A country named after a woman

If you spend some material time in St Lucia, someone will eventually tell you that St Lucia is the only country in the world named after a woman. That is an interesting fact, and Wikipedia would say there are two countries named after women: St Lucia and Ireland. They are both island countries with lots of similarities.

When sailing St Lucia, you stick to the island's leeward side, which is the side of the Caribbean Sea. From the airport at Vieux Fort up to Rodney Bay, the coastline is dotted with small fishing villages sitting beside epic luxury resorts.

Many places have it figured out, but I like how St. Lucia approaches things.

First, all beaches are public, even in front of the highest-priced resorts. The government has been on a mission to put mooring balls up the coast and make those areas no anchor zones to protect and help regrow the coral. At the same time, one of the world's best golf courses in the north is Cabot St Lucia.

Although not without crime, the island feels welcoming and safe. From the Friday night parties in Gros Islet to the waterfall walks in Soufriere, the island is accessible.

Like most islands in this part of the world, St Lucia’s history bounced around. For St Lucia, it has been between the English and the French. But today (see pic), they have a larger set of partners, with China providing funding for key infrastructure projects.

From a sailing perspective, this island marks the northern part of the windward islands. The jump north from St Lucia is a short, sporty sail to Martinique, France.

Maybe I did not give Grenada and St Vincent the same chance, but one could easily spend a few months exploring this incredible gem near the top of the Windward Islands.

Oh, and I would be remiss not to mention that St Lucia is home to Julien Alfred, the current fastest woman in the world (from the Olympics).

A place worth visiting and a place I will return to.

(below is a video of the sail from the north to the south of St Lucia)