Caribbean

Most yachtsmen sail in spring and autumn, and enjoy winter sports during the winter. However, the yachting break from autumn to spring is too long for some and they start thinking where they could sail in winter. One of the most visited “winter” yachting locations is the Caribbean Sea. Many Czech yachtsmen have already experienced sailing here and even more are now making plans to do so.

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Thanks to steady trade winds, hot and stable weather, a large number of beautiful islands, lovely people, good food and great diving, the Caribbean Sea is the ideal spot for yachting. The best time to sail is from mid-November to the end of May. When it is cold at home, it is hot in the Caribbean, with reggae, cocktails, sandy beaches and palm trees, so why not set sail for exactly this location.

Caribbean Islands

However much time you spend here, you will never feel as though you have seen enough. The local coastline will enchant you with its white, pink, and black sand, and crystal clear water merging with the blue sky far off in the distance. But this is only the beginning of what the Caribbean has to offer.

On trips into the wilderness, you will come across countless places of natural beauty such as volcanic peaks, deep valleys, natural water springs, rainforests and even desert. Each island is unique. You will see British fortresses, Spanish cathedrals, or fortified harbours on almost every larger island. Remnants of the period before European colonisation are also here.

Areas for sailing in the Caribbean Sea

Grenada

The Spicy Caribbean. That’s exactly Grenada. A lush, green, mountainous island with a wild jungle interior and the true Caribbean life on the coast with the warmest seas and beautiful diving. The windward side of Grenada provides a rich underwater life on a coral reef. Grenada is more suitable for experienced yachtsmen and is ideal for one-way sailing to St Vincent or St Lucia.

Sunset on the island of Grenada

St Lucia

Diamond of the Caribbean. Volcanic island, rainforest, a boiling lake and thermal waterfalls. Permanent sweeping winds, unrivalled panoramas, picturesque harbours, inland voyages of discovery, friendly joints and Caribbean cuisine that will enchant you. Saint Lucia, with an area of 616 km square, has a population of 174 000. The head of this island is Queen Elizabeth II. The main export item is bananas, which suggests that agriculture is the second most important form of livelihood, right after tourism.

Experience the sweeping winds between the islands and ocean waves, or enjoy the tranquility of the windward shore, palm beaches, picturesque bars, and undemanding but exciting snorkelling. The ideal place to head out from to nearby islands such as St Vincent, Tobago Cays, Mustique, and many more.

Saint Lucia has a variety of flora and fauna. You might come across one of the 50 specimens of the Amazona Versicolor, or Saint Lucia Parrot, which almost became extinct in the 1970s due to the hurricanes that raged here at that time. Despite that, in some cases this parrot can even be bred in captivity, its price is incalculable. Because this species of the Amazona Versicolor parrot lives only on the island of St. Lucia, it has become its national symbol.

Saint Lucia Amazon—national symbol of St. Lucia

Even nature lovers will find a lot to engage them here. In 2004, the two peaks of Gros and Petit Pitons were entered into the UNESCO World Heritage List. They originated 40 000 years ago and today make up the majority of a largely protected landscape area.

Discover the beauty of the island of St Lucia—Gros and Petit Pitons

Martinique

French culture in the Caribbean Sea combined with white-beaches and coral reefs, and the cradle of Caribbean rum. Sailing in the trade winds between tropical paradises. French civilization weds with authentic Caribbean culture. On Martinique, you will experience the undiluted Caribbean, without sailing out of it. If you do leave it, waiting for you in the south are Saint Lucia and Grenada, and the Dominican Republic in the north. Tropical islands straight out of the Pirates of the Caribbean. Don’t resist, and set sail. 

The catamaran is a popular boat in the Caribbean

Antigua

Antigua offers the perfect place to combine Caribbean parties, discerning sailing experiences, wildlife, and white sandy beaches (exactly 365 beaches on the island provide one beach for every day of the year). A warm sea and steady winds make Antigua the ideal yachting location.

The captivating beautiful landscape of Antigua

St Martin

Spanish-French influences, with a combination of Caribbean culture and the reputation of an island known as a place where you’ll experience a good party, make St Martin the ideal place to enjoy excellent Caribbean cuisine combined with live music and entertainment that you will simply never forget. The trade winds in the open passages offer exciting yachting for even very experienced yachtsmen.

British Virgin Islands, BVI (British Virgin Islands)

One of the most beautiful yachting locations in the world. A unique location in the Caribbean, providing yachting in a huge, enclosed coral lagoon. There are sweeping trade winds and, thanks to the coral reef, small waves offering easy sailing between islands just a few kilometres apart. This popular yachting location is so rugged that it can provide privacy for a large number of sailboats.

Cuba

Communism in the Caribbean has its own inimitable form. This open-air museum of socialism in this tropical paradise can perhaps only be understood first-hand, by someone who has lived in the communist regime. A unique destination with pristine seas, plenty of fish and a lack of restaurants. Cuba simply has fantastic, untouched nature that cannot be found anywhere else. Take a look at our boat rental offer in Cuba.

The capital of Cuba—Havana

The Bahamas and Abacos

Cruise from one beach with desert dunes to another in crystal clear waters. Undemanding yachting suitable for beginners with plenty of good anchorages. Ideal for an easygoing and relaxing boating holiday. Beautiful snorkelling in a shallow waters with abundant marine life.

Belize

Few people know that after the Great Barrier Reef, the coral reef around Belize is the second largest coral reef in the world. Belize, is an as yet undiscovered yachting paradise. This part of Central America is best defined by the words pristine and virgin. There are many low, palm islands and bars where you can order crayfish for the price of lamb in Croatia. Old Indian civilizations left traces of architectural monuments, hidden away in the surrounding primeval forests. In short, a land both exciting and unspoilt.

Weather and climate

Which boat is most suitable for sailing in the Caribbean?

Definitely a catamaran. The weather is always hot in the Caribbean and you will be spending most of your time on the upper deck. And you will find almost everything on the upper deck of a catamaran, except the cabins and toilets. You have a lounge on deck with a galley connected by large doors and a spacious cockpit. There is a lot of space there for sunbathing, including comfortable nets to lie on, between the hulls. The catamaran is simply the best choice for a relaxing sailing holiday in the tropics.

Anchoring

In the Caribbean, most wind usually blows from the same direction. Boats are equipped with good anchors and anchored often. You are either anchored at the beaches, or anchored bows-to, with your stern moored to shore with a long rope. In inhabited areas, a local will gladly help you moor to shore for a few Caribbean dollars. You must accept their help, as it is part of the local custom. If you refuse, you risk the local people’s disfavour.

What to look out for

Sailing in the Caribbean is permitted only during the daytime. Anyone who has seen the deep black darkness that takes over when there is no moon, understands the reasons for this very well. There are not many navigation lights in the Caribbean, and in fact, there are quite a few rocks and reefs which are at best marked with wooden stakes, these are invisible at night.

If you plan to sail near coral reefs, always sail when the sun is high and "read the water". Have someone at the bow, looking into the water and looking out to make sure there is enough depth. Don’t rely on maps, whether paper or electronic versions, near or around coral reefs.

Customs formalities

The individual islands in the Caribbean are usually independent countries. This means that when sailing between them, you must frequently register. And you really must register or risk a hefty fine and an unpleasant situation.

Gastronomy

The islands you visit in the Caribbean have for the most part, been influenced by American and French cuisine. On Guadeloupe and the surrounding islands, you can enjoy creole specialities such as Creole Sauce (sweet and sour) Boudins (small dark sausages), Accras (fried cod fritters), Boukit (a sort of fried sandwich), and Agoulou (a grilled sandwich mostly filled with ham, cheese, meat and eggs).

Bananas used for cooking are also a local speciality. A little larger than conventional bananas, these are fried and added to the main meal and known as "plantain" in French.

Everyone should take advantage of their time in the Caribbean by sampling some exotic fruit. What about trying some guava or passion fruit? We all know the mango, but it is much tastier in the Caribbean. Starfruit, though, is an almost unknown fruit to most—it is shaped like a star and the locals make a superb jam from it.

The Piña Colada in its natural setting

Naturally, white rum is an inherent part of the Caribbean, the most celebrated being the rum of Martinique. This white rum has an alcohol content between 40% and 60% and this is why it is most often served in cocktails such as Piña Colada, Cuba Libre, and the very popular aperitif, Ti' Punch, which is white rum with lime and cane sugar. These are basically similar ingredients to those used in a Brazilian caipirinha, but how it is served is different. Don’t forget to try Planteur—a liqueur from white rum and the juices of several different exotic fruits.

Fishing

There are still a lot of fish in the Caribbean and a good fisherman can catch enough fish for the whole crew. Predatory fish are caught here on bait dragged behind the boat (tuna, golden dorado and so on). Harpooners can also enjoy some wonderful hunting here at the edges of the islands where sea currents provide a lot of nutrients and there are plenty of fish. But beware of the strong currents!