Antigua & Barbuda : Profile

Facts

English Harbour is one of the most picturesque harbours in the world with a full range of facilities and marinas.
April and May are the busiest time, towards the end of the winter season, when cruising boats arrive on their way home either to Europe or North America, and racing enthusiasts turn up for Antigua Sailing Week held every year at the end of April.
Barbuda is 27nm away from Antigua, isolated and difficult to navigate. For this reason not many yachts go there, however the magnificent beaches and colonies of Frigate birds are not to be missed.

Based on reports to noonsite from cruisers, petty theft from yachts is on the rise in the Caribbean in general. Cruisers should take basic safety precautions and use common sense when leaving the boat or going ashore at night. Dinghy thieves operate throughout the Caribbean and best advice is to place your dinghy on deck and chain it overnight.

There have been reports of voilent crime against yachties in Antigua over the past few years, with the use of weapons. Whilst these appear to be isolated incidents, visiting cruisers should be careful and avoid walking alone after dark.

Check the Noonsite Piracy Pages and the Caribbean Safety & Security Net for information on the current island situation.

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (safetyandsecuritynet@gmail.com) gather information by anchorage or by island, so sailors can plan their cruising in the Caribbean with an eye to appropriate behaviour and precautions wherever they decide to go. Should you have information about a security incident, as well as contacting Noonsite please also forward details to the Caribbean Safety and Security Net, as theirs is the most comprehensive source of Caribbean security incidents against sailors on the net. Please be sure to include boat name, date of incident and anchorage/port where the incident took place.

Last updated December 2011.