Coco Point, Barbuda If Saltwhistle Bay is a bit too crowded for one’s taste, a bumpy sail from the sister island of Antigua and careful threading through patch reefs will provide the intrepid and resourceful sailor with access to an island which seems like one giant beach. And it’s an exquisitely endless, powdery, untrammeled, and empty beach at that, with only the sound of the wind, sea, and wayward goats as company. Though there are a few excruciatingly private and tiny resorts on the island, they will not entertain the few sailors who visit, so you must be prepared to entertain yourself.
Grand Case, St. Martin
In contrast to the more “beachy” anchorages, the village of Grand Case in St. Martin offers delightfully cosmopolitan pleasures. Photo by Eva Hill
In contrast to more “beachy” anchorages, the village of Grand Case in St. Martin offers delightfully cosmopolitan pleasures. On the French side of this Dutch and French shared island, Baie Grand Case is wide and roomy; although, winter swells can make it a bit uncomfortable for anchored sailors. Though the beach is pleasant enough, the attractions lay a few yards inland. This slightly decrepit fishing village that appears to be pulled straight from the Mediterranean is one of the gastronomic capitals of the Caribbean. The dining ranges from cheap lolos serving island-style grub, to waterfront bars where dozens of languages are heard, to haute French cuisine featuring escargot, foie gras, and frog legs flown in on Air France. Grand Case offers a warm welcome and lively atmosphere.
When seeking one of the many waterfront bars for which the BVI in general, and Jost Van Dyke in particular, are justly famous, I like to sneak away from the well-trod Great Harbour where Foxy holds court and inexperienced charterers try to anchor on an unfriendly bottom. Instead, I head to Little Harbour, a snug anchorage with mooring balls, and three great bars—Harris’s Place, Sidney’s Peace and Love, and Abe’s—offering food and drink. There’s no beach here, but I’ve often had the company of sea turtles and dolphins, as well as many friendly and like-minded fellow travelers. About the Author: Eva Hill is a corporate lawyer at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston in Baltimore. She and her husband Rick sail their Sabre 38 Calypso out of Annapolis. Eva is Vice Commodore of the Chesapeake Bay Sabre Association. Her e-mail address: lattitudes2@hotmail.com.
Chesapeake Bay Sailing
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Little Harbour, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
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he’s all tied up”
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