Best Direction to Travel in Caribbean

[janicew13]

This was first year of cruising in the Caribbean & are now in Trinidad for hurricane season. Trying to figure if it would be best to work our way slowly up the Windward & Leeward Islands starting in Nov. or better to go quickly up to PR or Virgin Islands and then slowly work our way back down. Just checking based on the best use of the winds for sailing.
thanks

[osirissail]

Very generally speaking the eastern Caribbean winds are east to east-northeast in the winter months and east to east-southeast in the summer months. So you can win very often when heading up or down the Windwards until you get to Guadeloupe or Antigua and then can head west.
- - The strategy I have used for several years is to island hop up the Windwards moving from island to island when the GRIB files show favorable winds. In between we visit and explore each island waiting for weather and winds.
- - We were used to Grenada/Trinidad weather and temperatures and when we got to the Virgins nearly froze out butts off (70's and 80's F there).
- - So there really isn't much to whether you rush up or not. Normally we chose the islands we missed last time down or repeat our favorites. Unless, of course, you have a reason to "hurry" to get to the Virgins.
- - We greatly prefer the Windwards to the Leewards, so take our time heading north and then do any hurrying on the return trip south again. Just personal preference.