Visit these National Parks in the Caribbean during your luxury yacht charter

This heritage park is home to one of the two petroglyph sites in Anguilla (the other being Fountain Cavern) and is located in the fishing village of Island Harbour. Situated on Crown land, this area may once have been an entirely enclosed limestone cave. During the period when Amerindians used this site, it most likely had an overhang that protruded over the fresh water source that lay approximately five meters below ground. The rock ledges of Big Spring contain over 100 petroglyphs that date back to AD600-1200 and the majority of Big Spring’s petroglyphs are comprised of three indentations that form faces that may represent the images of Amerindians who had been born or who had died in the community.

Your captain will drop the anchor near Sombrero Island. This unique island is rarely visited and besides being one of Anguilla’s best-kept secrets, it is a nature lovers dream. Sombrero Island is one of Anguilla’s gems and provides important nesting habitat for regionally and globally important  bird populations. Keep your eyes peeled and try to spot a bridled tern, Caribbean elaenia, Green-throated carib, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Lesser Antillean bullfinch, Pearly-eyed thrasher or brown noddy! Did you know that the critically endangered Sombrero Island lizard is found here and no where else in the world? After a morning of exploring and discovering, jump into the clear, deep waters surrounding the island to cool off before you head over to a special lunch your crew set up for you under the old lighthouse ruins. 

This heritage area boasts a preserved carving of the Taino deity, Jocahu. The natural space and geological formations of the cavern have been used to create a supernatural revelation, a place of worship, and a place of magic. The caves were especially important to the Taino, also known as the Arawaks, one the Caribbean’s Amerindians peoples. They believed that the very first people on earth, along with the sun and the moon, emerged from one or more caves in the ancient past. As recorded historically, the Taino used shrines in ceremonial caves to induce rainfall in times of drought, often leaving sacred objects known as “zemis” behind and carrying other materials away for their spiritual power and their practical importance. At times, Amerindians even buried their dead in caves, especially chiefs and other important leaders.The centerpiece of the Fountain Cavern site, in particular, is the stalagmite statue carved into the likeness of the Taino deity “Jocahu”, the “Lord of the Yuca”, one of the more powerful members of the Taino pantheon.

The Nature Reserve of St Barth was founded in 1996 to protect the underwater ecosystems and covers 1,200 ha in five sectors. It was established with the objective of conserving coral reefs, sea grass beds and marine life. St Barth is a volcanic island in the Caribbean ocean, completely surrounded by shallow reefs and your captain will make sure you are at the best anchorage to start your adventure. 

Apart from Ascidiacea, sea sponges and anemones, there are 45 coral species recorded in the reserve. Sea urchins, starfish, shellfish, crustaceans, a few sea turtles and 165 species of fish are also reported. Are you a bird lover? The Nature Reserve of St Barth is the habitat of 80 species of birds. Six species of water birds have also been spotted in the ponds of the island. The bird population witnesses a boost during the winter when a large number of Neotropical migrant birds flock to the area. The key bird species recorded here are laughing gull, royal tern and common tern.

Is St Thomas part of your luxury charter? Then put on your walking shoes and explore the sites and historic buildings of Hassel Island. The Virgin Islands National Park is located on this small island on the west coast of St Thomas and boasts 19th-century ruins and fortifications. Once a peninsula connected to St Thomas, the land mass was separated in 1860 by the Danish Government in order to facilitate better water and vessel circulation in the Charlotte Amalie harbor. There are four historical structures on the island now listed on the National Historic Places Registry. One of these structures is the remains of a British military garrison built during a brief British occupation of the former Danish West Indies in the 1800s. Another historical site is the Creque Marine Railway which dates back to the mid-1800s and is one of the oldest surviving examples of such a railway. Your private guide will tell you all about the sites while hiking the scenic trail!

Which park will you visit first? Talk to the concierge at Boatsters Black and enjoy your personalized vacation on board of one of their luxurious yachts while cruising the Caribbean!