Martinique - Tropical Beauty with French Charm
On Martinique, charter tourists have the unique possibility to combine French way of life and European comfort and convenience with holidays in a magnificent tropical scenery.
Sea & Coast
Snugly fitting in between Dominica to the northwest and St. Lucia in the south, the island of Martinique is part of the group of islands dubbed to Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, a renowned location for tropical tourism and high quality Yacht Charter sailing trips.
Just like Martinique, it’s a French overseas department, meaning that the official language is French and officially, you’re in France. In fact, the city of Saint-Pierre which was destroyed y a volcanic eruption of Mount Pelee was referred to as the “Paris of the Lesser Antilles”. The total land area of the island is just over 1000 sq km, with a coastline of 350 km in length, plenty of sailing opportunities for any Yacht Charter group.
The geography of the island is mostly mouintanous, peaking with Mount Pelee in the north which rises 1397 m above the sea. The north part of Martinique is the least populated due to its rugged relief with gorges and cliffs. The central region coincides with a plain which houses the town of Fort de France and the airport, as well as the majority of the population. The south is the quintessential Yacht Charter sailing zone, with the splendid bays and creeks washing up the beaches bordered by the mangrove forests.
A cornucopia of plant and animal life can be found in this tropical paradise. First off, the flora can be described as luxurious with bamboo, coconut palm, sugarcane, begonia, ferns and heliconias adorning the countryside. The higher up you go, the thicker the vegetation gets and the same goes for the animal life, centered in the northern region which incidentally happens to be a national park where Yacht Charter visitors can go trekking or exploring the jungle.
The climate, though essentially tropical, is moderated by the constant trade winds which bring down temperatures throughout the year, to a point that the differences between the seasons drop no more than 5 degrees. Yacht Charter parties should, however, be on the lookout for hurricane season which spans from July to October. Also, there is an increase in precipitations the higher up you move, supporting the lush, green jungle throughout the year.
Culture & History
Like most other Caribbean islands, Martinique enjoys a rich and vibrant cultural life, brought about by the melting pot effect of the colonial days. The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus during his travels to America and soon became a French colony used mainly for plantation of exotic plants and spices (mostly sugar cane and pineapple). Today, Yacht Charter holidaymakers enjoy their visit into this Creole culture, with interesting music, cuisine and traditions.
The main town and tourist attraction is Fort de France in the center of the island, but for Yacht Charter seasoned veterans, the southern small town of Le Marin is far more interesting as the south part of the island is far better suited for sailing. Here’s you’ll find lots of marinas and charter companies that organize trips around the island.
Seamanship & Experience
As mentioned, the south side of the island is much friendlier for the Yacht Charter adventurer, as there are more mooring places, safer anchorages and generally, more things to do and see. The tidal range of the region doesn’t exceed 50 cm so hazards around the coast are little in importance, even during low tide.
The predominant winds are the trade winds that blow constantly throughout the year on a northeast-southwest direction. They generally tend to be more powerful during the winter season when they go up from 10-20 knots to 15-25 knots. Predictable and reliable as described by some of the Yacht Charter veterans, the winds will pose no problems to any skipper. Extra care should be taken during hurricane season, from July to October.