Nelson’s Dockyard
The shared English Harbour base sits among restored Georgian buildings, restaurants, customs services and working marina facilities.
← Back to the Antigua guideSailing
The complete charter-planning guide
Sailing
Antigua
Historic harbours. Proper trade winds. Barbuda waiting beyond the horizon.
Bareboat · Skippered · Private yachtReviewed July 27, 2026
Antigua Sailing Week · Judeane / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Best seasonDecember–April
Classic charter7 nights
Typical winter windNE · 15–20 knots
ExperienceIntermediate
Why Antigua works
A charter ground with real sailing in its bones.
Antigua combines a world-famous yachting center with a satisfying island circumnavigation. Passages are manageable, but this is not the protected BVI nursery: open Atlantic water, strong trades, reef-lined approaches and operator red lines make good judgment part of the appeal. The reward is variety—Georgian dockyard evenings, quiet west-coast coves, reef-framed islets and an optional Barbuda passage that feels like a voyage.
01
Arrive a day early
The base is roughly 45–60 minutes from ANU. Protect the briefing and first sailing day from airline delays.
02
Respect Level 2
Sunsail classifies Antigua as intermediate. Recent skippering experience on a comparable yacht matters more than optimism.
03
Keep daylight
Night sailing is prohibited by the major base, with the yacht secured at least one hour before sunset.
04
Hold two plans
Reef approaches and exposed bays make an easy fallback anchorage essential.
Moorings & Sunsail base
Start inside a UNESCO dockyard.
Bareboat or skippered
Both brands offer current charter choices from Antigua. Exact fleets, inclusions and available professional crew vary by date and booking brand.
Early November–late June
The published base season currently excludes the core hurricane months. Always check the precise opening window for your year.
Do you need a license?
A formal sailing license is not mandatory for this base, but that does not make Antigua entry-level. The skipper submits a sailing resume; Sunsail currently asks for its Level 2 standard, including meaningful recent skippering on a comparable yacht. The base can require a checkout or paid skipper if experience is insufficient.
Briefing & restrictions
Skippers receive chart and yacht briefings covering approved sailing lanes, hazards, VHF use and emergency support. Current published restrictions include reef-heavy sections of the northeast coast and parts of Barbuda. Some yachts may not be permitted to continue to Guadeloupe or Martinique. Your contract and base charter-company briefing control.
Premium charter brand
The Moorings
Nelson’s Dockyard · English Harbour
Compare current sailing catamarans, monohulls, power options and skipper availability directly.
Current fleet & quotes ↗Sailing-focused sister brand
Sunsail
Nelson’s Dockyard · English Harbour
Useful for bareboat and skippered comparisons, published experience levels and current Antigua route guidance.
Current fleet & quotes ↗Conditions
The trades are dependable. The coastline is not uniform.
Prime season
December–April
Drier weather, active harbours and established trade winds. Christmas winds and north swell can still sharpen the week.
Warm shoulder
May–June
Fewer charter boats and warm seas, with more humidity, showers and tropical-weather awareness required.
Base generally closed
July–October
Core Atlantic hurricane risk. Private-yacht planning requires a serious storm strategy, insurance compliance and secure-haul options.
Wind
Northeasterly trades around 15–20 knots are common from November through May, though harbor averages can be lower and squalls can be much higher.
Swell
West-coast stops are often comfortable in ordinary trades. North swell can disturb Dickenson and other exposed bays; the east coast sees more Atlantic energy.
Tide
The tidal range is small compared with many cruising grounds, but current, reef depth and wave setup still matter at narrow or shallow approaches.
Forecast routine
Use the Antigua & Barbuda Met Service, a marine forecast and the charter base’s local guidance every morning. Recheck before committing to Barbuda.
Clearance & permits
Charter-base paperwork and foreign-yacht clearance are different jobs.
01
Antigua-based charter
The base prepares the yacht’s local charter documentation and explains cruising fees and limits. Carry passports and any required travel documents for every crew member. There is currently no separate international clearance between Antigua and Barbuda, but local permits, protected-area rules and operator restrictions still apply.
02
Arriving on a foreign yacht
Prepare an eSeaClear notification before arrival, enter at a legal port, fly the yellow Q flag and keep passengers aboard until clearance is complete. Current ABYMA procedures instruct vessels to contact the Coast Guard on VHF 16 before arrival; only the master proceeds ashore until Port Health, customs, immigration and port formalities are completed.
03
Ports & fees
English Harbour, Jolly Harbour and other designated ports handle formalities. Cruising, anchoring, rubbish and harbor charges can apply. English and Falmouth Harbour users may also owe National Parks fees; retain every receipt for clearing out elsewhere.
Anchorage directory
Choose the night by protection. Choose the day by beauty.
English & Falmouth Harbours
The charter and marine-services center. Start here, finish here and leave time to enjoy it on foot.
Nelson’s Dockyard
Charter base · marinaThe Moorings and Sunsail base sits inside the historic dockyard, with fuel, utilities, security, restaurants and clearance services nearby.
Falmouth Harbour
Anchoring · marinasA large, well-protected harbor with yacht services, restaurants and room for a shakedown night. Follow current harbor instructions and preserve the navigation channel.
Freeman Bay / Galleon Beach
Anchorage · beachA beautiful outer-English-Harbour stop near the Pillars of Hercules. Swell and traffic can make it less comfortable than the photograph suggests.
Rendezvous Bay
Remote anchorageWild, secluded and largely undeveloped. Use only in settled conditions with excellent visibility and a conservative exit plan.
Southwest & west coast
Leeward beaches, sunsets and the easiest string of relaxed overnight options in ordinary trade-wind weather.
Carlisle Bay
Anchorage · resortA handsome south-coast pause with beach access and a refined shore option. Confirm landing arrangements before assuming resort facilities are open to visiting crews.
Jolly Harbour
Marina · moorings · provisionsThe most practical west-coast reset: supermarket, fuel, customs, chandlery, restaurants and sheltered berths in one place.
Five Islands Harbour
Spacious anchoring areaMultiple coves and more breathing room than the resort beaches. Choose the exact spot by wind, swell, depth and access restrictions.
Deep Bay
Anchorage · wreck snorkelA scenic overnight in normal conditions with the Andes wreck in the bay. Keep clear of the wreck and commercial traffic routes.
Dickenson Bay
Anchorage · restaurantsA lively northwestern beach stop with easy shore life. It is open enough to become rolly when wind or swell shifts.
North Sound & offshore islets
Beautiful, reef-strewn water that deserves daylight, current charts and close attention to charter-company limits.
Great Bird Island
Day stop · limited overnight useClear water, a short hike and excellent scenery. Reefs and shifting conditions make the approach a briefing-room decision, not a casual detour.
Maiden Island / North Sound
Protected water · reefsInteresting dinghy-scale exploration around uninhabited islets, but channels and reef edges require exact local guidance.
Parham Harbour
Port of entry · anchorageWell protected and useful for clearance or shelter, with limited provisioning. The marked channel should be treated as daylight-only unless thoroughly familiar.
East coast
The most visually tempting and navigationally demanding side of the standard Antigua circuit.
Green Island
Anchorages · snorkelingA signature charter stop with turquoise water and several possible positions. Exposure, reef and yacht traffic make the day’s forecast and base briefing decisive.
Nonsuch Bay
Reef-protected waterBeautiful and breezy, but the northeast corridor carries charter restrictions and complex reef navigation. Follow the operator’s red lines exactly.
Barbuda
A separate passage with its own planning demands.
Low Bay / Codrington Lagoon side
Weather-dependent anchoringThe classic pink-sand setting and access toward Codrington Lagoon. Swell, depth, landing logistics and protected-area rules need same-day confirmation.
Spanish Point & north coast
Common charter restrictionReefs, shoal water and exposure place these areas outside normal Moorings and Sunsail cruising limits. The contract and chart briefing control.
Provisioning & marinas
One large shop beats seven tiny negotiations.
Base arrival
The Nelson’s Dockyard area has a walkable supermarket plus restaurants and basic services. The current base does not advertise a full online provisioning store.
Jolly Harbour
The strongest one-stop reset: large supermarket, Budget Marine chandlery, fuel, water, ATMs, restaurants, customs and a sheltered marina.
Falmouth services
Falmouth and the Catamaran Marina area offer engineering, rigging, sail, chandlery, fuel, water, restaurants and crew-oriented services.
North-side top-ups
Parham has limited staples and marine services. Treat it as a useful backup, not a substitute for the main provisioning run.
Barbuda inventory
Assume limited selection and opening hours. Carry meals, drinking water, ice and a reserve for the weather day before leaving Antigua.
Waste & reef care
Use authorized marina disposal, minimize packaging before departure, anchor only where permitted and keep the hook out of coral and seagrass.
Passage scale
An Antigua week is compact. Barbuda changes the scale.
English Harbour → Carlisle Bayabout 5 nm
A short south-coast shakedown leg.
Carlisle Bay → Jolly Harbourabout 8 nm
Leeward coast with multiple beach alternatives.
Jolly Harbour → Deep Bayabout 6 nm
An easy-scale charter day with time ashore.
Deep Bay → Dickenson Bayabout 3–4 nm
Short enough to wait for the better part of the day.
Dickenson Bay → Great Bird Island areaabout 9–11 nm
Reef awareness matters more than the mileage.
Green Island → English Harbourabout 9–11 nm
Open east-coast water before returning to the south.
Antigua → Barbudaroughly 30–40 nm
Departure and arrival points change the total; this is the route’s serious passage.
Approximate planning distances only. Actual mileage depends on the anchorage, route, tacks, restrictions and sea state.
Sample route
Seven days for Antigua. More time for Barbuda.
Seven-day Antigua circumnavigation
Day 1
Nelson’s Dockyard / Falmouth
Complete briefings, inspect the yacht and keep the first move short. Use the evening for Dockyard history and a proper crew dinner.
Day 2
Falmouth → Jolly Harbour
Sail the south and southwest coast, then provision fully and settle into a sheltered marina or approved mooring.
Day 3
Jolly → Deep Bay
A short west-coast day with time for the beach and a careful snorkel around the Andes wreck.
Day 4
Deep Bay → Dickenson or Five Islands
Choose easy shore life at Dickenson or more space around Five Islands based on the swell forecast.
Day 5
Northwest → Great Bird Island area
Make this a daylight navigation day. Use only the operator-approved route and keep a simple fallback such as Parham or a west-coast return.
Day 6
North Sound → Green Island → English Harbour
Visit Green Island only if conditions and charter limits cooperate, then return south with generous daylight.
Day 7
English Harbour → base return
Refuel if required and return inside the contracted window, leaving time for inspection, debriefing and the airport transfer.
Route reality: this is a planning framework, not a clockwise commandment. Reverse, shorten or remain in harbor when wind, swell, yacht condition or crew energy says so.
Budget & safety
Compare the checkout total.
Charter rate
Yacht type, age, air-conditioning, season and cancellation terms create large swings. Price the same dates and crew across both brands.
Mandatory extras
Damage waiver or deposit, cleaning, taxes, permits and base charges may sit outside the first advertised number.
Daily boat costs
Fuel, water, ice, marina nights, moorings, shore power, provisions and meals ashore belong in the initial estimate.
Professional skipper
Add the skipper’s daily rate, food, gratuity and cabin needs. Losing a cabin can materially change which yacht fits.
Arrival cushion
An airport hotel or English Harbour night protects the charter and makes the first morning far calmer.
Weather protection
Use travel coverage that addresses named storms, interrupted charter days and medical evacuation.
Crew brief
Before casting off, cover life jackets, VHF, fire equipment, gas, heads, hatches, windlass, engines, man-overboard recovery and the base emergency number.
Float plan
Keep the base informed of major changes and tell a shore contact the yacht name, crew, operator and contracted return time.
Swimming
Use a lookout, kill engines near swimmers, display the appropriate flag and never assume another yacht can see a snorkeler.
Conservative calls
Reef early, cancel early and enter before the light degrades. Antigua rewards a skipper who still has options at 3 p.m.
Research desk
Official sources & live checks
Fleet, base hours, fees, ports, restrictions, weather and harbor conditions change. Start here, then confirm directly before departure.
The Moorings Antigua charter page ↗The Moorings base information ↗Sunsail Antigua charter page ↗Sunsail base information ↗Official yacht clearance procedures ↗Official ports of entry ↗ABYMA anchorage guidance ↗ABYMA marina directory ↗eSeaClear pre-arrival system ↗Antigua & Barbuda Met Service ↗Antigua National Parks ↗Antigua Sailing Week ↗