Schedule

This Adventure sail is a great coastal sailing trip for all experience levels. It also gives the more experienced sailor an opportunity to sharpen their navigation skills, and get more confidence going off the beaten track, using eyeball navigation and anchoring in remote locations. We will mainly do daysails, stopping in a new place every night. The rocky coastline and the wildlife of the Irish Atlantic west coast is bound to leave you spellbound.

This passage usually starts with W or SW winds, so we will be reaching until we get the northern winds from the smooth Portuguese trades, that will take us south to the Azores Islands. It’s a true offshore passage with all drills and procedures of Atlantic Ocean sailing, a fantastic miniature Atlantic crossing. There will be plenty of opportunities to learn about weather routing and passage strategy, as finding the perfect window for the crossing will require some skill. We are likely to spend a few days cruising along the Irish SW coast down to the iconic Fastnet rock. The ocean passage will most likely be 8-9 days with the remaining time spent cruising and exploring the Azores.

The Azores high is usually located south of the Azores in June & July making the predominant wind direction just north of the Azores SW or W, which should make it possible for us to make a direct course for Newfoundland and St John’s, our port of destination. Icebergs may pose a risk this early in the summer, especially once we reach the area of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland - So Radar on! Good opportunity to sharpen your Radar skills. Depending on the weather window, we will spend a few days cruising around Horta, getting to know the yacht, before setting off.

Newfoundland is off the beaten track with its remote & secluded anchorages, small fishing communities and lots of wildlife. Icebergs may pose a risk this early in the summer, especially once we reach the area around Labrador, so good chance to practice the use of Radar. Great opportunity to get off the grid and live on an expedition sailing yacht.

Newfoundland is off the beaten track with its remote & secluded anchorages, small fishing communities and lots of wildlife. After a few days, we will do a 200 nm passage across the Gulf of st. Lawrence to the Magdalen Islands. After exploring the Magdalen islands, we will mainly do day sails. We will visit a few ports on Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia) on our way to Charlottetown on Prince Edward’s island.

This Adventure sail is a great sailing trip for all experience levels. It is also gives the more experienced sailor an opportunity to sharpen their navigation skills, and get more confidence going off the beaten track, using eyeball navigation and anchoring in remote locations. We will mainly do daysails, with 1-2 longer passages, stopping in a new place every day - there will be some time to explore onshore. Nova Scotia with its rocky coastline, friendly people and wildlife is a truly remarkable place

This Adventure sail is a great sailing trip for all experience levels with a great introduction to offshore sailing and sailing in a watch system. It also gives the more experienced sailor an opportunity to sharpen their navigation skills, and get more confidence going off the beaten track, using eyeball navigation and anchoring in remote locations. We will start with mainly daysails, stopping in a new place every day - there will be some time to explore onshore. Nova Scotia with its rocky coastline, friendly people and wildlife is a truly remarkable place. Experience the offshore routine, commercial traffic, ocean waves, strong currents, rapidly shifting weather and working in a shift system. Keeping a good lookout and staying focused, while on watch is imperative.

Setting off from Rockland, we may anchor one night at the islands in Maine, before going offshore south across the Gulf of Maine (wait for the right weather window). We will sail Penobscot Bay, The Gulf Of Maine, Massachusetts Bay, The Cape Cod Canal, and Narragansett Bay to our final destination, Newport. We will have options for potential stops – Gloucester, Provincetown, Martha’s Vineyard. There may even be whale sightings near Stellwagon Bank.

This passage will be a masterclass in weather routing and strategy as there are many options to choose from going south around Cape Hatteras and crossing the Gulf Stream. We will spend a few days transiting challenging waters with lots of commercial traffic, before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Experience the offshore routine, commercial traffic, ocean waves, strong currents, rapidly shifting weather and working in a shift system. Keeping a good lookout and staying focused, while on watch is imperative.

This passage will be a masterclass in weather routing and strategy. We will spend a few days cruising and enjoying Bahamas - getting used to the yacht and waiting for the right weather window. Experience the offshore routine, Atlantic ocean waves, strong currents, rapidly shifting weather and working in a shift system. Keeping a good lookout and staying focused , while on watch is imperative.

Guadeloupe, Dominica & Martinique - These un-spoilt, tropical islands are among the most captivating and picturesque in the Caribbean and the ideal destination for a coastal sailing adventure. This stretch of the Leeward Island chain is purely coastal sailing, with around 30 nm miles between each island being the furthest distance we have to make. It means we will stop and discover somewhere new daily, including fascinating towns and communities, spectacular scenery rich in jungle, volcanoes, coral reefs, quiet anchorages and perfect white sand beaches.  Allied to the trade winds, the sun and warm Caribbean sea make this a magical location for a sailing adventure that will leave you spellbound.

Typical Weather Expect a delightful mix of tropical weather and balmy breezes with moderate temperatures. Average daytime temperatures during this time hover around 26°C with bright sunny skies. Tradewinds from the east-northeast provide a consistent breeze, averaging between 10-25 kts. Expect occasional tropical showers.

After exploring Santiago de Cuba, we will sail west along the south coast stopping in a new anchorage on most days, explore on shore or swim along the reefs with crystal clear waters. The Jardines de la Reina archipelago was given its name by Christopher Columbus. The 75-mile-long tropical islands are renowned for its vibrant coral and diverse marine life. We can swim along the shallow reefs teeming with juvenile fish and enjoy a sunset dinner at anchor, surrounded by untouched mangrove islands. Our final stop: Cienfuegos, known as the “Pearl of the South,” is a city celebrated for its French neoclassical architecture and gentle maritime atmosphere. The city is a real mix of architectural elegance, historical depth, and natural beauty, making it a quintessential Cuban experience.

The San Blas Islands - Get ready for some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The San Blas islands are renowned for its vibrant coral and diverse marine life. We can swim along the shallow reefs teeming with fish and enjoy breathtaking sunsets at anchor. The remaining days will be at spent explore the islands, staying in different anchorages, before sailing to the mainland.