▁sail ing ▁ships ▁arriv ing ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁World ▁than ▁the ▁Le ew ard ▁Islands , ▁given ▁that ▁the ▁prev ail ing ▁trade ▁wind s ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Ind ies ▁blow ▁east ▁to ▁west . ▁The ▁trans - At l antic ▁curr ents ▁and ▁wind s ▁that ▁provided ▁the ▁fast est ▁route ▁across ▁the ▁ocean ▁brought ▁these ▁ships ▁to ▁the ▁rough ▁div iding ▁line ▁between ▁the ▁Wind ward ▁and ▁Le ew ard ▁islands . ▁ ▁V ess els ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁slave ▁trade ▁depart ing ▁from ▁the ▁British ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁and ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Guinea ▁in ▁Africa ▁would ▁first ▁encounter ▁the ▁sout he astern most ▁" W ind ward " ▁islands ▁of ▁the ▁L esser ▁Ant illes ▁in ▁their ▁west - n orth w ester ly ▁heading ▁to ▁final ▁destin ations ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁North ▁and ▁Central ▁America . ▁The ▁chain ▁of ▁Wind ward ▁Islands ▁forms ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁eastern most ▁boundary ▁of ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Sea . ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁the ▁Wind ward ▁Islands ▁The ▁Wind ward ▁Islands ▁are ▁as ▁follows : ▁ ▁Saint ▁Lu cia ▁ ▁Saint ▁Vincent ▁and ▁the ▁Gren ad ines ▁ ▁Gren ada ▁ ▁Martin ique ▁( over se as ▁department ▁of ▁France ) ▁ ▁Domin ica ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Le ew ard ▁Islands ▁ ▁Southern ▁Car ib bean ▁ ▁Wind ward ▁Islands ▁cr icket ▁team ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Category : Arch ip el ago es ▁of ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Sea ▁Category : L esser ▁Ant illes <0x0A>