Antigua is the sailing capital of the eastern Caribbean and a more serious base than the British Virgin Islands. The island itself has more anchorages than a week can use, and the neighbours, Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Montserrat and St Kitts, are open-water passages rather than hops. It is a base for crews who want the boat to move.
The island alone is a week
English Harbour and Falmouth on the south coast, Nonsuch Bay and Green Island on the east, Deep Bay and Jolly Harbour on the west, with Barbuda a day sail north across open water to the pinkest sand in the Caribbean. Doing only Antigua and Barbuda is a full and satisfying week that never leaves sight of home, which is unusual in the Leewards.
The passages, if you leave
Guadeloupe is about forty miles south, Montserrat and St Kitts to the west and north west, all of them open water with trade wind swell and the acceleration zones off each island's ends. These are real passages rather than hops and they suit a crew with some sea time. They are also where the sailing is, which is why Antigua attracts the crews it does.
What it costs
No company in this record publishes an Antiguan rate. The published Caribbean anchors are the British Virgin Islands: The Moorings publishes $3,284 to $49,584 for a 7 day charter for 2 people and Sunsail publishes about $3,500 for a low-season bareboat monohull rising to about $10,000 for a high-season catamaran. The Leewards broadly track those with a smaller fleet and less discounting.
Questions people ask about antigua sailing charter
Is Antigua harder sailing than the BVI?
Yes. Antigua's neighbours are open-water passages with trade wind swell rather than the BVI's sheltered line-of-sight hops.
Can I sail Antigua to Barbuda?
It is about a day north across open water and it is the classic Antiguan run, ending at some of the pinkest sand in the Caribbean.
How much is an Antiguan charter?
No Antiguan rate is published in this record. For the Caribbean, The Moorings publishes $3,284 to $49,584 for a 7 day BVI charter for 2 people.