From December to May, you can fish for barracuda, kingfish, tuna and bonito. A couple of days sailing from Guadeloupe, in a northwesterly direction, lie the neighbouring islands of St Barts and St Martin. Both are dependencies of Guadeloupe, although the latter is half French controlled and half Dutch. These are veritable sailing paradises, blessed by strong northeasterly prevailing winds in winter and gentler southeasterlies in summer. The crossing between the two can, however, be choppy. The French half of St Martin, in the north, gets most of the best beaches and leeward anchorages. Its main town, Marigot, like its Dutch counterpart, Philipsburg, is a duty-free port, making it one of the cheapest places in the region to shop.

Marigot’s charming waterfront is a joy for the senses with aromas of freshly baked bread and pastries wafting out from its bakeries and patisseries. St Martin’s three-day March regatta has a growing reputation. A six-mile sail from French St Martin will take you to the British protectorate of Anguilla with its world-class coral beaches. Much closer, though, is an uninhabited islet of Tintamarre, a nature reserve with fabulous beaches as well as outstanding norkelling thanks to its coral and marine life. The mud in Tintamarre is reputed to have dermatological benefi ts, so ou can enjoy a free beauty treatment with your sailing.

Another short sail away is Grande Case, a historic fi shing village with lovely old West Indian architecture, art galleries and gourmet restaurants.
When you sail into the exquisite, picture-postcard Gustavia Harbour in St Barts, you can be forgiven for thinking you might have arrived in St Tropez – so French, so sophisticated and so exclusive. The sailing around this enchanting little island is also world-class with its plethora of bays and isolated beaches. One of them, Anse de Colombier, is only accessed by boat, and in the quiet anchorage there you can snorkel, waterski, kayak or just relax. Lovers of sea turtles will have a good chance of seeing them off nearby Ile de Fourche, where cactus-covered rocky hills are populated by herds of wild goats. From its several peaks, you can enjoy panoramic views not just of the Leewards but also, in spring, of migrating whales.