Island hopping in the Caribbean Sea

IDEAL VOYAGE FOR…

Romantics, solo travellers, sun lovers, sailors and novices who want to see the Caribbean as working crew on a square rigger. Feel less like a tourist and experience island life as a sailor. No experience is needed as the professional crew will teach you to find buntlines and braces, clewlines and yard halliards. If you would rather be outdoors and active this winter and feel the wind in your hair then sign up before the mast. Eye of the wind is a sail training ship, but there is no deck scrubbing (unless you like the exercise). Guest crew can dip into the exciting stuff and not feel guilty resorting to the mattresses on the sun deck when there are enough volunteers to set a sail or take a turn on the helm.

VOYAGE HIGHLIGHTS

• A Caribbean Sea Journey with island stops
• Learn to sail a windjammer with a young and friendly crew
• Active sailing and manoeuvering on a 100-year-old tall ship … feel free to participate!
• Caribbean flair ashore
• Excellent onboard cuisine, delicious meals from morning to evening

FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

This voyage begins in the superb sailing grounds of Martinique. The  two nearby islands are Dominica to the north and St Lucia to the South

Saint Lucia is an Eastern Caribbean island nation with a pair of dramatically tapered mountains, the Pitons, on its west coast. Its coast is home to volcanic beaches, reef-diving sites, luxury resorts and fishing villages. Trails in the interior rainforest lead to waterfalls like the 15m-high Toraille, which pours over a cliff into a garden. (Information courtesy Wikipedia.)

The nature island of Dominica is just to the North and it would be hard to resist a stop here in one or 2 anchorages. Scotts Head has some of the most amazing diving and snorkelling to be found anywhere. swim over the edge and the sea bed drops away hundreds of feet in a few yards of swimming! Close by you can snorkel through bubbling thermal vents in even warmer Caribbean water! (Information from personal experience!)

See more on Dominica below

The Real Pirates of the Caribbean – Lush rainforests, mountains and waterfalls

There are few things which beat a tropical sunset below the yard-arm whilst at anchor in a timeless setting. A sailing ship as your base gives you access to the unspoilt Caribbean; Fishing villages where the chickens roam the shore, or landing like an early explorer on a remote beach anchorage under a forest covered volcanic peak. 

If you have been dazzled by the natural scenery in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movies then both Guadaloupe and Dominica are much closer to that lush volcanic island paradise than more well known Caribbean tourism locations.  The second movie ‘Dead Mans Chest’ and 3rd Capt Jack Sparrow adventure At ‘World’s End’ were filmed in the rainforests of Dominica, close to Martinique.

Island hopping, anchorages & time ashore

On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best sailing and shore landings for the forecast and most idyllic or sheltered anchors and ports. They are as keen as you to include some of the highlights described below, but you have to go with Mother Nature, not fight her. Where the ship goes ashore depends on the wind and weather conditions, and is decided at short notice by the captain, who will take your wishes into account whenever possible. This ensures that your sailing trip is a pleasant mix of adventure, relaxation, active participation and pure enjoyment.

Your next landfall could be the island of Dominica

Dominica – the natural beauty of the Caribbean

The island of Dominica is the botanical garden of the Caribbean. It bears the unofficial nickname “Nature Island” due to its lush and diverse flora and fauna.
Turquoise water, green palm forests and white and black sand beaches make up the charm of this region. 

One excursion ashore is to go for a morning two-hour guided rowing boat ride up the Indian River and through mangrove forests. The boat tour can also be combined with a tour of the island and a visit to the reserve of the Caribe Indians.

In the South is Soufriere Bay and Scotts head is the edge of a sunken caldera. You can be snorkelling in 12ft with coral beneath you and suddenly you swim over the edge of the old crater and the sea drops away to 4000 ft. Humpback whales often come close into the bay and frigate birds swoop the beach.

 

Martinique – A French – Creole Culture

Our journey ends in Fort de France port on Martinique. This French overseas département also bears the name “Flower Island” and is a slice of France in the tropics. Every village has a patissierie selling fresh baguettes and croissants and colonial architecture is everywhere. away from the sophisticated tourist cities are forested areas, banana plantations and sugar cane plantations. Like all volcanic islands with steep slopes, it is not easy to build roads to everywhere, so exploring from the sea gives you opportunity to find deserted stretches of beach and perhaps forest tracks to lure you into the hinterland.

 

Extra Days after your Voyage?

Do not miss renting a car in Martinique to explore the north of the island right up to the green rainforest wilderness of Morne Rouge on the Route de la Trace, a route created by the Jesuits. The church square of the Sacre Coeur de Balata offers a stunning view of the mountainous tropical island. After a few minutes’ drive, you will reach the Botanical Garden, which charms its visitors with a stunning variety of tropical flowers and plants. Our tip: Before you set off home, try the island’s speciality: Rum punch – it is said to be the best in the whole Caribbean.

PLEASE NOTE

On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best sailing and shore landings for the forecast and most idyllic or sheltered anchors and ports. They are as keen as you to include some of the highlights described above, but when it comes to sailing, you have to go with Mother Nature, not fight her. The description provided is based on what we think might be possible, based on past trips, or experience, but nothing is guaranteed on a sailing voyage. As such, the scheduled joining ports, routes, activities and/or destinations may be altered. Due to the complexities of weather systems, this may be at very short notice. 

HANDS ON HOLIDAYS

Whether you are an experienced sailor or a complete beginner, the professional crew will train you to be guest crew from the moment you arrive, with the intention that everybody works together to sail the ship. The common thread to all Classic Sailing holidays is ‘Hands on’ participation on ships that use ropes, blocks and tackles and ‘people power’ to set sail.

SAILING STYLE & LIFE ON BOARD

We cater for a wide range of ages and physical abilities and how much you are expected/encouraged to do varies a bit between vessels. See the vessel tab above which explains all about the ‘sailing style’ and what to expect in terms of hands on participation. There is a lot of information about day to day life, the ships facilities and accommodation on the vessel pages.

AGILITY & FITNESS

Every customer sailing with us will need to fill in basic medical questions on their booking application. If you are not sure if your current level of fitness and agility are up to a voyage, then please ring the Classic Sailing Office on 01326 53 1234 and we can chat through your concerns and possibly find options that might suit you better.

 

What to pack for a sailing holiday on the Eye of the Wind

Working Language on Board is German and English

Practical Advice for Eye of the Wind   

Practical Advice for Covid 19 and Eye of the Wind

What is Included

• Sailing Instruction
• All meals to include refreshments throughout the day
• Duvet, pillow and sheets
• Hand towels

What is not Included

• Waterproof jackets and trousers
• Alcoholic drinks but there is a bar on board
• Any entry visas required

What to Bring

Suitcases take up a lot of room in a cabin, so it is better to uses soft bags in a ship. A small rucksack for going ashore is useful.

• Eye of the Wind does not supply waterproof jackets and salopette type trousers. Please bring your own waterproof clothing.
• A mix of warm and wind proof clothing.
• Lots of thin layers is better than one thick layer in cold destinations.
• In tropical countries - long sleeves and long trousers to protect you from the sun
• Footwear on board needs a good grip and soft soles- the decks are wood or steel.
• Ashore stout, waterproof walking boots are best if you are in remote places.
• Eye of the Wind has electric sockets in all the cabins 240 V 
• Cameras, spare batteries, chargers if you need them
• Binoculars are handy for bird watching etc.
• Suntan lotion, hats, sunglasses
• Dont forget any regular medication, persciption glasses and spare
• Euros for bar bill 
• Passport, travel insurance, tickets etc
•  To get ashore is usually by dinghy so be prepared to get wet feet. Rubber boots or quick drying sandals - depending on the location.
• The ship provides hand towels but please bring a beach towel
• snorkel and mask for caribbean if you like snorkelling (travel tip: swimming goggles pack up smaller than a facemask)
• Bring insect repellant for Caribbean as can get mosquitos ashore in evening (rare at anchor)
• ear plugs can be handy 

Electricity

All the power to your plug sockets comes from the ship's generator which runs on deisel. The less the generators have to run to top up power, the nicer it is for the guests on board and also greener for the planet. Please don't bring loads of hairdriers, electric devices to charge.

There is no internet on board whilst at sea. 

A fabulous adventure! Words cannot convey the experience.

John, Tortola to Bermuda

Tortola to the Azores! What a great time. Thanks to Captain Pit and the crew. An awesome adventure with awesome people!"

F Coutreau

What a wonderful, lovely, great, awesome trip we've had from Malaga to Lanzarote! I loved and enjoyed every minute.

Thanks again for this wonderful experience. I miss you guys!

Andrea

Now that was a voyage! The EYE crew - all 10 - five women and five men - embody two words:

COMPETENT and KIND

And such a beautiful ship. Thank you beyond measure

Susan

With red sails against a blue sky, Eye of the Wind is a photogenic ship. If you have any new images we would love to see them since Eye of the Wind has only recently returned to our website. 

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