If you are used to chartering in the Med it is worth noting that most companies in the Caribbean do not operate on a fixed turnaround day and will let you start any day of the week for any number of days over 7 - this can make a big difference on the price of flights.
We sailed a Sun Odyssey 42 DS with 2 cabins and 2 heads with Horizon Yacht Charters Antigua. It came with all the trimmings (pardon the pun, but Christmas is close!) - TV with DVD, generator and air conditioning, electric sheet winches and the compulsory Caribbean BBQ. Click
HERE to REQUEST A QUOTE for this boat.
The warning of coral reefs can be initially daunting for the uninitiated Caribbean charterer, however in practice as long as you are sure to check your route and follow the local cruising guide and base briefing you will not have any anything to worry about. You will find yourself mainly dropping anchor and the sand makes for great holdng. All the beaches are public so you can choose your spot, a number with bars where you can sit and watch your yacht with your rum punch in hand, beware though, as rum is one of the main exports from Antigua, the rum is cheaper than the mixers so be prepared for a generous helping!
If you are looking for something even more secluded then you head up to Barbuda. Its about a 5 hour sail so worth staying the night before at the north of Antigua and making an early start, Dickenson Bay being our choice (a number of bars and restaurants along the mile long beach). It is a bit of a trek to find a restaurant in Barbuda - but it is for the Sunset and amazing views that you are there, so maybe a night to BBQ on the yacht rather than eating out followed by a walk along the deserted 13 mile pink sand beach.
Below I've listed some of the places we visited during our week, but one that you simply cannot miss is Shirley Heights on a Sunday night. Tourists and locals all flock here on Sunday nights for the BBQ and live bands to accompany a pretty amazing panoramic view. Leave your yacht in English or Falmouth Harbour and get the taxi up the hill, be sure to take cash with you (EC$ or US$) and you are guaranteed a great night out.
The Bays and Marinas we visited and would recommend are Dickenson Bay, Deep Bay (look out for the sunken ship!), Five Islands Harbour, Jolly Harbour, Carlisle Bay, Falmouth Harbour, English Harbour, and Nonsuch Bay.
The restaurants and bars we visited and recommend are Gibson's (Crabbe Hill Beach), The Beach (Dickenson Bay), Shirley Heights (English/Falmouth Harbour), Al Portos and Melinis (Jolly Harbour).
3 very explosive reasons to go sailing in Sicily...
Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano may sound like a choice of pizzas but they are in fact three magnificent sights to be taken in whilst sailing in Sicily. If you are going for a week you have a few options on areas to sail but we chose the Aeolian Islands (or Lipari Islands) to the north east of Sicily. The lure of watching the lava spurt from the top of an active volcano at night was too much to resist - and definitely paid off. Drop anchor on the east coast of Stromboli by San Vincenzo, wait for sunset and head off to the north east of the island, and like clockwork the volcano erupts about every 15 minutes.
There are numerous bases from which you can start your charter from Sicily, but for the Aeolian islands you can consider Palermo, Sant Agata or Portorosa on the north coast, or Reggio Calabria on the mainland. From Palermo the first day is quite a long sail to get to the first of the islands, but it is closer to the airport.
Easyjet and Ryanair both have routes from the UK to Palermo, and when we booked both were £100 per person. We took a bus into Palermo and the train to Sant Agata which cost about €15 per person - a taxi would have cost about €200. The money we saved was spent wisely on Italian wine throughout the week.
We sailed a Bavaria 38 from the Kiriacoulis fleet based in Sant Agata, the perfect size to avoid some absorbent mooring fees. Click
HERE to REQUEST A QUOTE for this boat.
There are some good anchorages to be found, mainly on the east side of the islands but you can also choose to pick up mooring buoys or go in the town marinas. You will certainly pay for the privilege through, so be sure to check your cruising guide for an idea of price in various marinas before you arrive. Salina was the most expensive place we went to which reflected the fact it is the most exclusive of the islands and is home to the local choice grape.
If you are looking for some night life then Lipari Town is the place to go. There are a number of big ferries going in and out of the harbour so be sure to choose your mooring carefully if you value your sleep! The high street is bustling with many bars and restaurants open until the early hours.
Check out the photos by joining our Facebook group "LateSail Yacht Charters" or just click
HERE.
Antigua boasts some 365 beaches with some very exclusive hotels to match, and whilst I must confess that I would love to spend a year visiting a beach a day, I still have a day job and have not yet found the confidence to ask for a year long sabbatical.
