Saint Lucia is a sovereign island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesse Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique.
It covers a land area of 617 km2 (238.23 sq mi) and has a population of 174,000 (2010). Its capital is Castries.
One of the Windward Islands, Saint Lucia was named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse by the French, the island’s first European settlers. They signed a treaty with the native Carib Indians in 1660. England took control of the island from 1663 to 1667; in ensuing years, it was at war with France 14 times; and rule of the island changed frequently (it was seven times each ruled by the French and British). In 1814, the British took definitive control of the island. Because it switched so often between British and French control, Saint Lucia was also known as the « Helen of the West Indies ».
Representative government came about in 1840 (with universal suffrage from 1953). From 1958 to 1962, the island was a member of the Federation of the West Indies. On 22 February 1979, Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations associated with the United Kingdom.
The French pirate François le Clerc (also known as Jambe de Bois, due to his wooden leg) frequently visited Saint Lucia in the 1550s. It was not until years later, around 1600, that the first European camp was started by the Dutch, at what is now Vieux Fort.
In 1605, an English vessel called the Olive Branch was blown off-course on its way to Guyana, and the 67 colonists started a settlement on Saint Lucia. After five weeks, only 19 survived, due to disease and conflict with the Caribs, so they fled the island. The French officially claimed the island in 1635 but it was the English who attempted the next European settlement in 1639, but that too was wiped out by the Caribs.
In 1643, a French expedition sent out from Martinique by Jacques Dyel du Parquet, the governor of Martinique, established a permanent settlement on the island. De Rousselan was appointed the island’s governor, took a Carib wife and remained in post until his death in 1654.
In 1664, Thomas Warner (son of Sir Thomas Warner, the governor of St Kitts) claimed Saint Lucia for England. He brought 1,000 men to defend it from the French, but after two years, only 89 survived with the rest dying mostly due to disease. In 1666 the French West India Companyresumed control of the island, which in 1674 was made an official French crown colony as During the Seven Years’War Britain occupied Saint Lucia for a year, but handed the island back to the French at the Treaty of Parison 10 February 1763.
Like the English and Dutch on other islands, the French began to develop the land for the cultivation of sugar cane as a commodity crop on large plantations in 1765 a dependency of Martinique. In 1803, the British finally regained control of the island. The slavery on the island was continued for a short time, but anti-slavery sentiment was rising in Britain. The British stopped the import of slaves by anyone, white or colored, when they abolished the slave trade in 1807. In 1836 the institution of slavery was abolished on the island and throughout the British Empire.
The volcanic island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than many other Caribbean islands, with the highest point being Mount Gimie, at 950 metres (3,120 feet) above sea level. Two other mountains, the Pitons, form the island’s most famous landmark.
They are located between Soufrière and Choiseul on the western side of the island. Saint Lucia is also one of the few islands in the world that boasts a drive-in volcano. The capital city of Saint Lucia is Castries (population 60,263), where 32.4% of the population lives. Major towns include Gros Islet, Soufrière and Vieux Fort.
The local climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds, with a dry season from 1 December to 31 May, and a wet season from 1 June to 30 November.
A St. Lucia sailing itinerary has many possibilities. You could spend the entire week in St. Lucia waters using Rodney Bay as your base to enjoy leisurely sails and sojourns ashore to shop, sightsee, and sample gourmet fare in upscale restaurants. But for most sailors the attraction of the Eastern Caribbean is the chance to combine open-water, down-island trips in fair winds with pleasant days of short passages between island to swim, snorkel, and experience the culture and ambience of the smaller isles in the magnificent Grenadines just south of St. Vincent. The longest passage is between St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and beyond are myriad islands in a tropical paradise.
With its location in the Northeast trade belt, the Windwards are blessed with almost perfect weather for 12 months a year. Sea state in the passages between the islands can be moderate, rarely rough. St. Lucia’s temperature ranges from 65 to 85°F (18 to 29°C) from December to May and 75 to 95°F (23 to 35°C) degrees from June to November.
The winter is relatively drier as well. Visitors should bring cool, comfortable clothing. While jacket and tie are rarely requisite, overly casual beachwear is rarely appreciated off the beach. Water temperature is fairly constant at 83°F (28°C). Climate St. Lucia has a tropical climate that is influenced by sea winds and the prevailing NE trade winds. The wet season is from June to September and the dry season from February to May. Average annual precipitation varies from 1,500 mm to 1,750 mm (59 to 68 inches) on the north and south coasts to 4,000 mm (157 inches) in the interior rain forest.
The average temperature is 77°F (25°C) all year round. Sailing Conditions The Windward Islands promise lively sailing. Winds blow from the northeast in winter months and from the southeast during the summer at 10-25 knots, strengthening around the northern ends of the islands and in squalls. This itinerary also offers sailors the opportunity to make a few longer, open-water passages between islands. Some sails can take 7 to 10 hours and one can experience open ocean swell conditions of 3 to 6 feet and more in stronger winds.
Current between the islands is generally setting towards the west at about 0.5 to 2 knots and the swell is mainly northeast to east, but can occasionally be north during the winter months. Forecasts The base provides a weather forecast for the next 24 hours. Guests have to consult the ‘Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands’ for AM/FM stations from Martinique to Trinidad. There are locations at Blue Lagoon St.Vincent, Tyrell Bay, Clifton Harbor and Bequia where forecasts are posted daily. Radio reception can be very poor in the islands.
Hurricane season technically lasts from June to November, with the peak being around August and September. The Dominant Winds The winds are nearly always from northeast to southeast at 10 to 25 knots. The winds tend to strengthen around the northern ends of the islands. Tides In the Windward Islands the tide range is very small: 30 cm to 60 cm (1 to 2 feet) including the variation of level due to atmospheric pressure and dominant winds.
