Island Hopping - Heading South - The Leewards (Nevis to Guadeloupe)

As we make our way along the lee of the islands the wind fluctuates as it is blocked by the land mass and mountains.

We alternate between total calm, thereby making our way under power to "heeled and holding on" as we encounter bursts of wind (bullets) that escape through passes and down mountain slopes.

In the passages between the islands where the wind is not obscured but constant (as the trades often are), when our sails are set right we find that Sea Star will balance herself perfectly and sail unassisted, all on her own.

This was the case as we passed Montserrat's south coast and sailed to our next anchorage in Deshaies, Guadeloupe. She balanced herself, close hauled, on a course that put us 9 hours later (averaging a speed of 5.5 knots) perfectly at the entrance to the anchorage (a real treat for us as we lack any self-steering equipment).

Anchor to Anchor - May 30, 2008

Nevis to Guadeloupe (Deshaies)

85 miles - l6 hours