Whats the best route starting from Martinique for a year in the Caribbean?

[schilke]

Hi Cruisers,

We have just purchased a catamaran in Martinique. We have now one year to sail in the Caribbean. I am pretty lost in putting together a solid plan. All seems great, all seems interesting.


Can you guys recommend a route? How would you do it? We like the more quiet and less touristy places if that helps.


Thanks a lot!!

[wholybee]

Head south during the summer hurricane season. Head back north in winter. For less touristy places, get out of the Caribbean.

[schilke]

Where would you go north?

[AiniA]

North to BVIs and St. Martin, but add Saba and Montserrat to the list. Going south we very much enjoyed the French Islands, including the Saintes, Grenadines and Grenada. A lot depends on your interests.

[Stingo]

Sorry about the thread drift, but what sort of catamaran did you buy?

But I agree on what others have said about where to go and when

[schilke]

There don't seem to be a lot of people going to Cuba/Jamaica by boat? Any reason for that?

[schilke]

Originally Posted by Stingo

Sorry about the thread drift, but what sort of catamaran did you buy?

But I agree on what others have said about where to go and when

Lagoon 380 S2.. what else ;-)

[Stingo]

Originally Posted by schilke

There don't seem to be a lot of people going to Cuba/Jamaica by boat? Any reason for that?

In terms of the tradwinds and currents, it's difficult to get back to somewhere hurricane safe eg Grenada

[Kettlewell]

Follow the tradewinds and head south then west over to Colombia, the San Blas Islands, Panama, north to Central America and then up to maybe Florida and the Bahamas. Possibly Cuba along the way. As several have mentioned you need to get somewhere safe or at least a hurricane hole by the end of June. Or, you can stay down in Panama which is south of most hurricanes. You can be all by yourself in parts of the Southwest Caribbean and Central America if you want to. Easy to get away from the crowds.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by schilke

We like the more quiet and less touristy places ....

Originally Posted by schilke

There don't seem to be a lot of people going to Cuba/Jamaica by boat? Any reason for that?

I think I have a list of isolated anchorages with good protection and holding with a short walk to the grocery store. I'll root around and see if I can attach that here.

[schilke]

Originally Posted by Shrew

I think I have a list of isolated anchorages with good protection and holding with a short walk to the grocery store. I'll root around and see if I can attach that here.

That would be great! Would very much appreciate that!

[sck5]

We found that the "touristy" feel seemed to decrease as we went south. Grenadines and Grenada among our favorite places

[sck5]

re: cuba and jamaica - they are downwind of everything in the Eastern Caribe. Easy to get there but a tough slog to windward to get back again

[rickwest]

I bought my Lagoon 380 S2 in Martinique in 2015 I sailed south across to ABCs Columbia then Panama.
I found every anchorage on my way south was over crowded and Cats swing differently then Monos but the ABCs Columbia and Panama were not overcrowded . I went thru the canal never sailed north thru Central America.
Thief on boat was common then, lock your outboard and dinghy.
Now I am in Malaysia/ Thailand not so crowded no problems
Good luck with your 380 I have never had a single regret with my boat.
She carried us across the Pacific without innocent.
Best of Luck with your new adventure

[Nicholson58]

We have been live aboard cruising the Caribbean since 2016. The season is November to June. We do whatever is fun and or follows our friends. End of season is Power Boats in Trinidad for hurricane season. We are with the Salty Dawgs so we usually begin the season in Antigua, early November, for arrival of the fleet and 80 new best friends.

Martinique is a destination in itself. Take tours, visit many anchorages. Enjoy French customs, restaurants, bread, wine, distilleries.

I could go on forever.