Charter a crewed boat or do as we did and get your Skipper’s licence – whatever it takes – just do it! By Lesley Alcock

Having completed our Royal Yachting Association Day Skipper exams last year, we rewarded ourselves with the sailing holiday of a lifetime. And where better than the magical waters of the Caribbean? Sailing around the picturesque island of Antigua, with its 366 stunning white beaches and sparkling, clear waters. Simply breath-taking.

We joined our friends, Tanya Sullivan and Bob Mechem, who run the school Ventus Sailing in Hamble, Hampshire. They had sailed their 50 ft Grand Soleil yacht, Sidney II, across the Atlantic while competing in the famous ARC sailing rally. This is an iconic rally which starts in Gran Canaria, and finishes in Saint Lucia, spanning 2,700 miles of the Atlantic.

Each November, around 250 yachts set sail from Las Palmas to participate in what is the biggest trans-ocean event in the world. The race takes between two to three weeks, depending on the conditions and finishes in the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. The ARC is a definite bucket list race for most sailors. Tanya and Bob have now successfully completed this rally twice, taking a crew of novice sailors along with them and very quickly turning them into seasoned crew.

You’ll have noticed that I said we joined them. No, not on this epic race – maybe one day. At this point, we lean toward champagne sailing, looking to sail from bay to bay, enjoying the more relaxing pleasures that the Caribbean has to offer. We joined them at Cat Marina in Antigua’s Falmouth Harbour, to perfect sunny weather and perfect seas. As we boarded ‘Sid’ again, it brought home the reality of our trip, we were actually here, we were actually doing it - we were going to sail the Caribbean seas in perfect weather and beautiful clear waters with some great easterly winds; sailing at its very best.

Antigua offers even more than its wondrous nature. The warm and generous people, with their laid-back attitude to life, captured our hearts on the first evening. We ended our day over beers at the cheerful Cloggys Bar overlooking the seas and Falmouth Harbour. That night, we slumbered to the soothing rocking of ‘Sid’ on the gentle, lapping waves – heaven!

Waking up to the next perfect day, we headed up the beautiful west coast of Antigua toward Jolly Harbour, intending to moor up in the marina for the night. All went according to plan, we had a strong easterly wind with an average of 20 knots and, having plotted our course to make sure we avoided the reef, we spent the journey on the helm finding our sailing boots again. The sun was shining, the sea a mix of perfect azure and turquoise, and thrillingly we were accompanied by a family of sea turtles along the way. What more can a novice sailor possibly ask for?

Jolly Harbour is a sweet little marina resort dotted with a range of restaurants plus a gorgeous marina swimming pool thrown in. Following a swim and sunbathe we prepared the boat to leave for Hermitage Bay, known for its stunning white sand beach, a few miles further up the coast. It really is lovely, this luxury resort nestled on the hillside of a hidden sandy bay, where the scent of fragrant frangipani fills the air and the sound of waves rolling on the shore surrounds you. Sailing conditions were once again ideal, the sun blazing, and within a few hours we were anchoring for another splendid night on board ‘Sid’. But first, a snorkel and a couple of beers as we watched the sun set upon the tranquil waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Next day, another leisurely morning swim and snorkel, and off we set once more, this time sailing south, down the glorious west coast to Pigeon’s Point Beach. It’s a sparkly, white, sandy beach with coconut palms beckoning, and waters so clear that you can see the fish swimming over the seabed – no gear needed! It’s a great place for walking too, with scenic trails leading from the beach. However, I chose to fulfil my island fantasy by lazing under the swaying palms, book in hand and cocktail by my side. Hunger did call though.
Not a problem, there’s the infamous Catherine’s Café, tucked away in this corner of paradise, where we lazed away the afternoon over a lovely lunch.

Our final anchorage was a short sail to the beautiful Galleon Beach and the fantastic Loose Cannon bar and restaurant, just a stone’s throw from Nelson’s Dockyard Marina and National Park. We ended our holiday here with a three-night stay at the delightful Admirals Inn Hotel and Gunpowder Suites. Set in four historic buildings, dating all the way back to the 18th Century, are two fabulous restaurants, a spectacular infinity pool, a spa, lush gardens plus a small beach while a free five-minute boat shuttle takes you to a swimming beach in the outer harbour.

The hotel building has an interesting history; planned in 1785 (the year after Nelson arrived in English Harbour as Captain of HMS Boreas) and completed in 1788. The ground floor was used to store pitch, turpentine and lead, while the engineers’ offices were upstairs. Bricks used in the building were brought over from England as ship’s ballast, and it is said that the ballast used on the return trip was mostly rum!

The round pillars on the grounds once supported a large boathouse where vessels came in for repair. Nelson’s Dockyard still functions. In fact, it is the only continuously working Georgian era dockyard in the world. Not only is English Harbour one of the most beautiful and safe natural anchorages in the Caribbean but with 200 years of Royal Navy heritage alongside stunning beaches, Nelsons Dockyard is unique and a ‘must visit’.

Inevitably, our last day dawned. The impact of the fact was definitely lessened by another perfect-weather day, sparkling sands, lapping seas and a long lunch at Loose Cannon. This trip had been everything we had hoped for, good food, great sailing, superb weather, stunning white and pink sand beaches, and the beautiful clear turquoise and azure waters of the Caribbean sea.

We will never forget the incredibly warm and generous people of Antigua and the many friends we made along the way, with heartfelt thanks to Bob and Tanya who made it all possible.