St Lucia
as a yachting destination offers some of the finest scenery in the West Indies. From picturesque fishing villages to white sand beaches lined with swaying palms, it’s the kind of place that comes to mind when many dream of sailing away to a tropical paradise. St Lucia is the second largest of the Windward Islands, located midway down the eastern Caribbean chain, between Martinique and St. Vincent. This tiny island is only 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, with the dramatic Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the calm Caribbean Sea to the west. Its majestic twin coastal peaks, The Pitons, tower 2,000 feet over rain forests of brilliantly colored flowers, giant ferns and exotic wildlife. The main seaport on St. Lucia is Castries, while Pointe Seraphine is the port of entry for cruise ships. The marinas on the island offer safe anchorage, maintenance facilities, restaurants, shops and shower facilities. The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, the largest trans-ocean sailing event in the world, is held each November from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and crosses to Rodney Bay on St. Lucia. Each year over 200 yachts from 25 nations participate in the ARC. St. Lucia’s beautiful reefs offer excellent snorkeling and scuba diving, and the island is described as “an angler’s dream come true.” Sightseeing includes the weekly market at Castries, the Friday night street party in the village of Gros Islet, historic Pigeon Island and the dramatic waterfall near Soufriere.
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