{"id":8592,"date":"2023-03-26T17:46:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-26T16:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.windward-islands.net\/blog\/?p=8592"},"modified":"2024-11-21T09:23:38","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T08:23:38","slug":"what-are-the-windward-and-the-leeward-islands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wiyachts.com\/blog\/what-are-the-windward-and-the-leeward-islands\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Windward And Leeward Islands? How are They Different?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands are two terms you might hear often in the sailing world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Windward Islands<\/em><\/strong>, in french \u00eeles au Vent, in Spanish, Islas de Barlovento, usually refer to Caribbean islands from the southern arc of the Lesser Antilles, but not always. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are they called “windward”? What are the Windward Islands compared to the Leeward Islands? What are the differences between the windward and leeward islands in the Caribbean compared to the ones in Polynesia?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ll answer all your questions in this post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary of the main differences between Windward and Leeward Islands<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/th>Windward Islands<\/th>Leeward Islands<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Location<\/td>Southern arc of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean<\/td>Northern islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean<\/td><\/tr>
Geographical Orientation<\/td>Located upwind from the trade winds<\/td>Located downwind from the trade winds<\/td><\/tr>
Main Islands<\/td>Martinique<\/a>, Saint Lucia<\/a>, Saint Vincent<\/a>, Grenada<\/a><\/td>British Virgin Islands<\/a>, U.S. Virgin Islands<\/a>, Saint Martin & Sint Maarten<\/a>, Antigua & Barbuda<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Climate<\/td>Exposed to trade winds; lush and tropical<\/td>Further from trade winds; generally drier and flatter<\/td><\/tr>
Geological Features<\/td>Volcanic islands with craters and hot springs<\/td>Mostly flatter islands with some volcanic activity<\/td><\/tr>
Cultural Influence<\/td>Rich colonial history, primarily French<\/td>Diverse influences including British and Dutch<\/td><\/tr>
Sailing Conditions<\/td>Favorable for navigation with steady winds<\/td>More challenging to reach due to wind direction<\/td><\/tr>
Notable Activities<\/td>Hiking in rainforests, exploring volcanic landscapes<\/td>Beach activities, sailing, and cultural festivals<\/td><\/tr>
Best time to visit<\/td>November to April<\/td>November to April<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why do we call some islands Windward and some other Leeward ?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve been in the sailing world a bit, you’ll notice that some islands are defined as Windward, while other are called Leeward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept behind it is actually quite simple and depends on one parameter: their geography compared to the (dominant) trade-wind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, when you follow the trade-winds, thus when you sail upwind, you end up reaching islands called “windward”. On the other hand, when islands are reachable going downwind compared to the trade-winds, they are called “leeward”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if an sailor\/explorer from the past was simply following the trade winds and luckily reached an island, chances are this was a windward island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the matter: What is the cost of Chartering a yacht?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Main Caribbean Windward Islands you should know<\/strong><\/span> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Caribbean Windward Islands are the most famous Windward islands, and the ones people most refer to while talking about “windward islands”. They are located at the southern end of the Caribbean arc. They are the last link before Trinidad and South America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

British sailors called these islands “Windward Islands” because they had to beat to windward to get there from their other possessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The windward islands are exposed to the trade winds coming from the East, therefore navigation from north to south is facilitated there. Far enough apart from each other, the windward islands allow moments of navigation on the open sea before reaching the calm of the shore under the next wind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four main Windward Islands<\/strong> in the Caribbean are :<\/p>\n\n\n\n