Sailing the Caribbean

Embark Sea Cloud in the late afternoon and begin your voyage in the Caribbean. 

You have the day to enjoy one of the great pleasures of travel anywhere: sailing aboard our authentic barque, seeing the crew go aloft unfurling the sails the traditional way—by hand—as you ride the trade winds. Watch as the crew climbs the rigging and trims the Sea Cloud's 32,000 square feet of canvas, and follow the action with sail plan in hand. This is surely one of the best ways possible to learn about the art and science of sailing, and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the many amenities of this historic tall ship. 

Dominica is called the “Nature Island” because of its beauty and many reserves. Dock at historic Prince Rupert Bay, where sailing ships of all flags put in for water, citrus fruits, and solid timber after a long Atlantic crossing. In the morning, drive through a succession of tropical ecosystems and fruit plantations into the Morne Diablotin National Park and rainforest. The spectacular canopy trees with their buttress roots and liana vines are home to Dominica’s two endemic parrots, which we hope to see or hear on your rainforest hike. After lunch, join our historian for a walk up to beautifully restored Fort Shirley, where English cannons protected the strategic bay below. You’ll also have your first opportunity to snorkel in the warm, clear Caribbean waters. 

Distinctly French in character and culture, the shops, homes and people of Les Saintes are colorful, tasteful and delightful. Enjoy picture-postcard views from Fort Napoléon, with its cactus garden, iguanas and maritime museum. Then stroll through French colonial Terre-de-Haut and swim and snorkel from a nearby sandy beach. In the afternoon, set sails in the Guadeloupe Channel for a short but powerful downwind reach, as the winds fill the square sails in a glorious spectacle. 

In the morning, sail aboard our magnificent ship, and in the afternoon, visit Bequia. With a historical mix of Scottish indentured servants, Buccaneers, whalers and mariners, Bequia has a maritime culture unlike any other. Scrimshaw and model-boat building endure in this long-time sailors’ watering hole. You’ll get to know the local Bequians on a short drive around the island in covered pick-up trucks, stopping at a view with gorgeous overlooks and at a very interesting local hawksbill turtle revival initiative. In Port Elizabeth, you’ll find local crafts, the Rastafarian fruit and vegetable market, elegant Belmont Walk, and one of the best bookstores in the West Indies. A good swim, snorkel, and tropical beach are a short walk or Zodiac ride away, near the local beach bar. 

In the morning, enjoy a rousing sail through the idyllic Grenadines, passing Mustique, Canouan, Tobago Cay, Mayreau and Union Islands. You’ll then anchor in one of the lovely white-sand arcing beaches that are the quintessential image of a Caribbean bay, with protected waters for easy swimming and snorkeling, and a few local beach bars with colorful Caribbean names and characters completing the scene. 

Arrive at St. Lucia and anchor under the island’s iconic twin peaks, Les Pitons, which rise dramatically above the sea. After exploring the fishing port of Soufrière, drive into St. Lucia’s active volcanic crater and discover the otherworldly landscape of mud pools and sulfur springs. Take a tropical walk through botanical gardens alive with birds and the backdrop rush of Diamond Falls. Spend the afternoon sailing as the ship returns to Barbados. 

Disembark, tour the island, and transfer to the airport for your return flight