{"id":47342,"date":"2021-10-20T18:18:02","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T22:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=47342"},"modified":"2023-05-06T18:16:53","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T22:16:53","slug":"what-are-the-best-anchorages-in-the-caribbean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/story\/destinations\/what-are-the-best-anchorages-in-the-caribbean\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the Best Anchorages in the Caribbean?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"St. <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Almost every Caribbean cruiser can agree on this matter: The anchorage beneath the Pitons on St. Lucia is quite memorable.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

My friend Larry Tyler and I have known each other and sailed the Caribbean together for years. Larry has been chartering The<\/i> Dove<\/i>, his 54-foot Bill Crealock-designed yacht, in the islands for 30 seasons. So he was the natural person to ask perhaps a not-so-simple question: What are your favorite places to drop the hook in the Caribbean<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat criteria do we use?\u201d he wondered. \u201cWhat defines a desirable anchorage?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want clear water for swimming, and to see the sunset each evening,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

He took that simple yardstick and ran with it. \u201cIt must be unspoiled, a near-empty place,\u201d he added. \u201cWith good holding ground and access ashore. My charter guests want it calm, with no swell. A nice local or French restaurant ashore is always a must. Certainly, no bugs and good snorkeling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cA small village with a farmers market, and trails for hiking ,\u201d I countered. With these conditions in mind, we set about drawing up our lists. Mine included three coves in the British Virgin Islands. Larry began in Anguilla. We both ended up in Grenada, at the southern end of the chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Antigua\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n There\u2019s something for everyone on the beautiful, historic island of Antigua, which is renowned for its 365 beaches: one for every day of the year.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnse Colombier on St. Barts is my ideal,\u201d Larry said. \u201cNo roads, no houses, no bars, no restaurants, a great beach and hiking trails. And the town Gustavia, with a patisserie, is a 2-mile dinghy ride away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cFive Island Bay and English Harbor on Antigua are my favorites,\u201d I replied. Then again, there\u2019s Deshaies and Les Saints on Guadeloupe, and Saint-Pierre and Sainte-Anne on Martinique. Choices, choices! We both agreed that the anchorage beneath the Pitons on St. Lucia is memorable. I liked Bequia, though Larry insisted it\u2019s getting too popular. He preferred Cumberland Bay on St. Vincent and Chatham Bay on Union Island (where he and his mate, Justina, spent much of last year during lockdown).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

I must say, I could spend a month in any one of these anchorages. But when push came to shove, Larry and I jotted down our notes on eight great, specific Caribbean anchorages. You can\u2019t go wrong with any of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Five Island Bay, Antigua<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

Larry and I sailed The Dove<\/i> into Five Island Bay late one night in November 2019\u2014the conclusion to a three-week delivery from Maine. When I awoke the next morning, the sun was peeking over a series of small hills that encircles this large, open bay. We were the only boat anchored in paradise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

If you get in close enough to the exclusive Hermitage Resort, you might pick up its free Wi-Fi. Evenings, the jazz singer at the resort will lull you to sleep, then it goes quiet by 10 p.m. Half a dozen coves and beaches encircle the bay, but few boats anchor there. I\u2019ve never seen more than five at a given time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

There, then, is solitude. But a mere 12-minute dinghy ride brings you into Jolly Harbor, an extensive marine complex that\u2019s more Fort Lauderdale than Caribbean. There\u2019s a marina there, a boatyard, fuel dock, restaurants, and the best supermarket on the island. There are rental cars, a marine chandlery and a pharmacy, and you can clear in and out there. Pretty much all the bases are covered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"English <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The bustling dockside scene at that sailing mecca, English Harbour.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

English Harbour, Antigua<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s only so much solitude a sailor can take before needing to get back to civilization. An hour away from Five Islands is one of sailing\u2019s great meccas: Falmouth and English harbours. That fall, before the pandemic hit, we anchored The Dove<\/i> off Pigeon Beach. Falmouth is a large harbor with lots of room. Most everything you need can be found in the village of English Harbour: fuel and water, a chandlery, a sailmaker, a repair yard. A lone farmer has his stand by the dinghy dock; the laundry is directly across the street. The Seabreeze Cafe, next to the Yacht Club, has Wi-Fi, and restaurants abound in this village devoted to sailing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Huge mega-yachts, liveaboard cruising boats, dinghies, bareboat charter yachts, paddleboarders, and everything else that floats come and go all day long. There\u2019s always something going on there: the Charter Yacht Show, the Classic Yacht Regatta, Antigua Sailing Week, a lone rower paddling in having just crossed the Atlantic. As I said: whatever floats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a short walk to Nelson\u2019s Dockyard and a step back into the 1700s. This restored British naval base has a museum, bakery, rum locker and the famous Admiral\u2019s Inn. Yachts are docked stern to, with more riding at anchor out in Freeman Bay. Heading up to Shirley\u2019s Heights for the sunset ritual\u2014a rum punch, a steel band and a view\u2014is well worth the 30-minute hike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Deshaies\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n An open-ocean crossing of 48\u00a0\u00adnautical miles will then bring you to another world altogether: the quiet anchorage of Deshaies, Guadeloupe.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Deshaies, Guadeloupe<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s 48 nautical miles of open-ocean sailing from Antigua across the waters to the lee of Guadeloupe and Deshaies, a small harbor tucked in between two tall cliffs. I could spend weeks there\u2014and in fact, I have. It\u2019s there you clear into France. The customs and immigration \u201coffice\u201d is a computer inside La Pelican Boutique. This small, one-street village is not on the cruise-ship ports or the tourists\u2019 bus excursions. It\u2019s a residential town with three small groceries stores and the best tomatoes and pineapples I\u2019ve tasted. The patisserie opposite the dingy dock has fresh croissants and baguettes every morning (though your coffee comes out of a coin-operated machine). There are a few boutiques, an ATM, three dive operators, and rental cars, but no yacht services or supplies. Wi-Fi is available at Le Madras, a thatched-roof cafe right on the beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Just around the corner is a mile-long sandy beach. Take the dinghy around and anchor outside the break, or walk over on marked trails, around or up over the cliff. An hour south is the Cousteau Underwater Park, ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving. A hiking trail follows a stream that runs down from the mountains, tumbling over boulders and splashing into pools just right for a swim. A mile south of the village is an extensive botanical garden park. My family and I spent half a day there last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

The holding ground in the harbor at Deshaies is not great, so make sure your anchor is well-set. The wind can occasionally come blasting through the mountain valleys. An East Coast storm will send swells into Deshaies, and conditions will become uncomfortable and dangerous. I recently had to up-anchor and escape those swells. It must be said: Paradise often comes with her blemishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Les <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Just a handful of miles south of Guadeloupe will bring a southbound cruiser to the magical cluster of small isles known as Les Saintes.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

South of Guadeloupe: Les Saintes<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

Les Saintes is a cluster of small islands with a single village, 6 miles south of Guadeloupe. Last year, we found a vacant anchorage between T\u00eate Rouge and Pain de Sucre, in 30 feet of clear water. There are other anchorages among these isles, but the closer into the village of Bourg des Saintes, the more crowded it becomes. Our solitude meant a 10-minute dinghy ride into town\u2014nothing too onerous. Ashore, the village hadn\u2019t changed since I was there 20 years prior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s Larry\u2019s take: \u201cMornings, we sit at a bakery on the beach with coffee and croissants, watching the village wake up. On my last visit, French schoolchildren, in uniforms, scampered past as shopkeepers swept the pavement in front of their stores, their colorful fabrics and local artworks spilling onto the sidewalks. We had the entire village to ourselves. Then, the first of a dozen ferry boats arrived at the town pier to disgorge hundreds of tourists from the mainland. The village was now abuzz, the single street packed. There are electric mopeds and bikes to rent, restaurants galore from which to choose, roads and paths to walk, beaches to visit. Fort Napoleon is a short hike away. But we had to mind those daredevil motocross kids as they zipped past!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe crowd quickly thinned out, heading to the beaches to the south and east. This went on all morning, with the reverse in the afternoon. By tea time, we again had the place to ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Market <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The colorful market at Sainte-Pierre on Martinique is an inviting spot to reprovision.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Sainte-Pierre, Martinique<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s 70 nautical miles from Les Saintes down to Sainte-Pierre on Martinique. In other words, it\u2019s an all-day sail with strong winds and higher seas between the islands. That said, you can stop midway for a few days of respite in the town of Portsmouth, on Dominica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

On our last visit to Sainte-Pierre, we furled the sails and motored into the open roadstead along the port\u2019s narrow beach. The only suitable anchorage is a narrow shelf that extends less than 500 feet from shore. Depths fall off quickly to 1,000 feet. If you can\u2019t find a spot there, try a bit farther south, under the monument. Ashore, we found the restaurant we dined at 10 years ago, and the family tucked in for dinner. This town is extremely French and not touristy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

We rented a car and drove into the mountains to explore. We found a deserted and overgrown turnoff. The kids scampered down the slope to a cascading stream, and my wife, Julie, and I followed. There, we found small waterfalls, deep pools, smooth boulders, and spillways. We spent two hours slipping and sliding, swimming and floating in the cool pools. No one else was around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Sainte-Pierre has a volcanic history, and there\u2019s a museum to visit; the streets are lined with shops; and a large open market next to the dinghy dock has fresh local fruits and veggies. We filled our basket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

The cultural and economic differences between the French islands and their other Caribbean counterparts is striking. Guadeloupe and Martinique are large isles, with modern infrastructure, excellent highways and real cities. You could be on the Cote d\u2019Azur. By contrast, while the former English colonies were left to fend for themselves, the country of France still holds claim to their islands, and spends lavishly on their tropical offspring\u2026to the lament of the French people stuck back home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Cumberland <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n In St. Vincent\u2019s alluring Cumberland Bay, a pair of fishermen are on the lookout for their evening\u2019s supper.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Cumberland Bay, St. Vincent<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

Halfway down the west coast of St. Vincent is a small cove, Cumberland Bay. \u201cThis is my favorite anchorage,\u201d said Larry\u2019s mate, Justine. \u201cIt\u2019s the real Caribbean. You can smell the jungle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are no tourists, no cruise ships, and room for just a few boats,\u201d Larry seconded. \u201cYou have to tie off astern to a coconut tree on the beach. There are no streets, stores or shops, but there are a few barbecue shacks and restaurants on the beach. The fishermen there are very nice, and they are eager to meet you and talk\u2014and of course, sell you fish! You can buy bananas, coconuts and vegetables from local farmers, and some of the men will organize a pig roast for you, right on the beach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Trails lead up into the mountains, the two main villages are a mile inland, and there\u2019s a cricket pitch and sports field next door. Cricket is a major sport on many of the former English islands. Get to know your wickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Tobago <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n For sailors, the Grenadines is the gift that keeps on giving, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the Tobago Cays.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Union Island, the Grenadines<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

Larry and Justine spent the first 10 months of the pandemic lockdown in the Grenadines, a string of small islands that includes Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Union and the Tobago Cays. It was early April 2020 when they arrived at Union Island\u2014the last yacht allowed into the territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe anchored in Chatham Bay for months and months,\u201d Larry told me. \u201cIt\u2019s on the west side of Union, and like Cumberland, it\u2019s the real Caribbean. There are no stores, just a dirt road leading over the hill to town. There are a few cottages for the fishermen who live there, and in good times, a couple of fish shacks serve up barbecued fish, chicken and lobster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"anchorage\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Dropping the hook in a picturesque anchorage.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe fishermen came by every few days to sell us tuna, red snapper, lobsters,\u201d Justine continued. \u201cAshore, there are hiking trails, the snorkeling is good, the water clear and clean. We got to know a fisherman and his wife who live on the beach. Larry helped them wire up a solar cell so they could charge their cellphone. There\u2019s no electricity there! They invited us to spend Christmas with them, which we did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Port <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Port Elizabeth, on the island of Bequia, wraps up our list of Caribbean gems.<\/span>\n David H. Lyman<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

Bequia Island and Port Elizabeth<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

The Dove<\/i> and two dozen other liveaboard yachts made Bequia home for much of the pandemic year. The harbor of Port Elizabeth and its small town had everything they needed: stores, an open fish and produce market, a chandlery, plus a few restaurants. They hiked the island, explored the beaches, snorkeled on the reefs, and worked on the boat. \u201cThe people were very happy to see us,\u201d Justine said. \u201cThere was a potluck dinner somewhere each week for the cruising community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

So there\u2019s our shared list, which begs yet another question: Which is the best? It\u2019s hard for me to choose a favorite Caribbean anchorage. I like them all, each for a different reason: shopping, snorkeling, hiking trails, waterfalls, and either the solitude or the shoreside community. It\u2019s the \u201cgoing back\u201d to see each again that I like and appreciate. It\u2019s like a good book, painting or photograph\u2014you see so much more on each repeated visit. It might not be the island that has changed; maybe it\u2019s me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

The important things are these: The deep blue Caribbean Sea spreads out before the bow; the mast and mainsail tower into a blue sky above; the green mountains of the next island rise up from the horizon. I\u2019m back in the Caribbean, and that\u2019s what matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

David H. Lyman is a professional \u00adphotographer, author and frequent contributor to <\/i>CW. For more on Larry and Justine, and their travels on <\/i>The Dove, visit their website, <\/i>thedove88.com<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n

Planning Your Caribbean Escape<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n

As vaccinations ramp up, more and more islands will hopefully be open to accepting guests, those arriving on planes and by yacht. Now is the time to begin researching your options, be it on your own boat, chartering a bareboat, or on a crewed charter yacht with a skipper and chef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

The eastern Caribbean has hundreds of islands in a 500-\u00adnautical- mile arc, from the Virgin Islands down to Grenada. It is possible, even desirable, to explore the entire eastern Caribbean in a single winter season; but then again, you could stretch it into a lifetime. After all, you\u2019ll want to linger in each anchorage for a week or two, even a month. A one-week charter might include an island or two, and you can do the BVI in two weeks. But the last thing you want to do down there is rush around. Here are what I consider eight groups of islands, each worth a full two weeks of exploration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

  • The Virgin Islands: US and British<\/li>
  • Anguilla, St. Martin and St. Barts<\/li>
  • Antigua: with 365 beaches and two dozen anchorages<\/li>
  • The big French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique<\/li>
  • Dominica: Ashore is worth a few days<\/li>
  • St. Lucia and St. Vincent<\/li>
  • The Grenadines: Bequia down to Union Island, including the Tobago Cays<\/li>
  • Grenada and Carriacou<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n

    You can go anytime, but the best weather is late fall and late winter into spring, when the weather is more settled and the bareboat charter rates come down. To begin planning, you\u2019ll need Chris Doyle\u2019s cruising guides to the Windward and Leeward islands (doyleguides.com). Doyle updates his guides yearly with detailed information on shoreside amenities, hikes, shops and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

    In the old days, before Doyle and the internet, there was \u00adlegendary Caribbean cruiser Don Street\u2019s Cruising Guide to the Lesser Antilles<\/i>. You can still find used copies online. My copy is from 2000, but as Street would say, \u201cThe rocks are still in the same place.\u201d Street\u2019s guide is for serious sailors and navigators, and includes compass bearings on approaches to all anchorages (remember, this was before GPS and chart plotters). If you are looking for secluded anchorages, Street has them, but they are often difficult to enter. Street, now in his 90s, is still racing sailboats in Ireland. His website is full of good stories and advice (street-iolaire.com).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

    Finally, download the Navionics app, then download the individual charts for the entire island chain (navionics.com). This app provides three valuable tools: You can zoom in and view detailed charts of each anchorage; there are notes and recommendations from ActiveCaptain cruisers who have been there and have the latest updates; and the app has a tool to measure distances between waypoints, and to estimate course and distance for route planning.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Seasoned cruisers pick eight top destinations including Antigua and Tobago Cays.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"David Lyman","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"20211020","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"162","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"David Lymand and Larry Tyler select the top eight anchorages in the Caribbean. Antigua is home to several of the best anchorages, as are the Grenadines.","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"D4EK4QUXHJCIXOPHYWFJOTZZIM","arc_website_url":"story\/destinations\/what-are-the-best-anchorages-in-the-caribbean\/","custom_permalink":"story\/destinations\/what-are-the-best-anchorages-in-the-caribbean\/","arc_subtype":"right-sidebar","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":0,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":true,"labels":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[767,196,205,339,206,836,1834],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47342"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47342\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}