Christmas winds in St. Vincent & The Grenadines

[DAN TURNER]

We are hoping to go bareboat in the Caribbean at christmas / new year - from St. Vincent. We have been in the BVIs a few times.

Does anyone have any experience of the Christmas Winds we have heard about at that time of year? What can we expect?

Any info appreciated.

Regards,

Dan Turner

[CaptainJim]

My pilot charts for the Caribbean show that the winds around the Grenadines are "supposed" to be consistently force 4 (11-16 kt) all year round, but that's not what I saw when I was in the Caribbean. As I recall, the Christmas trades started blowing in December at around 20-25 knots, and continued through the "winter" months.

The trades aren't perfectly consistent, and wind direction and speed change somewhat between day and night and when large weather features like tropical waves and the tail end of northern cold fronts pass. Also, you get an "acceleration" effect between islands where the surface winds are higher than they are well away from the islands.

During the Christmas trade period, we usually sailed with 3 reefs in the mainsail through the inter-island passages, and often had to shake out all the reefs in the lee behind the bigger islands.

All that being said, if you have chartered several times in the BVIs, the Grenadines are a good step up--the islands are farther apart than the BVIs, but closer together than the rest of the Eastern Caribbean islands. Just grit your teeth through the inter-island passages, and enjoy the islands.

Smooth sailing.

[Dave-Gibson]

Don't hesitate to charter in the Grenadines. It's fabulous sailing and some great scenery. We've chartered there a couple of times and intend to go back.

I agree with CaptainJim that the wind blows around 20 knots, but it's steady so easy to deal with.

[geozeck]

We were there in Feb. '06 on a Mooring 42 and found the winds to be great. Do it. They warn you about the Boat Boys, but we found them very helpful and the only source of fresh fish. Look for a fellow named "Federal Express" on Union Island and one name "More Fresh" in
the Tabago Nation Park.

[JeanneP]

The Christmas Winds refer to a change of wind patterns that comes in some time around the end of November through the first of the new year. It isn't the regular trades which settle down to a predictable 15-25 knots.

December 1 is the official end of the hurricane season. It's also about the end of the "wet" season in the Caribbean. However, sometimes the changes result in exceedingly strong winds and rain storms. We've seen days of rain - unusual - and some pretty violent storms beaching boats. One year the entire week between Christmas and New Year's was nasty. But other years it's a lot calmer and not so long at a time.

I wouldn't change my plans for fear of these winds. Sometimes they don't set in until after January 1. Sometimes they don't come in at all, or so mildly that you'd say "what's the fuss?"

Just brush up on your anchoring practices, and back down hard on the anchor and you shouldn't have to worry.

Fair winds,
Jeanne