2 Week Itinerary Martinique to Antigua

[Seaadventurers]

Hi...currently planning a trip for April 2019. We plan to charter two boats in Martinique with plans to travel one-way to Antigua over a two-week period. We could also drop the boat off in St. Barts but I think that would require too much sailing and not recreation.

Any suggested itineraries? I am not familiar with Dominica so don't know whether we should budget any time there or not. Definitely want to spend some time in Guadeloupe and the Saints. Any experience in this region? How many days to get a good feel for the area?

We know Antigua pretty well and have been to the island twice now. Would love to sail to Barbuda if that is still allowed. My understanding is that the island is not deserted (was never much there though for tourists). However, their 18 mile long beach on the west side of the island is attractive for a day or so.

Any help is appreciated.

[MV Alchemy]

Dominica is wonderful - definitely worth spending several days there. Les Saintes is also very nice, but not as interesting as Dominica. It depends what you are looking for - Antigua has great food and entertainment but Dominica has raw nature and beauty. Montserrat is worth a trip too I think - not too far from Antigua although the anchorage is rolly so best to stay only for the day.

[masonc]

Don't go to St. Kitts, you'll spend your time filling in forms and paying fees to Government. You'll also be threatened with a $100,000 fine for being out of compliance with the Caricom Advanced Passenger Information System. Avoid St. Kitts.

[Augi]

This is a great thread.

A cousin and I have chartered a Pogo 30 out of Le Marin, Martinique for 8 nights and 7 full days(Jan 18-26), through Open Sail. (see link)

https://www.open-sail.com/index.php/.../pogo-ria-ea,5

We have both chartered in the BVI's a number of times and participated in Antigua Race Week but never sailed out of Le Marin or nearby islands.

Any thoughts / suggestions for the itinerary would be greatly appreciated. Plus any advice in general for sailing those waters. Specifically we have heard it is possible to have negative experiences depending on where you stop in St Vincent and St Lucia.

When sailing south from St Lucia in an effort to get to Bequia, if we only anchor for the night in St Vincent where would be the best couple of stops.

In general there are three choices for the itinerary: Circumnavigate Martinique, Sail north to Dominica, Guadeloupe and back, and Sail south to St Lucia, St Vincent, and may be as far as Mustique, then back to Le Marin.

A sub option to sailing north is sail one way to Guadeloupe. The charter company has a base there and offers the option to sail one way.

I ordered Doyle's Cruising Guides for the leeward and Windward Islands. I am supposed to receive today. It would be great to know about any other books, guides or resources or online that would be helpful.

The emphasis for the trip is on the sailing. We are good with doing a lot of miles, but will anchor each night. We don't mind doing a couple of 50-60+ miles hops in including to get back to Le Marin as long as the conditions are not terribly adverse to doing so. After that we want to catch fish, snorkel and maybe do a couple of hikes. Other than the nature and stopping for provisions(fresh fish, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and diesel if needed), we have no interest in seeing any of the sites, etc. We prefer to anchor out in as natural places as possible versus a marina. The Pogo 30 has a 3 ft draft when the keel is retracted. Hopefully that will give us access to more uncrowded more natural, and more comfortable anchorages.

We will be trolling for fish while sailing. Pretty much we just want to catch as many eatable fish as possible. Within that tuna is at the top of the list. Any suggestions about how to achieve the above objective for fishing would be great.

[Seaadventurers]

Originally Posted by Augi

This is a great thread.

A cousin and I have chartered a Pogo 30 out of Le Marin, Martinique for 8 nights and 7 full days(Jan 18-26), through Open Sail. (see link)

https://www.open-sail.com/index.php/.../pogo-ria-ea,5

We have both chartered in the BVI's a number of times and participated in Antigua Race Week but never sailed out of Le Marin or nearby islands.

Any thoughts / suggestions for the itinerary would be greatly appreciated. Plus any advice in general for sailing those waters. Specifically we have heard it is possible to have negative experiences depending on where you stop in St Vincent and St Lucia.

When sailing south from St Lucia in an effort to get to Bequia, if we only anchor for the night in St Vincent where would be the best couple of stops.

In general there are three choices for the itinerary: Circumnavigate Martinique, Sail north to Dominica, Guadeloupe and back, and Sail south to St Lucia, St Vincent, and may be as far as Mustique, then back to Le Marin.

A sub option to sailing north is sail one way to Guadeloupe. The charter company has a base there and offers the option to sail one way.

I ordered Doyle's Cruising Guides for the leeward and Windward Islands. I am supposed to receive today. It would be great to know about any other books, guides or resources or online that would be helpful.

The emphasis for the trip is on the sailing. We are good with doing a lot of miles, but will anchor each night. We don't mind doing a couple of 50-60+ miles hops in including to get back to Le Marin as long as the conditions are not terribly adverse to doing so. After that we want to catch fish, snorkel and maybe do a couple of hikes. Other than the nature and stopping for provisions(fresh fish, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and diesel if needed), we have no interest in seeing any of the sites, etc. We prefer to anchor out in as natural places as possible versus a marina. The Pogo 30 has a 3 ft draft when the keel is retracted. Hopefully that will give us access to more uncrowded more natural, and more comfortable anchorages.

We will be trolling for fish while sailing. Pretty much we just want to catch as many eatable fish as possible. Within that tuna is at the top of the list. Any suggestions about how to achieve the above objective for fishing would be great.

I’m the OP and we have finalized our itinerary. We have two boats in our flotilla with one boat returning in 10 days and one in 14 days. Both boats are heading north from Martinique.

Basically, we have two stops in Martinique on the west side of the island. Then two in Dominica with possible hikes there. From there, we spend several days in The Saints with a number of short sails. From there we return one boat at in Guadeloupe and the other in Antigua. You would likely not have time to get to Antigua, but your willingness to do 60 miles n a day is impressive!

[Augi]

Originally Posted by Seaadventurers

I’m the OP and we have finalized our itinerary. We have two boats in our flotilla with one boat returning in 10 days and one in 14 days. Both boats are heading north from Martinique.

Basically, we have two stops in Martinique on the west side of the island. Then two in Dominica with possible hikes there. From there, we spend several days in The Saints with a number of short sails. From there we return one boat at in Guadeloupe and the other in Antigua. You would likely not have time to get to Antigua, but your willingness to do 60 miles n a day is impressive!

Yes, Antigua is too far from Le Marin in 8, nights, 7 days. We won't decide if we go north, south or circumnavigate Martinique until we arrive in Le Marin. It will depend on the forecasted conditions. After that we will have a plan A, B, C.... determined mainly by conditions. Our primary objective is to have as much safe fun as possible sailing a Pogo 30. It is a guy's trip so we are free to have the above as the overriding objective.

I just received the Doyle's Cruising Guides for the Southern Leewards and for the Windwards. They are very recent(post recent hurricanes), and detailed as to land and sea. I recommend getting the applicable Doyle Cruising Guides, if you have not already done so. Unfortunately, to cover where you will be, you will need to get the guide for Southern Leewards and Windwards if you want to have info for Martinique. But well worth the $20-$30, or whatever.

[Seaadventurers]

We have the guide that covers north of Martinique and agree t is very good. I do not believe the guide for Martinique has been updated with n quite some time.

[Augi]

Originally Posted by Seaadventurers

We have the guide that covers north of Martinique and agree t is very good. I do not believe the guide for Martinique has been updated with n quite some time.

The Doyle Guide 2018 edition was just released. That is one I just relieved.