Zero2Sixty

Gustavia, St. Barths to Basseterre, St. Kitts

by Art on

Information

Distance (nm)
44.70
Hours
7.58
Average (kts)
5.90

Another terrific day of sailing on a five hour passage from the posh island of St. Barths to the green and lush island of St. Kitts. The consistent trade winds that are here give us a delightful 20 kts every day right out of the east so our passage to St. Kitts was on a fine reach in moderate seas. As we came around the corner of the north end of St. Kitts we noted how St. Eustatius (next island to the north) was almost barren while St. Kitts was covered with vegetation. What a contrast!

Most of the reason is attributed to Mt. Liamuiga, the highest peak on St. Kitts. At 3,792 feet above sea level. Mt. Liamuiga means "fertile island" and serves as an obstacle for the trade winds pushing the moist sea air. As the air gets lifted to the top of the mountain it turns into clouds and rain. The mountain is continuously shrouded in moist air and hosts a rain forest at the top.

We'll spend a few days here exploring St. Kitts before we move onto her sister island, Nevis just two miles away which has a mountain at the center as well

Passage Track

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