| Although the sailing season in the South | | | | |
| Eastern Mediterranean runs from mid-May to | | | | |
| the end of October, there is still | | | | The other interesting alternative is Cuba. |
| significant demand from European sailors for | | | | The country does not always enjoy the best of |
| charters in waters warm during the long, cold | | | | press coverage, and is in many ways a good |
| Northern winter. | | | | advertisement for the failure of socialism. |
| | | | Despite that there is a rapidly emerging |
| | | | yacht charter industry on the northern coast. |
| | | | Transfer times from Havana airport are a |
| Traditionally the Caribbean has been the | | | | little long at 2 1/2 hours, but you do get to |
| main beneficiary of this. The British have | | | | see some of the islands magnificent scenery. |
| tended to go to the ex-colonies - the Virgin | | | | The sailing itself is fabulous. Getting there |
| Islands, Antigua, and Grenada. This always | | | | is also relatively easy via either Madrid or |
| has two problems. Travel costs are high and | | | | Barcelona. The latter in particular has |
| or inflexible, and the area is equally | | | | plenty of low-cost flights from all over the |
| popular with North Americans to the point | | | | UK, so it isvery easy to combine a couple of |
| that it gets very crowded. Getting there from | | | | days there with a Caribbean holiday sailing |
| the USA is seriously cheap and easy, and | | | | in Cuba. |
| there is little or no time difference. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | Last but by no means least is Belize. OK OK, |
| The charming French islands of Martinique | | | | so you don't know where it is. Neither did we |
| and Guadeloupe have long been an attractive | | | | until we got interested in the yacht charters |
| alternative to the traditional winter | | | | business. You may know it as British Honduras |
| destinations for frost-bitten Brits, but one | | | | though. Anyway it's in the middle of the |
| that they seem determined to ignore. A quick | | | | Central American mainland. Yes it is very |
| connecting hop to Paris and a direct flight | | | | very difficult to reach, and should only even |
| from there to either French island is an | | | | be on your agenda if you have at least two |
| altogether more attractive option; when you | | | | weeks to spare, with three an advantage! It's |
| get there the Gallic charm (and excellent | | | | definitely near the top of our personal wish |
| food) is much in evidence; and there are | | | | list. There are three reasons for this. |
| plenty of yachts to charter from companies | | | | Belize is home to the world's second biggest |
| every bit as well equipped and more flexible | | | | coral reef, and you are sailing inside it in |
| than their neighbours in the English speaking | | | | a catamaran; on shore there are some of the |
| Caribbean! The cruising opportunities are | | | | world's greatest Mayan monuments, and some |
| almost the same. | | | | amazing luxury boutique hotels. |
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