Customer Reviews

Sailor's Guide to the Windward Islands/With Directory

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This is one of the most well-organized and useful cruising guides I have ever read. It covers all the Windward Islands in great detail, starting in the north with Martinique and ending with Grenada. The introductory chapters cover some island basics, such as local lore, "bugs, beasts and plants," weather, customs and even a GPS table. Then each island is organized by its key areas, whether cities or towns, principal bays, and other geographical sites, usually beginning in the north of the island and proceeding south. It is oriented for the sailor, but each area includes a discussion of what you'll find ashore, too. Jam-packed with useful information, each section includes navigational aids, suggestions for anchoring, services, regulations and scuba facilities. The writing style is to the point, but interesting, without being too flambouyant. Beautiful color photographs, helpful illustrations and aerial photos contribute the usefulness and beauty of the book. I can't imagine crusing in the Windwards without it.

This is a "real" guide. It has been carefully compiled and includes all the information which any water-borne visitor will need to know when visiting the Windward Islands., These are (in the order they appear in the book); Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Bequia (pronounced Beckway), Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Tobago Cays, Palm Island, Union Island, PSV and Petite Martinique, Grenada, Carriacou, and, of course, each of the passages between these enchanting islands.

In an informative introduction, which gets anyone who is sitting in a cold house during an American or European harsh winter (like I am!) wanting to reach for the phone and book a flight, we learn something about the local land and the customs of the people who live there. There are also a number of helpful suggestions on any topic from "what to bring" to sunburn - and it's all useful stuff, even for the seasoned traveller.

Then it's on to the cruising information with notes on weather and navigation as well as more general information about scuba diving, flora, fauna and even the flags of the different countries visited. From now on we get down to cases in the order of march already mentioned.

Telling people how they should navigate their boat is a very responsible undertaking. Forget to include that, otherwise well known, underwater obstacle and you can guarantee at least 3 boats will have hit the darned thing within the first 24 hours of your book being published. This book, however, is a professional work and I doubt any yacht or other small boat travelling to and from these small islands will be without a copy.

NM