This island in the West Indies is an enormously popular yacht charter destination. Antigua is the main island of the country Antigua & Barbuda and its beaches and clear waters attract many sailors from all over the world every year between April and November.
General Info
Also a stopping point for the large cruise ships on their way back from Europe and America, Antigua is considered by many to be the perfect island getaway due to the calm surrounding seas but also thanks to the vibrant culture life present here.
A former British colony Antigua has since become a tourist hot spot that is able to rival other Caribbean locations such as Barbados, St. Barts and Jamaica. The main settlements on the island are Falmouth Harbour, which was also the first place to be colonized by the Brits on the island, English Harbour, Jolly Harbour and St. Johns. These are all ports of entry which means you can take care of official duties here upon arrival.
Antigua enjoys lovely weather, i.e. a tropical climate which is unusually dry in the hot season. The rainy season lasts from September to November with the mention that between July and November is hurricane season. For skippers on a yacht charter, there is weather forecast information being broadcast on VHF channel 06 at nine o’clock in the morning from Monday to Friday and sometimes during the weekends.
Law & Order
Upon entry in Antiguan water you must fly the Q flag and all members of the crew must remain on board until the clearance formalities are completed. All visitors are required to have in their possession a valid passport. Citizens from the U.S., the E.U. and the Commonwealth Countries do not require a travel visa, as well as citizens belonging to other countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Japan, Monaco, Norway, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela.
Upon arrival for your yacht hire, you will be issued a tourist visa by the immigration services which is valid for 6 months. If your crew will leave the boat in Antigua, they all need a valid airline ticket out of the country. The captain has responsibility of signing off the crew with immigration. If the crew is flying in and joining a yacht by air, they must show to immigration a copy of the letter signed by the captain and a copy of the ship’s papers.
All boats cruising in Antiguan waters must hold a valid permit obtained from local authorities. In case of charter yachts, the skipper needs to apply for the official license from the Chief Marine Surveyor in St. John’s Harbour.
Please keep in mind that spear fishing is prohibited in national waters for non-Antiguan citizens. The radio frequency VHF 68 is used by all coastal stations so use of this channel as a working frequency on your boat rental in Antigua is prohibited. The coastguard operates on VHF 68 and 16.