Yachtcharter Leeward Islands

The area of the Leeward Islands with its countless islands and varied landscapes from Anguilla to Dominica reveals its charm and diversity especially to sailors. Whether you want to explore secluded bays and dream beaches on your yacht charter with a catamaran or want to feel the northeast trade winds with your sailing yacht, at our bases we will find the right yacht for your Caribbean adventure.

Climate: tropical with temperatures between 28 and 32 degrees
Wind: Northeast trade wind
Sailing season: all year round with attention to the hurricane season from June to October
Strike points on: St. Martin, Guadeloupe, Antigua

Yacht charter Leeward Islands

The Leeward Islands form the northern part of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. The area from Anguilla in the north to Dominica in the south is very extensive, therefore it is recommended to limit a one or two week yacht charter trip to neighboring islands if you also want to get to know the country and its people. Especially sailors will find here the perfect opportunity to get to know the diversity of the islands and to experience bays which are difficult to access from land. Whether you relax on dreamlike beaches, experience the colorful coral reefs and the lively underwater fauna while snorkeling and diving, hike through dense rainforest or trace the origins of the islands on a volcano, the Leeward Islands offer a true Caribbean feeling.

The area offers constantly good sailing winds, in the hurricane season, of course, special precautions are required. Caution is also required when sailors leave the land cover of the islands. Attention is also required when navigating off the islands due to shallow coral reefs and possible changes caused by hurricanes.

Since the Leeward Islands belong to different countries, yacht charterers must clear in and out with their boat to cross the borders. Online systems such as www.eSeaClear.com (Antigua) and www.Sailclear.com (Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla) facilitate the process, and your data will already be on file. If you want to save yourself the trouble, you will find agents in the ports who will take over the official process for an appropriate fee.

In the north the island of St. Martin offers yacht charter bases, in the south Guadeloupe. There are almost daily flights to both islands. Here you can provision yourself for the trip and the other islands can be easily reached. A trip in the north or a trip in the south is possible:

Yacht charter tour in the north

St. Martin - (Tintamarre) - St. Barth - (Saba - St. Eustatius - St. Kitts and Nevis) - Ile Fourchue - St. Martin - Anguilla/Prickly Pear - St. Martin

For a northern cruise your yacht charter will start on the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten. During the last century the island has developed into a duty free shopping paradise and is a popular port of call for cruisers. Therefore, you will find many shopping opportunities to stock up on provisions and all necessities. Since the island is divided into a French and a Dutch part, you will have to use a yacht to clear in and out, which may not be practical given the size of the island. But with a dinghy, you can freely cross the border and easily explore, for example, the protected Simpson Bay Lagoon, the island's yachting center. For those looking for a bit of hustle and bustle, the main towns of Philipsburg and Marigot offer many stores, bars and restaurants. But also yacht charter guests will find attractive beaches and snorkeling opportunities on the island. For a swim stop the small island Tintamarre northwest of the island is recommended.

Head south to St. Barth Island, where the Rockefellers once owned an estate and brought luxury tourism to the island. Today it is part of a protected marine park and snorkeling and diving fans among yacht charterers can encounter turtles, rays and, with luck, dolphins here, for example in the beautiful bay Anse de Colombier in the northwest of the island. Central on the west coast is the town of Gustavia. Here in the main harbor you can spend the night and enjoy the French flair of the city. On the way there and back from St. Martin you can stop at the popular anchorage off Ile Fourchue.

Anguilla can be explored on your yacht charter either from anchorage to anchorage or from Road Bay you can also reach the interior of the island on foot or by bicycle. You can also ask cab drivers for a tour. Divers and snorkelers will be in their element here, as the island is known for its excellent coral reefs, for example north at Prickly Pear and Dog Island. However, it is not possible to stay overnight here.

For a two week yacht charter the volcanic islands of Saba and St. Eustatius are also worthwhile, especially for divers. Furthermore, the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis can also be included.

Yacht trip between the southern islands

Guadeloupe - (Deshaies) - (Antigua and Barbuda) - (Deshaies) - Iles des Saintes - Marie Galante - Dominica - Ilet du Gosier - Guadeloupe

In the south of the Leeward Islands you will find yacht charter bases in Guadeloupe . It consists of two main islands, Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, which are kept apart by the Rivière Salée. Basse-Terre is largely covered in tropical greenery and on a visit to the national park you can hike through the rainforest to the Carbet waterfalls and marvel at the still active volcano La Soufrière. On Grande-Terre, on the other hand, you can still see what were once the main economic assets of the Caribbean: Sugar cane fields and rum distilleries. Today, tourism is just as important and from the large marina of Pointe-à-Pitre, yacht charterers can take advantage of the countless shopping opportunities in the island's largest city. If you're here at Carnival time, you'll be right in the center of the spectacle. Three nautical miles to the east lies the island of Ilet du Gosier, a popular anchorage in the middle of a coral reef. Coming from the north or sailing north, Deshaies is a recommended stopover. The fishing village offers good supply possibilities and is situated in a beautiful and safe bay.

Around Guadeloupe are many side islands, which already fill a week trip: Iles des Saintes and Marie Galante in the south and Iles de la Petite Terre and La Desiderade in the east, but not all charter companies allow you to visit them. The Iles des S aintes are a popular meeting place for sailors. In the village Bourg des Saintes on the island Terre-des-Hautes you can find some restaurants. On the neighboring islands, on the other hand, things are quieter and yacht charterers can explore the islands on foot. Marie Galante is characterized by sugar cane plantations, old windmills and fishing villages. In the interior it is easy to hike. Main anchorage is Saint Louis in the northwest. The Iles de la Petite Terre are uninhabited and only the larger of the two may be entered. They are part of a national park and the clear water invites snorkeling. Iguanas and many species of sea birds live on the islands.

If you are looking for more nature, the island of Dominica is a true paradise with a rich flora and fauna. In Prince Rupert Bay in the northwest there are many anchorages for yacht charterers in beautiful surroundings and the city of Portsmouth is nearby. Saturdays are a good time for shopping at the market, and a guided tour on the Indian River is recommended. In the southwest lies the capital Roseau. From here, you should definitely plan a guided day tour through the green mountain world of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site. For those who enjoy swimming in warm spring water through natural pools and narrow gorges, a visit to Titou Gorge is also worthwhile.

Experienced sailors should plan a longer trip to Antigua and Barbuda. In Antigua there are also an airport and yacht charter possibilities.