They say a picture paints a thousand words; I am grateful because there is no other way to describe the beauty of the Caribbean. Our time in Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles is best captured with pictures.
We sailed from Puerto Rico through the Lesser Antilles in honor of our thirtieth wedding anniversary. Each Island would become our favorite as we sailed in and out of each port.
We would begin in Puerto Rico and spend a few days acclimating and exploring this unincorporated territory of the United States with official Commonwealth status. The weather was perfect, and the area was easy to enjoy.
Once we headed out to sea, our first stop would be a place we had visited a few times before while in this area. Tortolla is part of the British Virgin Islands. We had stayed here a few years back when we charted a yacht to explore this region. It felt familiar, and we were excited to return.
Our next stop was Sint Maarten. Interestingly, this Island is part of the Dutch Caribbean and is a divided Island that is a constituent of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and France. The French side is known as Saint Martin. Either way, it is a lovely island, and we enjoyed our time with Anouk, our captain, for a day cruise around the Island. It was interesting hearing his perspective of life on St Marteen.
Next, we would visit Dominica, and the moment we stepped onto this Island, we knew we were in for a treat. It reminded me of New Orleans, and as soon as the islanders began to speak French Creole, I understood why I felt this way. Babyface showed us around the Island and told stories of his family and how life was for them. Learning about how other people live is one of my favorite parts about travel, and I enjoyed hearing about life as he knew it.
Next would be Barbados, one of the more affluent Islands. Sugar cane and then Rum, along with tourism, make this one of the Caribbean Islands with a high standard of living. It was claimed by both Spain and Portugal until the early seventeenth century when the UK took possession of it. In 1966, Barbados gained independence and became a Commonwealth with Queen Elizabeth as its Queen. In 2021, Barbados transitioned to a republic within the Commonwealth. We hired a captain and took a catamaran out for a day to view the Island. Captain Nick was well-informed and took us to a beautiful spot where we snorkeled with turtles.
Our last Island before returning to Puerto Rico and then home was Grenada. Grenada is also known as the Island of Spice because it produces nutmeg, cocoa, and mace. It produces about 40% of the world’s nutmeg. It is incredible what they do with these spices.
Technically, it is a part of the West Indies with its independence from the UK in 1979. It was a French colony until 1763, when it was ceded to the British by the Treaty of Paris.
Something about the Island life strikes joy in our hearts. Tom especially loves being out to sea. We were a part of an international rescue one evening.
While cruising is new to us, it may be a way for us to see the world in the future. This trip was a great start!
Tom and Nancy’s Journeys 