where did the leeward islands get their name
when sailing ships were the sole form of transportation across the Atlantic Ocean . In sailing terminology , `` windward '' means towards the source of the wind , while `` leeward '' is the opposite direction . In the West Indies , the prevailing winds , known as the trade winds , blow out of the southeast . Therefore , an island to the northwest , such as Puerto Rico , would typically be leeward of an island to the southeast , such as Antigua , and conversely , Antigua would typically be windward of Puerto Rico , but leeward of Guadeloupe and Martinique .