Perfect Caribbean Sailing and Exploring.

IDEAL VOYAGE FOR…

Cliché time, the islands of and between Grenada and Martinique have every Caribbean Cliche you can imagine, cay, bay, reef, whale, tropical beaches, sunsets, drinks, snorkeling, frigate birds, wildlife, restaurants and more. You could not ask for more than this for a Caribbean voyage.

 

FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

The winds are ever present in the Caribbean. Add to that the pleasant temperatures of the region and you’ve got perfect sailing conditions. 

Starting from Martinique

Martinique is one of the larger islands of the Lesser Antilles and like the others has many sugar plantations, the bulk of the harvest is used to make good rum. In other words, it’s a perfect location for a drink to embrace the start of an amazing Caribbean sailing adventure.

The island is an Overseas department of France. As you would expect in a French territory there is wonderful cuisine to be enjoyed in many fine restaurants and bars. 

 

Eco-Island Dominica

Setting sails and aiming for Dominica, an island paradise and a well-known eco-tourism destination. The volcanoes on Dominica are so steep and mountainous that much of the rain forest has been spared deforestation for wood and to make way for plantations. 

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’

Filming parts of the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ was done here because of the extraordinary streams undulating  and falling over the rocks in steep sided gorges.

Multicoloured birds sing amid metres high ferns, liana vines and forest giants. If you make the effort of climbing and sliding through the forest, you will encounter a surrealistic phenomenon: wisps of steam rise up from cracks and holes in the volcanic mountains and the air is redolent of rotten eggs. 

Volcanic sources feed the streams with warm water. And on top of the mountain a crate lake bubbles away. The island is home to around a thousand plant species, among which many flowers, and 195 bird species. Mammals are virtually non-existent; only bats and sea mammals are found on the island.  

 

 

Scotts Head

Scotts Head is the most amazing snorkeling and diving site. Walk out from the village and follow the path to north of Scotts Head and start your snorkeling along the shore line. At first you will see a multitude of fish and then suddenly you swim over a cliff that descends almost vertically for hundreds of feet. It’s so deep you can’t see the bottom. The upcoming current creates a great feeding zone for an incredible variety of fish and the Frigate Birds in the air above.

The deep waters are often populated by sperm whales, Caribbean manatee and humpback whales but unfortunately not when I was there.

 

 

Let’s go to Guadeloupe and its many Islands.

Guadeloupe is not a single island, but rather a group of larger and smaller, inhabited and uninhabited islands.

The names are almost bigger than the islands , Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre, La Désirade, Marie-Galante and Les Saintes and the Petite Terre Islands. Some of them can only be reached by boat which makes sailing there the ideal way to explore them.. 

They are famous for their sandy white palm beaches and lack of human habitation.

Iguanas

No humans but they are home to well over 10.000 iguanas making it one of the more exceptional destinations on our possible itinerary. 

You help to choose

On Morgenster we choose our destinations together. There are so many highlights, we simply cannot visit them all. So you will be encouraged to pass on your preferences and wishes. The ship and crew are at your service and will do their utmost to make this journey a dream come true for everyone!

A longer Sail

We have some sea miles to make and this may involve some overnight sailing. This is often one of the most unexpected pleasures of the voyage. For the longer passages a voluntary watch keeping rota may be set up. It is definitely worth four hours of your life to experience night sailing. The sky at night without light pollution is absolutely amazing and a dramatic sunrise is always worth the wait.

 

Many islands on the way

The posh islands are Antigua and Barbuda while St Kitts and Nevis are a bit more down to earth. The St Kitts Scenic Railway is built on the old plantation tracks built to deliver the cane to the factories at the ports. 

Pristine Coral Reefs and Shipwrecks

Saint Eustace, or as it’s locally called, Statia, is home to a huge underwater nature reserve featuring pristine coral reefs and 18th century ship wrecks. Sea horses, stingrays, sharks and sea turtles abound. 

The island lies along a Humpback whale migration route, which means chances are we meet with a pod or two. If you want to learn about the (Dutch) colonial history, head to one of Saint Eustace’s museums. I’m sure it will tell you all about The island of St. Eustatius being taken by Admiral Rodney’s English fleet in February 1781

St Barts

Saint Barthélemy (St Barts) is a high end jet set island. Loads of megayachts in the harbours and along the coastline make this quite obvious. Look out for Moviestars, photomodels and other celebrities that grace the beaches, classy bars and exquisite restaurants. The island is popular for good reason; the surroundings are stunning, it boasts every aspect of the Caribbean imaginable.

 

The Dutch and French

St Maarten and St Martin are the same small island in the Caribbean  which is split in half, French in the north and Dutch in the South. Makes it a great place to fly KLM or Air France as they are the same company! 

It is part of the Leeward island Chain.

WINDS, WAVES & WEATHER

Sailing in the Caribbean is always a pleasure with Classic Sailing. We never have voyages there in the Hurricane Season.

The prevailing wind is from the North East which Morgenster uses to get from one destination to the next.

Hot by day with strong sunshine and the occasional short refreshing showers. Keep an eye on those clouds, they form lines in the sky which is a very typical tropical cloud pattern, often referred to as ‘streets in the sky’ by glider pilots. It is cooler at night at sea.

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 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.

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

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.

• Morgenster 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.
• Morgenster has European 2 pin sockets 240 V
• Cameras, chargers and video recorders
• 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.

Online Reviews

 

I loved it.

I loved everything about my week. The crew were fantastic, the ship was beautiful, the singing on the deck was great fun, the dolphins were around a lot. It was brilliant!

Least enjoy - Nothing.

Why do I Sail?

I love the ocean and have always loved boats. For this particular voyage I was also researching a children's book involving mermaids and pirates!

Liz K sailed in 2017

 

What was the best bit?

Climbing in the rigging, unfurling the sails on the yardarm. 
The cameraderie between the paid and guest crew was second to none. A fantastic atmosphere. Singing in the evenings on deck accompanied by guitar and trumpet. New Year on St Lucia, we celebrated the New Year 3 times (once for Dutch/European time, once for GMT and once for Caribbean time).
The sun glinstering off the ocean surface like a thousand shards of broken mirror.......flying fish like small humming birds skimming over the surface of the water, dolphins on New Years day: what a start to 2019!
Too wonderful to describe, a life changing experience, I want to pack in my job and sail the world! (making plans now) - Carol from Caribbean Season 2019. 

Great experience, will definitely be doing it again.  Climbing the rigging was the best bit. 'First time' sailor. John M July 2018

"Thank you for a very nice trip, some hours on Kattegatt this afternoon. Beautiful boat, nice and joyful captain and crew. I loved it! Wish you all a really nice trip during Tall Ships Races. And I would love to join again someday for a longer trip." Camilla A. June 2017

Thank you Harry, Mariann and all your wonderful crew for an amazing week on Morgenster. Great food Will, such patient climbing instruction Michelle, fun birthday outing Evy and lovely guests from 80 to 22 years old. So many highlights but sailing at night with sparkling dolphins at the bow was truly breathtaking!" Sue G.

Just returned from 11 days sailing round Cape Verde. The whole experience was exceptional - friendly, knowledgeable and caring crew; wonderful sailing (the 4am night watch experience was particularly magical!); interesting trips exploring the islands; and great food." Julia G-F

Thank you Harry, Marian, Joost, Rene, Hessel & Willie for a fantastic week's sailing. I'll be humming sea shanties and saying "o nay!!!" for days! I really hope to sail with you again. Happy New Year" Kerry Mc C.

Had a fantastic trip around Cape Verde, Jan/Feb 2016. Lovely crew, felt like a family. Thanks to you all xxxx. Really special people and a holiday to remember. My penguins X" Louise G

What a fantastic time, thanks to everyone on the Morgenster both crew and passengers hope to see you all again, maybe next year?" George Mc L

Harry, Marian and their crew make your stay on board the Morgenster wonderful!" Aleike K

What was the best bit?

The trip was fabulous. The crew were incredibly supportive and even helped me overcome enough of my fear to get out onto the first yard. I felt that I was included in everything and that my contribution, however small, was appreciated. The food was excellent and there were plenty of drinks and snacks throughout the day. We had gorgeous weather all the way. I really enjoyed it. - Caribbean Season 2019 by Amanda G. 

Tall Ship Morgenster in action and images. Photos from Classic Sailing customers, ships crew and professional photographers. We hope it gives a flavour of her sailing, life on board, the people that come, her beautiful sailing grounds and what it is like to live below decks.

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