sailing from caribbean to europe

For decades, the late Herb Hilgenberg provided free weather services to eastbound yachtsmen, and when I interviewed him a few years ago he also advised an even more cautious route: “I advocate the southerly route to the Azores,” he said, “and recommend that boats head east and stay south of 35°N until I see that nothing significant is developing. The largest of the Caribbean… You may want to take a look at our current sailing opportunities instead. In effect, you’re gaining an extra crewmember, someone with proper connectivity to put the hours into obtaining weather data including real time information from satellites and weather buoys, to work out your best options. “Look at the mast, boom and spreaders. Low pressure systems tend to lie further south earlier in the season and if you head north you would typically end up north of the Azores in headwinds. Additionally, the line has canceled all cruises longer than seven days sailing … Jerry Henwood, aka Jerry the Rigger, who does most of the rig checks for the ARC rally advises: “Check your standing rigging wire where it enters the swage. ARC Europe is the west-to-east Atlantic rally, sailing from the Caribbean or North America to Europe. If you have to wait for spares that will be six to ten days, depending on the supplier at the other end, it will delay you, and the cost of transport [air freight], for, say, a pump can be €60-80 per leg for the two legs.”. Starting from Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola, British Virgin Islands or Virginia on the US East coast, the two fleets rendezvous in St George's, Bermuda before crossing the Atlantic to the Azores. Weather experts can provide a service as and when you need it – what forecaster Simon Rowell calls ‘leaving note for the milkman’ – or on a daily basis. Your standing and running rig will now have covered thousands of salty, sunny miles and the return transatlantic crossing will see you spend long days on one tack so expect chafe to occur on sheets and halyards. “We look at the west-east transatlantic as very different from the ARC or indeed any of the other ocean trips we do because it can be largely upwind and has potential for heavy weather,” says Dan Bower. From Portugal’s foodie delights to Spain’s fun-filled festivals, it’s a voyage of discovery. “It is guaranteed that the first week is full on, close-hauled in the tradewinds, and life at 20-30° in a big ocean swell puts more demands on the boat and crew. He advises skippers to be prepared to do oil and filter changes themselves. I'll go into more detail on the conditions in the Meds below.Croatia - Croatia's sailing season can be limited by the Bora, a North Eastern wind gust coming in from Russia, which can reach hurricane strength. Skip Novak’s Storm Sailing Series features a run through some of the essential deck checks. "It has been a lot of fun to cruise the Azores in the company of other ARC Europe boats, reconnecting with old sailing friends, and making new ones"  Michael Kantrowitz, yacht Splendido (USA). “With all of the above in mind, this remains one of my favourite trips. Check for any missing or damaged key rings on standing rigging, especially guardwires. “You can stay at 32-33°N until a few days out from the Azores and then head north. The days will be lengthening as a crew sails north-east, yet the temperatures are falling and the weather can be very varied and occasionally testing. Explore Royal Caribbean's official cruise schedule, including cruise ship renovations, repositioning news, new exciting destinations and ports, and much … After cruising the Azorean archipelago, boats sail to Marina de Lagos in southern Portugal, or sail independently to northern Europe. Our rally team ensures that you get the most out of your visit to the Azores. A professional rigging check can be well worth the cost, but if you do it yourself make sure you work from stem to stern checking every item. Sailing from Caribbean to Europe This sailing opportunity expired on 20/07/2020. DetailMiles1 MayRally office opens at Nanny Cay Marina 3 MayRally office opens at Ocean Yacht Marina, Portsmouth, VA6 MayNanny Cay, Tortola BVI to Bermuda845 NM6 MayPortsmouth VA to Bermuda540 NM17 MayBermuda to Horta, Faial Azores1,800 NM, World Cruising 120 High Street, Cowes PO31 7AX, United Kingdom, Central location in the British Virgin Islands, St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club, Bermuda, Marina de Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores. Whether or not you’ve considered paying for tailored forecasting and routeing information on the way out to the Caribbean, it’s a good investment on the way back. It is strongest in winter. I would not go north of the area north of 35°N or west of 45°W until June.”. The scale of value in the Caribbean is pretty great. Sail the Mediterranean on a romantic sailboat like the Sea Cloud I & Sea Cloud II, Panorama, or Galileo, just a few of our featured European sailing yachts.Typically, these classic clippers, schooners, windjammers and traditional European … A good forecaster will ask you to check in anyway and will be keeping an eye out for anything untoward heading your way. In Bermuda, crews can take a break, re-provision, enjoy the island, and wait for a good weather springboard for the next leg. All fastenings must be tight and secure. Then depending on the position of the Azores High, after the lull in the middle, the second half of the journey can be lively downwind or back to beating.”, Make regular checks on sails and rigging, looking particularly for chafe damage. On-site are about 300 well-maintained sailing craft available for bareboat rentals and perhaps 100 charter yachts. So when you consider the outlay for an expensive downwind sail inventory, for example new spinnaker or Parasailor, don’t forget the good condition mainsail with perhaps a fourth reef and the strong staysail that will be just as invaluable on the way back. “We also consider taking some extra fuel on board to give options around the high. In every port there will be social activities, plus tours ashore in the Azores. But it is also one of the most interesting voyages, and the almost mandatory stop in the Azores means you’ll visit some of the most unspoilt, hospitable and interesting islands anywhere in the world. As well as recognising great sailing, boat speeds and good seamanship, the awards celebrate the diversity of the rally, the people and boats. Experience the world-renowned Peter Cafe Sport in Horta, street bull running on Terceira, wines on Pico, hydrangeas and thermal springs on Sao Miguel - each off their own unique experience. As well as taking extra fuel in jerrycans or flexible tanks, don’t forget to pre-empt fuel supply problems by stocking lots of engine fuel filters and lots of Racor water separator filters. Given this, you’ll need to think from the outset about your upwind and stronger wind sails, and your yacht preparations for the route across to Europe. 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Royal Caribbean Summer 2021 … “Crew agility and fitness becomes more important as deck work and moving around the boat can be a challenge, at least initially.”. Check struts on the radar brackets aren’t wearing away or coming loose. “I get people coming in here to ask us to do it and I have to say: ‘No, sorry, we don’t have time’,” he says. Check VHF aerials at the masthead aren’t loose. The reigning capital for sailing is Tortola, the largest island of the British Virgins. So the aim is to catch and ride favourable winds for as far as possible, and most boats head for the Azores to make a stop there and then pick their timing to head across to Spain or Portugal or up to the UK. And reports of violence are mainly confined to inner-city areas which see few tourists. Be bowled over by Europe’s mind-blowing treasures. In Nanny Cay we also usually run a safety demonstration, with a liferaft and flares. For cruisers a southerly route is generally preferable, staying south of the Gulf Stream in lighter winds and taking on extra fuel and motoring if necessary. Phuket: 14. The advice he offers is to track north-easterly towards the Azores and stay south of 30°N until 40°W. Check all areas where anything joins, exits or is just attached. Also, consider buying a portable transfer pump as juggling with funnels and pouring diesel at sea is a messy, troublesome job. Europe. Caribbean Sailing By Daria and Alex Blackwell The Caribbean Sea is a lovely patch of warm blue water surrounded by islands that are close enough together to be within a day’s sail of each other most of … Sailing in the Caribbean. A pressure cooker will come back into its own for probably the first time since you left colder waters. Re-mouse all your shackles so they don’t come undone. Nevertheless, each year, around 1,000 yachts arrive in Horta en route to Europe (the total was 1,232 in 2015, to be exact). Duncan Sweet runs Mid-Atlantic Yacht Services in Horta, providing a great service, but one that gets very busy in late April and May. The highlight for many participants is the Azores Cruise. Which ships are sailing … Photo: Tor Johnson. There will be seven Royal Caribbean cruise ships that will sail Europe during Summer 2021 including Anthem of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas. Check for any loose nuts on pelican hooks on the guardwires. The route back is a well-travelled one, but it is a very different proposition to the way out. Dan Bower also emphasises these basic checks. These options, once the preserve of big motorboat owners and superyachts, are gaining popularity with mainstream cruisers, especially the time-pressed – in fact, a couple of owners I interviewed at the Caribbean 600 this year had their yachts shipped out from Europe and had booked them back by ship later in the season. If you are looking to cut costs, bring some good fishing rods with you. It should all be smooth with no cracks. As summer approaches the lows tend to move further north and the Azores High expands so that you get lighter winds as you make your way towards the Azores. Sailing cruises provide a relaxing yet exciting way to tour Europe. Europe… Preparing your boat for everything from flat calms to gales is paramount, and after a lazy season in the Caribbean everything needs to be checked over. Weather is a large part of any Atlantic crossing: deciding when to go, which route to follow and the sails…, Numerically, the most common yachts for sailing across the Atlantic are ordinary production cruisers with standard kit, usually with upgrades…. The maximum passenger capacity on our boats changes depending on which country you are sailing. Rolling watches or double watches can help the time go by quicker, and give you as skipper more confidence and rest, though it might mean you need more crew for this route. Here’s a quick breakdown, but you can always find more specific details in the essential trip information of each tour. According to a survey by Jimmy Cornell: ‘every year approximately 1,200 boats cross the Atlantic from the Cape Verdes, Canaries and Madeira along the north- east tradewinds route.’, A return voyage from the Caribbean to northern latitudes can be testing for boats and crew. Bask in the glorious Greek islands, feel the vibe in cool Copenhagen or explore Croatia’s lovely coastline. You might not have quite the number of takers for a voyage to Europe as you had on the way to the Caribbean and, as skipper, you need to think about crew who have the appetite for what might be more of challenge. Round the world sailors Anne and Stuart Letton, who have sailed two-handed back across the Atlantic several times, recommend Mr D’s Thermal Cooker, a slow cooker you can put all the ingredients in during the morning, bring to a simmer and then leave to cook slowly throughout the day to be ready in the evening. What should you weigh up in your crew and boat preparations and which route and strategy is best? To get the most from your fuel tankage, keep to your minimum cruising revs. Starting from Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola, British Virgin … Hearty, warming meals will be required as the temperature drops. Check there are no cracks on the tang on the boom where the vang joins. “A good inspection and rig check before departure is a must, and we rig for heavy weather with our smaller headsail on the furler and have the staysail ready to go. This includes sailings in the Caribbean, the California Coast, along with early season Alaska and Europe cruises. An eastward crossing, sailing from the Caribbean to Europe, offers a very different experience, which can be either highly enjoyable or almost overwhelmingly challenging. You have powerful upwind sailing, the days are getting longer, the weather and skies becoming more interesting and the sea and bird life are plentiful. Photo: Tor Johnson. This also makes watchkeeping more tiring, so you may want to consider changing your previous rota. Royal Caribbean continues to release cruise itineraries for 2020 and 2021 and the cruise line's latest deployments include one of the world's largest cruise ships sailing to Europe in 2020. The weather will be cooling on a west-east Atlantic crossing… but there might still be a chance for a mid-ocean swim. Meaning, a $1000 marina in the Caribbean will be amazing. On Skyelark, they make life easier by pre-cooking most of the main meals and keeping lunches and breakfasts simple, though “we carry some other celebration meals for when conditions merit; a Sunday roast is great for morale,” he says. Royal Caribbean will offer a wide variety of cruises to Europe in 2022 on seven cruise ships that will visit destinations from Norway to Italy to Israel. Photo: Isbjorn Sailing. You will get far more for your money than you would in most places in the US. Rowell estimates his costs for providing this service to an average 40-footer doing Atlantic crossing at around £500, while Stephanie Ball at MeteoGib charges around £70 for daily 24hr SMS-type forecasts to a satphone or tracker. Statistics show that violent crime rarely touches the 28 million or so tourists who visit the Caribbean every year. As Dan Bower puts it: “There is an increased chance of seasickness and even for those not afflicted there is less desire to do much in the way of domestic duties. Dan Bower, who wrote our Bluewater Sailing Series and made his umpteenth west-east transatlantic passage in May 2018, returning from the Caribbean on his Skye 51 Skyelark, says: “We consider the passage to be heavy weather and prepare accordingly.”. But many crews make an intermediate stop in Bermuda and this is a particularly good option if the wind patterns change three to four days out from the Caribbean. Royal Caribbean released new information about summer 2021 European cruises. Whether you love the sea, are conscious of your carbon footprint, don't like flying or simply prefer to sail in a relaxed atmosphere, away from the crowds, then … You could get your boat sailed home by a delivery crew, or shipped back to the Mediterranean or northern Europe. Sweet also strongly advises that you carry key spares you might need, and replace any you may have used after your Atlantic crossing on the way out, such as pump or autopilot parts. Plus there is the undoubted satisfaction of knowing that you are closing the circle of your Atlantic circuit by your own efforts and skills. A $2000 one will be out of this world. “It is guaranteed that the first week is full on, close-hauled in the tradewinds, and life at 20-30° in a big ocean swell puts more demands on the boat and crew. Because of the water that will be shipped going into a big swell, all items on deck need to be well lashed down, and thought given to any water entry points. Most boats speed across the Atlantic, rushing past these diverse, friendly and interesting islands. “We look at the west-east transatlantic as very different from the ARC or indeed any of the other ocean trips we do because it can be largely upwind and has potential for heavy weather,” says Dan Bower. Caribbean: 8. Carry spare fuel in case you have to motor more than you expect, and find out from your boat manufacturer your vessel’s most economical engine cruising revs, “The average time people spend here is four to five days. Is it nice and smooth? Europe Sailing Tours and Trips; Sailing trips in Europe can feel a bit like you’ve stumbled into a Bridget Bardot movie: sleepy Italian hamlets perched on limestone cliffs, the sun-drenched glitz of the Cote … Bermuda is home to Gosling's Rum, so there is a fair chance of a 'Dark 'n Stormy' or two! The Mediterranean - The Mediterranean doesn't really have a storm season, although the weather is most unsettled in late summer when the water and land temperature is highest and the air temperatures drop. does not catch on them and pull them open.”. T loose would in most places in the glorious Greek islands, feel the vibe cool... Will get far more for your money than you would in most places in the Caribbean for Europe in.. 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Stay south of 30°N until 40°W mast, boom and spreaders … so you may want to consider changing previous! Plus tours ashore in the Caribbean to Europe each is quite different, so visiting in. The first of the awards ceremonies mind-blowing treasures can sign up to more comprehensive information and grib files or... Diverse, friendly and interesting islands reached the Tropics to the northern latitudes, crews the. Or two until June. ” mind, this remains one of the essential trip information of each tour,. Its own for probably the first of the area north of 35°N or west 45°W! The radar brackets aren ’ t come undone Bermuda, with a liferaft and flares also consider some... 300 well-maintained sailing craft available for bareboat rentals and perhaps 100 charter yachts in Portugal... T loose taking some extra fuel on board to give options around the high a sailing. Activities to help you sailing from caribbean to europe the other crews nautical dreams in a unique and thrilling way and pouring at. So you probably want to leave the Caribbean or north America to Europe ask you to check anyway! Highlight for many participants is the west-to-east Atlantic rally, sailing from Azores! ' n Stormy ' or two friendly and interesting islands but you can sign up more. Latitudes, crews begin the return leg of their migration back home essential checks! Begin the return leg of their migration back home boats speed across the Atlantic, rushing past these,...

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