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Canary Islands Sailing Holidays including Whale Bay at Los Gigantes

Blue water sailing - a true winter sunshine sailing holiday in the Canary Islands.

The Atlantic Islands of Canary Islands sit on the latitude where the butter melts and Trans Atlantic sailors turn westwards with the trade winds. Staging posts for square rig sailors and yachtsmen through the centuries, these mountainous island landfalls with lush vegetation are a welcome reward on our 10-14 day ocean passages. There is more to becoming a blue water sailor than swapping oilskins for shorts, but a winter suntan certainly helps. Ocean sailors happily adapt to a watch routine and the constant motion of the ship day and night. Experience all the ships moods from glassy calms to white capped swells launching flying fish from crest to crest.

Tall Ships in the Canary islands use Santa Cruz on Tenerife as there home port so you will often see them as you join or leave Bessie Ellen.

Mini brochure on Bessie Ellen in the Canaries

Explore the Western Canary Islands on a historic sailing ship

From November to March the European tall ships gather in the Canaries archipelago like migrating seabirds, recognising the best winter sailing in the sun with affordable airfares (from £91 return in 2012 rising to about £239 for Christmas).

1904 Sailing Ship Bessie Ellen will be using Tenerife as a winter base for 7 day Canary Island holiday hopping voyages. The ships crew have a deep interest in marine wildlife and with a maximum of 12 guests it will be possible to hire transport ashore to try some trekking on the spectacular volcanic rims on unspoilt islands like La Palma.

Poised on the edge of the tropics, the scenery inland ranges from volcanic peaks to primeval forest and the rich marine life offers a feeding frenzy for passing whales and dolphins. There are acceleration zones where the wind blasts between the mountains for exciting sailing and calmer spots where the ship can drift safely between islands whilst you swim in the ‘deep blue’ sea. This is helped by Tenerife having the tallest mountain in the European Union - Mt Teide.

Bessie Ellen Canaries Sailing Schedule

More on Tenerife - La Gomera - La Palma & El Hierro - sailing and exploring ashore

More on Canaries Marine wildlife and what you can see in this cetacean hotspot.

Whales and Dolphins

The South West of Tenerife, Los Gigantes, region is internationally known as a permanent home and temporary feeding ground for a big selection of whales and dolphins. The species you are most likely to encounter are the Bottlenosed Dolphin and the Long Finned Pilot Whale. Please note it is never possible to 100% guarantee sighting of whales and dolphins as they are free to come and go as we would want them to. However every effort will be made to visit the Los Gigantes area where they are most likely to be seen subject to weather and safety.

Bottlenosed Dolphins

The Bottlenosed Dolphins appear to be grinning as they ride the bow wave and play with each other speeding through the water. If you study them closely as they swim beside Bessie Ellen you can look for distinguishing marks on the fins or around the head. We have known regular sightings of the same dolphin which makes it like greeting an old friend.

Common dolphins off Bessie Ellen's bow - by Trevor Spittle

Spotted Dolphins

These are the acrobats of the ocean, leaping and flying through the air they make some of the most spectacular displays you can imagine. However they and their displays are a rarer sight than the Bottlenosed Dolphins.

Telling the Dolphins apart...

It’s easy to tell the difference between these dolphins, Bottlenosed are silver grey all over, spotted is obvious and common have a pale yellow stripe down both sides of their body. Onboard Bessie Ellen are books and display sheets helping you identify all the wildlife you see around you, cetaceans, fish and birds.

Long Finned Pilot Whale

Some distance from the accelerated pace of the Dolphins the Pilot Whales can often be seen as they lie almost motionless at the water’s surface. A pod of these larger cetaceans have chosen the Los Gigantes area as their permanent home. The Pilot Whale pod can often stretch over many miles of ocean.

The larger males act as guardians at the outer edges of the pod. The groups most often seen are those that make up the nursery pods. This includes mothers with their young and adolescent females that take turns in "babysitting" the younger animals. The pods stay in touch with each other using a complicated sonar communication system that is made up of click’s, whistles and high pitched squeals. Perhaps one day we will be able to understand what they are saying.

Other Whales

The Canaries lies on the migration route of many whales and at various times it is possible to see Sperm Whales, Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Right Whales, Minke Whales and the very rare Blainvilles Toothed Whale.

Turtles

Loggerhead Turtles are the most common seen in the Canaries and to witness one of these amazing creatures swimming along beside Bessie Ellen would be a real treat. There are no breeding sites for turtles in the Canaries but leatherbacks have been seen on some of the islands beaches in recent times. Apart from Loggerhead and Leatherback Turtlers you may also see Green, Hawksbill and Kemp’s Ridley Turtles.

Manta Rays

These graceful flying machines of the ocean are found in the Canaries but sightings of them from the surface are not so common. If you go scuba diving or snorkelling in certain areas you will improve your chances of seeing them. Ask us if you have a particular interest.

Christmas Voyages in the Canaries

There is now a regular gathering of tall ships in La Palma for Christmas and crew visiting and celebrating is the order of the day.

New Year with the pyrotechnic locals

The Canary Islanders like to make there own fireworks, not pretty ones but mostly rockets that go bang very loudly. Watch the hills for the tell tale streaks and listen as the explosions echo round the valleys.

Pilot whales