If you would like a winter break, there are great sailing conditions in the Caribbean . A constant warm wind on the beam makes the sailing between the islands very exciting. Cruising in the Caribbean gives you the perfect opportunity to explore exotic islands, deserted shores and beaches and see places which are difficult to access other than by yacht.

Northern Child is superbly equipped for blue-water cruising. She is professionally run by a skipper and a hostess/cook. If you have children there is plenty to occupy them once the sailing is finished, including snorkelling, the beaches and towing the donut behind the dinghy! We also have a 4 metre dinghy and 25HP Yamaha outboard motor which allows us to make good trips ashore once we have arrived in an Island .

In the Caribbean there are three main charter cruising areas, the Grenadines between St. Vincent and Grenada , the Leeward Islands from St. Martin to Antigua and the Virgin Islands .

The Grenadines stretch from Bequia, to the very rich and perfect Mustique, to the fantastic Tobago Cays to the very quiet Petit St Vincent ending just north of Grenada .

The scenery and underwater environment are amongst the most beautiful in the Caribbean , with the Islands being most famed for the clarity of the water and the pristine condition of the reefs. None of the Islands are far apart so the area gives a fantastic blend of exciting sailing, snorkelling and diving, and exploring new Islands .

Follow the breeze and go island hopping. Set sail from St Vincent and drop anchor at Mustique where you can enjoy a tropical cocktail and watch the sunset at the renowned Basil's Bar. Then set course for Mayreau and the absolutely perfect white sand beach at Saltwhistle

Bay . A visit to the Tobago Cays, a quartet of idyllic islets, is a must.  Set sail to Canouan - 'the island of turtles' - and enjoy its seclusion and pristine white-sand beaches.  Union Island is a popular port of call for yachts. The private resort islands of Palm and Petit St Vincent are also worth a visit for lunch or a cool drink on their beautiful beaches. Call into Bequia and discover that age-old traditions of boat-building, sailing and fishing are still very much alive.

Antigua itself is one of the major yachting centers in the Caribbean ; it has a rich history and in the 18th century, the famous Nelson's Dockyard, English Harbour , was the base of the British Fleet in the West Indies . The island has beautiful beaches, deeply indented bays and has perfect sailing conditions year-round.

Heading first west from Antigua is St Kitts and Nevis, another twin island nation. Next in the chain going west is St Eustatia (Statia), a small island with a big

Going south from Antigua takes you on another fascinating tour. First stop is Guadeloupe , the main island in the French West Indies and shaped like the wings of a butterfly. A few miles south, les Iles des Saintes is an irresistible group of islands, more French than the French themselves with mountains climbing to 1,000ft and numerous white sand beaches. Then Dominica , an awe-inspiring mountain with deep valleys, dramatic gorges, waterfalls and pinnacles. This lush green island has an abundance of tropical birds, butterflies, fruit trees and brightly coloured flowers.

The entire island chain is only 50 miles or so in length, with protected waters created by the natural topography of the islands, and superb year round weather (usually in the mid 80s). The islands' jagged coastlines have numerous excellent harbours with easy anchoring conditions. Because of the proximity of the islands to each other, navigation is mostly by sight. Coral reefs are generally deep and with the clarity of the water, well marked or visible in the few risky areas. On shore, excellent restaurants and colourful sailors' pubs abound. And the shops and native markets of St. Thomas , St. John and Tortola offer a wonderful sampling of colourful island culture.