Like Christopher Columbus we sail from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria to a Caribbean Leeward island like Guadeloupe, Barbados, Martinique, St. Lucia or Dominica. We have to sail efficient and fast to beat the average speed of Columbus fleet. His two fastest passages took 21 days, an excellent time even by todayâs standards. On both voyages he sailed to the southwest till he met steady northeasterly trade winds at 20 degrees North.

This essential rule of not setting a course for the desired destination until well inside the trade wind belt has been followed to advantage by all navigators since.Leaving Las Palmas sail due south till you are free from the island. Be prepared to cope with an area of calms and variables the moment you are south of Las Palmas. Than there are two options left. One option is to sail south-southwest for about 1.000 miles to a point 200 or 300 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands. Then point west. Another option is to sail a southwesterly course to 20 degrees North and 30 degrees West and 15 degrees North and 40 degrees west. You will find the trade winds a bit later but the distance is shorter and the chance you run into calms for days on an end like at the SSW route is less.