Take part in this wonderful adventure sailing holiday in the Leeward Islands, the emeralds of the Caribbean
Take part in this wonderful adventure sailing holiday in the Leeward Islands, the emeralds of the Caribbean.
If you’re looking for Caribbean adventure sail that takes you to some of the most diverse and wonderful islands, this Leeward Island voyage is for you. Sailing between the beautiful island of St Lucia, renowned for its towering Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Antigua with its spectacular bays and lively culture, you some truly spectacular islands to discover en route. You can sail to the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, with their mix of French and Caribbean culture, with endless bays, coves and islets to discover. There is also the magnificent island of Dominica, known for its tropical rainforests, hot springs, volcanoes and wildlife. Get ready for jungle wreathed mountains, coral reefs, turtles, powder white beaches, charming villages and of course, superb adventure sailing.
Gloriously warm and sunny days, with sailing in the consistent E-NE trade winds makes for all but guaranteed superb sailing. It’s fairly short distances (20-25nm) between ports and anchorages allowing for relaxed sailing with plenty of time to explore. It’s the perfect voyage for both novices and experienced sailors.
You’ll be a central to the crew, with an operator ethos of full involvement for everyone, the highest quality training and the most gentle, supportive and friendly of environments. 90% + join solo making it brilliant for solo travellers. There is usually a 50:50 male to female mix, and the shared sense of learning and adventure makes for a very special atmosphere on board.
Highlights:
- 200nm as the crow flies
- Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe
- Day sailing and exploring ashore
- Lots of anchoring & RIB rides ashores
Why you'll love this adventure
- Perfect for solo travellers and groups of friends
- Spectacular Sea Life: The Caribbean offers a myriad of amazing sea creatures, marine life and birds along with hundreds of miles of coral life.
- Stunning beaches to relax on
Dates
Itinerary
No two adventure sailing itineraries are the same! That’s what makes it exciting and so special. If you complete an enquiry we can share an indicative guide to the voyage break down from training days, shore days and life at sea, but the actual trip will be decided by the weather at the time and making a plan with you the crew on arrival. No stops or routes are guaranteed therefore and this should be seen as an overview of what is possible.
What's included
- All food and accommodation on board
- Your own bunk and storage area
- Oilskins
- Lifejacket
- Daily tuition
- RYA Competent Crew
- Use of RIB & kayak
Not included
- Your connecting travel
- Sailing & travel insurance
- Meals you choose to eat ashore
- Alcohol
- Visas where required
Trip notes
Price
Min age
Accommodation
The 60 foot ocean going expedition yacht was previously a round the world race boat and was built for adventure sailing and long distance blue water sailing! The accommodation on the yacht is comfortable, warm and spacious. Each bunk is 6′ 7″ long and has its own USB charger and light. There are two toilets, a shower, hot water and lots of food!
You get your own bunk on board and sleeping is in one 8 berth cabin not private cabins. This gives everyone plenty of space and each bunk has a lee cloth that you can pull up for a cozy private sleep.
The expedition yacht has two heads (toilets) and two showers, a generous accommodation area and a smaller galley (kitchen) and saloon.
Meals
In three words… Nutritious, delicious and local. Expect to eat very well on board! Ocean sailing is an exercise in using food creatively but you can experience lovely warm meals, as much as you can eat, freshly baked bread and more. The operator can cater for most diets and have loads of fruit and veggies on board. If you have any severe allergies you must check before booking.
Everyone takes their turn at cooking. Don’t panic if you’re not much of a chef – you’ll get paired up with someone else, and the skipper will provide recipes as needed.
In Norway maybe you’ll have roast lamb with all the trimmings, in the Caribbean it may be baked plantain with ackee and butterbeans, and in the Azores, the crew look to find some of their famously sweet pineapples.
Who is this trip for?
Age and Experience: These adventure sailing holidays are open to anyone aged 18 – 70 years. Previous sailing experience is not always required so ask and we’ll share full details on the route.
Fitness to Sail: We believe that as many people as possible should be able to head out to sea and have a great adventure. However, it is essential for everyone’s safety that you are in a fit enough state to be on board.
Ability to complete the five exercises is a prerequisite for joining as a crew member.
Be able to lift 2 full bags of shopping five times, ten jumps with raised arms, stand on each leg for a minimum of five seconds, ten squats, ten step ups.
The exercises are not designed to be physically taxing and almost everyone should be able to complete them. Rather they are in place to check that you have the stability and basic physical condition to be on-board. If when you join the vessel the skipper believes you are not capable of completing these exercises, you will probably not be allowed to embark.
If you have any doubts at all about your ability to complete these exercises safely, you must contact your doctor before attempting them.
Additional notes
An adventure sailing holiday on board an expedition yacht is unlike any other type of holiday you could choose. It’s all about teamwork. Everyone gets involved in every task – cooking, cleaning, prepping, navigating, steering and trimming sails. The skipper and mate are there to show you how and keep things nicely organised to make for a happy crew on board. If you are looking for a beach holiday or a skippered charter, these sailing adventures are not for you. But if you want to be an integral part of an exciting expedition, then you will thrive. Importantly, no one should worry about needing to be good at everything (or anything!).
FAQs
Do I need experience?
For most voyages no, but complete an enquiry to confirm for this particular route. Full training is given on board in any case.
Do people come alone?
Almost everyone comes alone. Couples and groups are very welcome to join too. On the whole, however, most crew join solo and so if you are coming alone, you will be one of the crowd!
How many people are on board?
Except in exceptional circumstances, we limit the crew size to 9 (except for Atlantic crossings) plus two instructors. This means that there are enough people to sail the boat safely, but you will still have lots of time helming, navigating, trimming sails and such like.
Is this a sailing holiday?
Absolutely! First and foremost, it’s about having an amazing time. Sailing is about having fun, experiencing nature at its most majestic and gently pushing yourself to try and learn new things. This voyage will be a unique mix of sailing and training.
Who else joins?
You’ll be in the company of like minded individuals from all around the world. It’s an even mix of men and women and with an average age of 35-65 but we welcome sailors 18 – 70 years. Experience varies from none at all to Yachtmaster. Most of the crew would describe themselves as having a rusty Day Skipper.
What insurance do I need?
All crew must have adequate travel insurance in place for your sailing holiday. Please make an enquiry for this trip in order to get full details on insurance.
Will I be able to get RYA certification and training?
Training is at the heart of these voyages. The opportunities vary depending on the voyage and your existing experience. On Coastal trips, you can earn the RYA Competent Crew certificate. The price is included in the trip price. On Offshore trips, you can earn the RYA Competent Crew certificate and, with sufficient skills and experience, you can act as a Watch Leader and complete your qualifying passage for RYA Yachtmaster Ocean.
Tour operator
We love this sailing company’s ethos – to help people do three things: sail, train and explore. They are passionate about enabling people to experience life out on the open ocean, building sailing skills and exploring some beautiful countries. After years of training people to become professional sailors, and having covered thousands of miles between them, the company Founders realised that so many people had dreamt of setting off across an ocean, but hadn’t the skills, the boat or crew to make those dreams come true.
The company now runs expeditions on a specialised 60’ yacht to some of the most exciting places out there – often largely inaccessible from land. With no previous sailing experience required, the two instructors will guide you every step of the way as you develop your sailing skills, maybe even earning an RYA qualification during the week. Exploring on land as they go is just as important and the bikes and a kayak mean you can head off and enjoy everything there is to see along the route.
Enquire today
The Leeward Islands: Emeralds Of The Caribbean
Please complete the enquiry form above with as much detail as you can and we will send you all the trip information and connect you with the operator so you can make a booking directly.
If you have queries and questions about the trip include those in your form and we’ll personally reply to you within 24 hours.
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A most helpful, friendly and knowledgeable travel company!
Very helpful and provided lots of research material and excellent personal perspectives on the tall ship sailing trip I was interested in taking.— Martin
Excellent thoughtful service.
They were prompt and friendly, and so thorough and helpful in connecting me with my adventure.— Tina
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