiking ashore. We rented a car in Gustavia and did a little touring and visited the pretty beach at Saline. Stop at little Ile Forchue for some snorkeling and stark, moonscape scenery. You can hike there, too.

Nevis is an easy day's sail from St. Barth's (45 nm). If you get down this way, my advice is to clear in at Charlestown in Nevis and anchor off the Double Deuce restaurant on Pinney's Beach. There are a number of fun beach bar/restaurants along Pinney's Beach. Basseterre, St. Kitts is not a very good spot to anchor or clear in for a variety of reasons. You can visit the bays on the SE peninsula of St. Kitts easily from Nevis. Ask the customs agent to list them on your cruising permit.

Saba is uniquely beautiful and the people are friendly. The moorings at Ladder Bay are exposed, so you'll roll uncomfortably if there's a swell running, but it's fine in settled conditions. The diving in Saba is excellent--not to be missed. Contact Dive Saba to make arrangements.

Antigua is probably out of reach on a two week charter, unless you particularly want to see it and don't mind the loooooong upwind beat to get there.

You should have a great time.

[btrayfors]

I'm confused. If your intent is to explore the Windwards, why pick up a boat in St. Martin (in the Leewards)? It's a long ways, as Hud pointed out, to Antigua and points south which are the "best of the Caribbean". Like the Grenadines.

My son just returned from a diving trip to Antigua. Great time. Great destination but, again per Hud, a loooong way from St. Martin.

Maybe I didn't understand something?

Bill

[Hud3]

Gosh, Bill, I was trying to be subtle! Maybe "windwards" was a typo!

[Chuck Howard]

My apologies, I was working with new typing fingers yesterday. We are heading to the Leeward Islands not the Windward. We have enjoyed many wonderful weeks exploring the Windward Islands and love the Grenadines! I must have been thinking of the Piton Beer and snorkeling at Tobago Cays when I was typing.
That said, any insight on the Leewards would be most appreciated.
The lost navigator… Chuck