Passage from Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Barth's ending St. Marten

[YOWER]

Greetings CF

I return again in search of sage counsel.

We are considering a 10 day catamaran charter from Antigua including a 10 day passage to St. Marten via St. Kitts and St. Barth's. We would be doing this in January, so will enjoy the fresh Christmas trades and a largely downwind / beam reach sail. However, how lumpy things get out there is a real consideration. While I personally have offshore experience through one Newport-Bermuda run, none other of the two or sailors do.

That said, I would very much appreciate insight and advice from all who have done this routing or parts thereof. Both passage and anchorage commentary welcome. This would entail far more sail time for some of our new to sailing crew and thoughts on that aspect welcome as well.

Best
YOWer

[Privleoplag]

what do ya do? If anything's going to happen, it's going to happen out there.
St. Kitts to St. Bart's may not be much fun. Ya just never know.

[Zanshin]

I just did the St. Kitts/Nevis to St. Martin run yesterday; it was a howling sled ride with wind on the beam. I had 2-3 reefs in the genoa and a bit more than 2 in the mainsail and still averaged around 8.5 for the whole trip including the very slow bit around St. Martin's north end. The seas were a typical 1.5m (6-8) with some big ones mixed in - about what you'd get in January.
You're best bet is to clear out of Antigua and head straight downwind to Nevis, clearing in at Charlestown port. The anchorage at Pinney's beach looks open but is usually pretty calm the mooring balls are secure (they prefer you not to anchor). Cross to St. Kitts but avoid anchoring off Basseterre - it is a miserable rolly anchorage. St. Kitts has a lot to offer, I love Brimstone Fort.
From St. Kitts you'd need to beat a bit to Statia (St. Eustatius) which is off the beaten path but interesting. If the seas and winds are calm then the next stop would be Saba, otherwise a beam reach to St. Martin if the winds have a southerly component.
From St. Martin you'd hit St. Barths and then comes the big one.
I usually do Anse Colombier to Deep Bay on Antigua; it is about 88NM in open seas which can be lumpy. Depending upon your catamaran, winds, waves and willingness to motorsail you can do this from sunrise to sunset. From a night in Deep Bay you can motor around the corner to Jolly Harbour and clear in.

[YOWER]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I just did the St. Kitts/Nevis to St. Martin run yesterday; it was a howling sled ride with wind on the beam. I had 2-3 reefs in the genoa and a bit more than 2 in the mainsail and still averaged around 8.5 for the whole trip including the very slow bit around St. Martin's north end. The seas were a typical 1.5m (6-8) with some big ones mixed in - about what you'd get in January.
You're best bet is to clear out of Antigua and head straight downwind to Nevis, clearing in at Charlestown port. The anchorage at Pinney's beach looks open but is usually pretty calm the mooring balls are secure (they prefer you not to anchor). Cross to St. Kitts but avoid anchoring off Basseterre - it is a miserable rolly anchorage. St. Kitts has a lot to offer, I love Brimstone Fort.
From St. Kitts you'd need to beat a bit to Statia (St. Eustatius) which is off the beaten path but interesting. If the seas and winds are calm then the next stop would be Saba, otherwise a beam reach to St. Martin if the winds have a southerly component.
From St. Martin you'd hit St. Barths and then comes the big one.
I usually do Anse Colombier to Deep Bay on Antigua; it is about 88NM in open seas which can be lumpy. Depending upon your catamaran, winds, waves and willingness to motorsail you can do this from sunrise to sunset. From a night in Deep Bay you can motor around the corner to Jolly Harbour and clear in.

Thanks very much. Meant to add that this would be a one way charter. We'd pay the premium to avoid the return bit.

YOWer

[poiu]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I just did the St. Kitts/Nevis to St. Martin run yesterday; it was a howling sled ride with wind on the beam. I had 2-3 reefs in the genoa and a bit more than 2 in the mainsail and still averaged around 8.5 for the whole trip including the very slow bit around St. Martin's north end. The seas were a typical 1.5m (6-8) with some big ones mixed in - about what you'd get in January.
You're best bet is to clear out of Antigua and head straight downwind to Nevis, clearing in at Charlestown port. The anchorage at Pinney's beach looks open but is usually pretty calm the mooring balls are secure (they prefer you not to anchor). Cross to St. Kitts but avoid anchoring off Basseterre - it is a miserable rolly anchorage. St. Kitts has a lot to offer, I love Brimstone Fort.
From St. Kitts you'd need to beat a bit to Statia (St. Eustatius) which is off the beaten path but interesting. If the seas and winds are calm then the next stop would be Saba, otherwise a beam reach to St. Martin if the winds have a southerly component.
From St. Martin you'd hit St. Barths and then comes the big one.
I usually do Anse Colombier to Deep Bay on Antigua; it is about 88NM in open seas which can be lumpy. Depending upon your catamaran, winds, waves and willingness to motorsail you can do this from sunrise to sunset. From a night in Deep Bay you can motor around the corner to Jolly Harbour and clear in.

He wants to end in St Martin I think, so the return trip isn't an issue.

In a cat, so all the anchorages should be reasonable, even Statia.

I'd go to White Horse bay on St Kitts and try to fit in Barbuda. Nothing there, but I like nothing

Just checked though as I will do that journey soon again. The trip to Antigua is not the nicest passage. A windward bash, a motorsail probably and more like 77nm, but with a bit of beating maybe 100nm. Everything else, a doddle. What goes down must come up again, if you know what I mean.

[Zanshin]

White House Bay on St. Kitts is a great anchorage, poiu (I think your spell-checker corrected that name) and is very protected. I ended up renting a car on St. Kitts while remaining anchored in White House Bay last time and it was perfect, except for the very long walk from Basseterre to White House Bay after I'd returned the car

I don't have my chartplotter on, but I think it was 88NM direct line from Anse Columbier on St. Barths to Deep Bay on Antigua - but it is a moot point as the O.P. isn't going to have to do that trip (lucky them!).

With a cat I'd then certainly plan on Statia (rent mopeds, climb the volcano and do descend to the caldera) and Saba - those two islands aren't visited by the hoi polloi and will be special experiences for you.

[barnakiel]

Not lumpy.

Mind in between the islands the water is open and the ocean may roll in. It is less lumpy then if you do not sail high but rather ease the sheets on departure then sail back towards the line once the wind drops off. Ah, yes, the wind drops off, behind the tall islands. I think Dominica is particularly wretched for this.

Guadeloupe can be easily sailed inside a gunshot. One often runs out of wind only for short whiles there.

Not much in the way of routing: take off, sail some, stop for a day, go ahed, stop, etc. Easy and pleasant sailing. Relax.

Sailing the lee of Montserrat you can see a whole big town covered in volcanic ash. Quite a sight.

Have fun! Take pictures.

Cheers,
b.

[faa50]

We are sailing mid-week next week from St. Maarten with stops in Saba, St. Kitts, Nevis and then Antiqua, pretty much the reverse path of your charter. Forecast is for East 90 degrees, Northeast 70 degree winds 15-20 kts with 4-6 ft seas.

Couple of things to consider: Christmas Winds - St. Maarten to Antiqua famous for these winds, if you are not already familiar might be a good idea to familiarize yourself with sea state and wind conditions; You can plan for .6kt favorable current setting northwest in Antiqua Passage, reducing travel time; Distances as the "crow flies" ranges between 23 nm (Saba to St. Maarten - Simpson Bay) to 50 nm (Antiqua to Nevis). St. Barts to Phillipsburg, St. Maarten 12nm. Very little if any tacking required. Most sailing days duration range between 3-9 hrs. Most in the 3-6 range if you average 6 kts. SOG. For folks who enjoy sailing this is terrific. Folks in a hurry to get somewhere well not so good - but then why are then on a sailboat to begin with?

In 10 days, this allows only the highlights to be enjoyed at each destination but for many that works just fine. Its a great sail and one worth making. If 14 days doesn't break the budget or cause one to loose their job back home might be worth considering.

[Zanshin]

faa50 - have fun on your charter, I'm in Grand Case now and waiting for better winds to take me to the BVI.

The leg from Nevis to Antigua is going to be 100% motoring since you are going directly into the wind (here the Xmas winds would make it a bit better) unless you are willing to do those 50 miles tacking upwind and upwave. If you aren't worried about going through the Narrows that might change the wind angle a bit, but it is still a miserable slog. Oh, and if you haven't sailed around Nevis before, the southern waters remain at less than 150 feet for a long way out, and they are peppered with fish traps. Those aren't nice fish traps either, if you are lucky they'll be using an empty Tide bottle which has a nice red color, if you are unlucky they are using clear plastic bottles which make for excellent camouflage.

[faa50]

Zanshin - we are live aboard cruisers, probably confused us with OP. Chris Parker is forecasting NE winds (60-70 degrees) for mid-next week. I'm hoping that gives me the 35-40 degrees off wind to carry us close hauled to Antigua, if not we'll be motoring. The Narrows would help the angle, but at present not considering.

Mid April wife and I sailed from Anquilla (Road Bay Harbor) to Virgin Gorda Sound 72 nm. Pretty much a sleigh ride whole passage. We averaged 6-8 kts, with 15-20 knot East winds (gusts to 25 kts) and 4-5 ft seas - easy seas as they were off the quarter - did reach 11.2 kts one point. One or two squalls but is to be expected and are seen a long way off. Virgin Gorda Sound is relatively easy bight to enter at dusk as it is lit.

We spent two enjoyable nights at Grand Case on the hook prior to sailing over to Anquilla. Other than the loud beach music at 2 am we enjoyed our stay there.

Fair winds,
Fred
s/v Take It Easy

[Starblossom]

Made the same passage many times.
I would suggest
falmouth to nevis-it is worth taking a tour around nevis
nevis to st kitts-make sure you take a tour of the fort/ it is incredible
st kitts to statia- its a roadstead / not much to see - make a quick tour
then depending on weather go to saba or st barths - both are terrific and should spend time on both - no harbor on saba / but there are moorings on sw corner that are ok.
then st barths to st marteen.
most of these are short hops( les then 50nm) and you are going in the right direction and should have favorable winds, with the possible exception of saba to st barths
enjoy

[hogHunter]

We spent Christmas a couple of years ago in the bay in Ile Forchue (the tiny island between St. Barts and St. Martin).



It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL and breathtaking. On Christmas morning we swam into shore and climbed the little mountain for a spectacular view.



The second one from the right is our boat that we cruised on for a year during our mini early-thirties retirement a couple of years ago.

Definitely a can't miss destination!