1 - Spring open water sailing

Voyage description

This voyage takes us from Spain’s bustling coastal city of Malaga, to the semi tropical island of Madeira, stopping to swim in the clear blue waters of Porto Santo and stroll along its famous 9 km white sand beach.

We sail 671 miles during this passage with an open invitation to get fully involved in all aspects of sailing, from helming to trimming sails and from navigation to going aloft. When you are not involved in the sailing there’s plenty of time to fish, read, play board games or share sailing stories by the bar.

During this iconic ocean voyage you may find it impossible not to be captivated by the beauty and power of the ocean. As we venture further into the Atlantic Ocean it may seem equally impossible that man could have had any negative impact on such a remote stretch of water. It is at this point that, thanks to the support of our partners at Waste Free Oceans, we invite our guests to participate in our citizen science project to help assess the purity of the waters in which we sail. At intervals during the voyage, we will trawl a small net to capture what is floating in the ocean, be it plankton, fish or small pieces of ocean litter and microplastics. Many find it shocking to find evidence of mans impact on the environment hundreds of miles offshore, but seeing this has a powerful effect, inspiring us to take action. Your contribution will help raise awareness, and inspire change.

After a celebratory deck BBQ anchored in the calm waters of Porto Santo, we set sail on our final evening for Funchal, sailing into the port under the stunning vista of the city perched on an ancient volcanic slope, a mecca for hikers, cyclists, and golfers. Shadowing the city are impressive mountains covered in laurel bushes and banana trees, a natural park which was nominated a UNESCO Word Heritage site in 1999.