Guadeloupe, good and bad, advice sought

[Bullshooter]

Thanks for the replies. Happytogether, what did you mean by "Pap nit so much"? And can you tell me more about how challenging the sailing was near Guadeloupe? You may be right about taking it in steps.

[Zanshin]

There are not many protected anchorages on Guadeloupe. On the northwest side on Basse Terre there is Deshaies, which is a bit open in a north swell, then all the way down that coast there isn't much apart from the anchorage inside Pigeon Isle. Once on the south you always get some really nasty winds and seas going to the Saintes, or beating up and NE into the first bigger marina (Point-a-Pitre. Then on Marie Galante you have no real protected anchorage in bad weather, and few on Grande-Terre. And even though the Iles des Saintes are among my favorite places to be, there is no great shelter there in very unsettled conditions. I've been there and rolled from toerail to toerail at anchor and realized that the closest protected anchorage was several hours sail away.
This is a marked difference to the BVI where once can sail without much planning since there are sheltered anchorage (and shoreside bars and restaurants) almost within a stone's throw of every place on the islands. It means that sailing in Guadeloupe is more challenging in that a situational weather-awareness is necessary as well as some charts and lists of anchorages and, finally, the willingness to spend a day or night in uncomfortable conditions if one makes an unwise choice.
The stretch between Guadeloupe and the Iles des Saintes is always surprisingly rough - both waves and winds somehow funnel through here to make for conditions that are just on the wrongs side of being called "fun".

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Bullshooter

... Happytogether, what did you mean by "Pap nit so much"?...

PaP = Point-a-Pitre
nit so much = not so much

[happytogether]

Gord may and zanshin answered for me correctly.

PAP was okay to see and fly out of but not really a stop for some people for a weeks caribbean cruise. I agree that the saintes are a favorite stop. The land activities there are cool and it's just beautiful. We stopped at Cousteau park twice and loved it but these are long distances by sail.
I would suggest a st Martin, st barts, Anguilla itinerary for your "breakout" from BVI sailing. St barts is quite possibly the coolest island on earth but after a few days we want to go somewhere less fancy. After all we are sailors aren't we. St Martin has grand case, lie pjnel, ile fourche etc. Anguilla has road bay with great beach bars like Elvis and pump house. I would recommend this to you. If I had taken my wife to guadeloupe for our first cruise she may not have opted for a second.
Zanshin I like the way you think!