LOCATION OF THE ARCHIPELAGO

Located in the middle of the "Little Antilles", the Guadeloupe archipelago is a French department. It has a main island, Guadeloupe, and many other close islands: Les Saintes, Marie Galante, Petite Terre, La Désirade, or further: St Martin, St Barthelemy. 

Antigua and Dominique are also to be discovered from Guadeloupe.

This area is characterized by its geological variety (coralline and volcanic) and by its inhabitants...

Guadeloupe:  One windward island called Grande Terre, the coralline,  and a leeward island called  Basse Terre, the volcanic, are part of the butterfly shape. Guadeloupe island welcomes you with its spices, madras, walks through the rain forest, its volcano 'Soufriere', its wonderful white or black sandy beaches and its famous diving spot in the water park 'Cousteau'.   

Les Saintes, inhabited by blue eyed 'rastas',  descendants of Normans and Bretons, are about ten islets all together. 'Terre de Haut' and 'Terre de Bas'. To be seen absolutely: the colorful 'cases' (houses) with red roofs, the 'saintoises', traditional fishing boats, the people with the 'salako' hat, its 'pain de sucre' bay, one of the most famous bay in the West Indies.   

Marie Galante, the 'sugar cane kingdom' , carriages, rum distilleries, domino game, idyllic bays... a quiet life like in the good old times some centuries before... 

Petite Terre, a deserted islet off the 'Pointe des châteaux'... imagine two sandy islets dropped in the middle of a lagoon...:

Dominique island,  independent, is located south of les Saintes islands; Portsmouth anchorage is at the bottom of a green fall from volcanic high summits.  Do not miss the canoe trip into the Indian River with 'Macaroni', 'Laurence of Arabia' or 'Spaghetti' to guide you. This wild island protects the last Caribbean Indians.

Antigua, the English, with green summits surrounded by emerald lagoons, appeals the finest yachts in the world. It is a rendez- vous for fantastic regattas in April: the 'Classic Week' and 'Antigua Sailing Week'.

                    NAVIGATION

An easy sailing area, islands very close to each other around Guadeloupe, pleasant sailing for 20 miles about every day. Antigua is apart at 40 miles.

Numerous anchorages, varied and well protected in sumptuous surroundings. Some have fresh water, Antigua has very good marinas. 

CLIMATE

The West Indies have pleasant weather condition all year round thanks to the trade winds. The air temperature is between 25 and 30 C, the hottest in summer, water between 26 and 28 C.  

During the dry season (December to May) the trade winds are permanently between 15 - 20 knots. Local showers can bring some extra wind for a short period of time. 

During the wet season (June to November) winds are not that stable. It is also a season when tropical storms may appear (September October).

ON SHORE