Marinas, Harbours and Anchorages

Martinique is blessed with excellent facilities, large and small. There are plenty of anchorages to the south of the island making an ideal stopver for those wishing to head further south. From Guadeloupe, the base at Bas du Fort offers an excellent starting point to visit islands such as Antigua, St Barthelemy, Dominica and Montserrat.

Tides and Currents

Tidal range is very small, and currents are generally weak.

Weather

Martinique & Guadelope enjoy tropical weather and easterly trade wind. The Winter season is generally dry. It is more humid from the end of August to the end of October. Mean air temperatures vary between 22 and 30°C and sea water stays between 24 and 28°C. Tropical days are short. Sun rises at 6am and sun sets around 6pm. The winds are blowing from North-East to South-West and are between 10 and 20 knots in summer, 15 to 25 knots from November to May. Sailing in the Caribbean is easy, but you have to look out for coral reefs and rocks as soon as you approach the coast. The sea is in general smooth but a little rougher in the channels between the islands.

Food and Wine

Blending French and Caribbean cuisine, the Creole style needs no introduction - it is the best!

History

Martinique
Martinique is one of the largest islands in the Lesser Antilles (1100 Km²). The mountainous part has 2 main peaks: Mont Pelée in the north and Les Pitons du Carbet in the central section. Bougainvillea, anthuriums, bamboo and many varieties of exotic trees are decking the woodlands. All over the island you find sugarcane and banana fields. Introduced around 1640, slavery was abolished only in 1848. Martinique is a department of France since 1946, whose capital is Fort de France, and was made a centre for sugar production.

Guadeloupe
The earliest settlers on Guadeloupe arrived around 300 BC and developed agriculture on the island. They were removed by the more warlike Caribs. It was the Caribs who called the island "Karukera," which is roughly translated as "island with beautiful waters." They were also the tribe to meet all of the later settlers to the island.
Columbus' second journey brought him to this island on November 14, 1493. He named it for an image in a Spanish monastery he had visited: Santa María de Guadalupe de Extremadura, an image of the Virgin Mary venerated at Villuercas, in Guadalupe, Extremadura.
No settlements were established on the island for many years but it was used as a trading post. However, in 1635 the French Compagnie des Îles de l'Amérique sent explorers to take control of the island. They succeeded, but nearly wiped out the Caribs in doing so. It was not annexed to the Kingdom of France until 1674.

Charter Bases

Martinique - Bassin Tortue, Port de Plaisance in Le Marin.

Guadeloupe - Bas du Fort, just south of the capital Pointe a Pitre.

Getting There

With Air France from Paris, there are plenty of same-day connecting regional flights from the UK. Flight time (Paris to Fort de France and Pointe a Pitre) is approx. 8 and a half hours. Budget for £600.00 per person (Economy).