Do you want a white sand beach all to yourself? Then head to Antigua in the Leeward Islands!
Antigua has grown as a world class sailing destination with the help of Antigua Sailing Week, https://www.sailingweek.com/v4/ in late April/early May. Yachts descend on this tiny island for a week to play chicken with one another to see who can sail closest to the reef.
The island gets higher seas then you see in the BVI, so you’ll need a yacht 40ft+ to cut through the east coast rolling swell. You must keep a careful watch of the charts and GPS to avoid the reefs that surround the island, but all the effort is worth it when you hit pristine anchorage and can’t see another yacht in sight.
Christopher Columbus discovered and named the island in 1493 and it was later settled by the English in 1632. Today Antigua is an associated state of the British Commonwealth of Nations. The island uses Eastern Caribbean Dollars which are pegged to match but they’re happy to accept most any currency you offer.
If you’re a history lover you will need to stop in English Harbor to view the relics of the English Naval Station that once stood there. If you enjoy looking at big white boats and dreaming, then head over to Falmouth Harbor where the mega yachts line up.
The only thing Antigua needs is more charter bareboat yachts! The island only has a few charter fleets so you might have to pay for a yacht to be transferred from St. Martin or Guadeloupe. Anyway it works out; you’ll know it’s all worth it the instant you see mesmerizing bright blue waters for miles around.
2014-04-02 18:55:19.000