CRUISING THE LEEWARD ISLANDS

Spanning some 430 miles and bordered by the Windward Islands to the south and the Dominican Republic to the west, the Leeward Islands include the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St Maarten, St Barthélemy, Saba, Sint Eustatius, St Kitts, Nevis, Barbuda, Antigua, Redonda, Montserrat and Guadeloupe.

The best time to visit is between December and April, when the temperatures are milder, the winds are consistent, and the risk of hurricanes and tropical storms are greatly reduced. During hurricane season (1 June-30 November), it is recommended that you sail south to Grenada or Trinidad. Make sure you check what your insurance requirements are.

Chris Parker of Marine Weather Center (www.mwxc.com) is the weather guru for the area. Cruisers can listen to the local cruisers net on SSB radio or receive daily emails advising on local forecasts and conditions.

If cruising between the islands, plan your arrival time so you don’t have to pay overtime at the customs offices. Often on weekends and after 16001700, the overtime rates are more than the check-in fees themselves.

Safety and security in the Leeward Islands is similar to the rest of the Caribbean. Precaution should be taken with your personal belongings and dinghies should always be secure. Lock your boat when you go out at night and take regular precautions with your belongings when out and about. We slept with our hatches open for the six months that we spent in the Leeward Islands and had no issues.

St Maarten is the best island for provisioning, with several large supermarkets selling French produce, along with numerous well-stocked chandleries. For this reason, many yachts use the island as a jumping-off point for their Atlantic crossing.

If you have limited cruising time, consider the islands of St Barthélemy, St Maarten and Anguilla, all within 20 miles of one another.

Book and charts

Chris Doyle has been cruising the Caribbean since 1980 and has produced detailed guides which are generally updated every two years. They can be found in most chandleries in the islands or bought direct at www.cruisingguides.com. His popular Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands has now been split into two guides: The Cruising Guide to the Southern Leeward Islands by Chris Doyle and Lexi Fisher, 16th edition (Cruising Guide Publications $31.95/£25.49); and The Cruising Guide to the Northern Leeward Islands by Chris Doyle and Lexi Fisher, 16th edition ($31.95/£25.49)

ERIN CAREY

Hailing from Adelaide, Australia, Erin and her family recently spent 18 months aboard their Moody 47 Roam, cruising the Caribbean before completing their first Atlantic crossing to the Azores. They have left Roam in Terceira and returned home. Erin runs the PR and communications company Roam Generation, helping fellow sailors and adventurers build their following by sharing their unique and inspiring stories. www.roamgeneration.com