7 Reasons Why Winter Is A Great Time For A Caribbean Yacht Charter

Thought About Going on a Caribbean Yacht Charter, Here’s Why Winter Is The Perfect Time To Go

7 Reasons Why Winter is a Great Time for a Caribbean Yacht Charter

The Caribbean is well known for having one of the most desirable climates on the planet, with a tropical temperate climate, year-round warmth and a specific wet and dry season. But that doesn’t always make it a perfect year-round sailing destination, thanks to the threat of hurricanes and strong winds during the months of June and November.

Why Is Winter A Great Time For A Caribbean Yacht Charter?

Many people dream of getting away from the cold winter months and having a week or two in a tropical paradise, and a Caribbean yacht charter is a perfect way to do that. So here are the top 7 reasons why you should go on a Caribbean yacht charter during the winter months.

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1. Sailing Conditions
2. The Weather
3. The Wildlife
4. Peace And Quiet

5. Escaping The Cold Weather
6. Great Caribbean Yacht Deals
7. Events

1. Sailing Conditions

What to Expect on a Winter Caribbean Yacht Charter

By choosing to take a Caribbean yacht charter between the months of November and April you are allowing yourself to experience some of the best sailing conditions the Caribbean has to offer. The Hurricane season ends in November and runs from mid-November until January the winds are predominantly from the northeast at between 15 and 20 knots. During February, the wind changes to a southeasterly direction at between 10 and 15 knots. Making it the ideal time to take a sailing trip.

However, do watch out for the ‘Christmas winds’ which can occur between December and January and can range between 25 and 30 knots. Remember that the local seas close to the islands will also have different wind forecasts depending on the island’s geographical makeup.

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2. Weather

What Weather Expect on a Winter Caribbean Yacht Charter

The weather in the Caribbean is a tropical marine climate with both wet and dry seasons, the winter months (December to May) are also known as the dry season, where it rains very little, and more hours of sunshine than any other time of year. The average temperature between November and March is between 28 and 24 degrees Celsius, making it a great time for a Caribbean yacht charter with warm mornings, heating up throughout the day and cooling just a little in the evenings, but never chilly.

During the winter months, the sea temperature also ranges between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius, which is the perfect temperature for swimming, snorkeling, and diving.

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3. Wildlife

What Wildlife to Expect on a Winter Caribbean Yacht Charter

Going on a Caribbean yacht charter during the winter or spring months is a great time to witness incredible wildlife. In the Caribbean, you can spot a large number of turtles all year round, including leatherbacks, loggerheads, green and hawksbill turtles. From January to September you might catch a glimpse of a turtle nesting and laying its egg on the beach. Leatherback turtles have been known to lay their eggs from February onwards. However remember not to get close to the turtle, always go with a guide or watch from afar.

During the winter months, you can also watch thousands of bird species fly overhead or make a home on islands, as they migrate south for the winter. This makes it a great time to go bird watching from your boat or the beach.

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4. Solitude

Where to Find Peace and Quiet on a Winter Caribbean Yacht Charter

While the winter months are a popular time for people on a Caribbean yacht charter you can definitely find a quiet spot to relax. Over the holiday period tends to be the busiest but with early to mid-December and January onwards quieting down. During this time you will have no problem finding a mooring in a marina or dropping anchor in a quiet bay with no one else around.

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5. All Year Around Sun

Escaping the Cold Weather on a Winter Caribbean Yacht Charter

Wherever you live in the world (except maybe the southern states or South America) during the winter months the temperature drops and the clocks change giving you fewer hours of daylight let alone sunshine. Not in the Caribbean! A Caribbean yacht charter is the perfect winter escape, warm weather good sailing conditions and sunny weather.

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6. Great Caribbean Yacht Charter Deals

What to Expect on a Winter Caribbean Yacht Charter

During the winter period specifically outside of high season if you’re lucky you can find some great Caribbean yacht charter deals. The high season tends to be slightly higher in price especially during the holiday period, but before and after this time and for the rest of the season, you can find great deals.

In addition to great boat deals during this period, you can also find good flight deals to the Caribbean, with the addition of flight companies have big discount sales especially for events such as ‘Black Friday’ and holiday sales.

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7. Caribbean Yacht Charter Events

Look for Amazing Regattas, Boat Shows, Carnivals, and Other Great Events

The Caribbean is well known for having a laid back and party atmosphere and during the winter this is no different. This time of year attracts visitors to islands for Caribbean yacht charters, for specific events or holidays, such as holiday celebrations, new year celebrations, carnivals, and other specific days of significance within each country. Some of the most significant events during this time are as follows;

13th December – National Saint Lucia Day, the countries national day to honor the patron saint of light, celebrations which include Christmas light and lantern displays, lantern making competitions and topped off with a fireworks display.
December – Throughout the holiday period each island has it’s own unique holiday period celebrations.
January – Grenada Sailing Week
February – Mustique Blues Festival on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Holetown Festival Barbados (a celebration of the first settlement in the country in 1627).
Ash Wednesday – Carnival celebrations in Guadaloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, and Dominica.
March – Bacchanal Jamaica, Martinique Sailing Week
April – Junkanoo Bahamas, Antigua Sailing Week and Easter celebrations throughout the islands.

These are just a small number of the events which take place in the Caribbean during this period of time, but each and every event is well worth a visit, with unique and wonderful cultures in each and every island and country. An event definitely adds something a little extra to a Caribbean yacht charter.

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