South until the butter melts - Bessie Ellen is back

              Sail South until the butter melts

For centuries sailing ships crossing the Atlantic would sail from Europe ‘South until the butter melts’ to a latitude around the Canaries or the Azores before heading West with the reliable North East trade winds, so avoiding the strong Westerly depressions that race towards our shores in winter. For Classic Sailing tall ships Bessie Ellen and Oosterschelde, the migration path south in search of the sun is a hard one to resist.

Printable PDF (1MB) All currently available 2010-2011 voyage programmes for 10 tall ships and traditional boats

Bessie Ellen swaps wine cargoes for adventurous crew One of the last West Country trading ketches.

Bessie Ellen and owner/mate Nikki Alford are now back with Classic Sailing doing what they do best – roaming the seas with a willing charter crew in search of adventure. After a brief spell running day sails and charter voyages in Scandinavia and wine cargoes under sail, the immaculately maintained Bessie Ellen now has an ocean wide safety certificate for charter from the UK Marine Coastguard Agency. Join her to sail South, or escape for a week based in the Canaries between November and March.

Explore the Azores in March or sign up for the epic ocean journey home to the UK.

Downloadable PDF (1.5MB) - Bessie Ellen in the Canaries & Azores - Description & Dates 2010-2011

MEDIUM HOT with wind– Canaries for Nature Lovers The longer you spend in sunshine outdoors during the winter, the happier you will be – it’s a medical fact.

You don’t have to fry on a Caribbean beach to get a great tan or feel good about yourself. On Bessie Ellen in the Canaries you spend most the day outdoors at sea gaining an effortless healthy glow whilst you help sail the ship.

The sun shines and reflects off the water topping up those happy endomorphins and the only sounds are a few creaks of delight as this lively wooden sailing ship enjoys the free power of the wind.

Hotspot for dolphins and whales & a hidden gem for mountain walking It is not a clichéd marketing tag – the Canaries really are a hot spot for many species of dolphins and whales, as proved by the number of cetacean research projects based on the islands.

What few people realise is that these volcanic islands have abundant marine wildlife, many protected marine nature reserves and the ocean current sweeping past brings turtles, manta ray and other rare marine life.

The beauty of Bessie Ellen is she can fit into the smaller ports, and with a small guest crew you can hire a minibus or taxi to spend a day well away from the tourist resorts trekking high up in the pine forests, exploring the lunar like volcanic summits and crater rims.

7 day Voyage Dates on Bessie Ellen -Tenerife- La Palma- La Gomera- El Heirro- Tenerife - £699 Return Flights from UK to Tenerife from £99 inc taxes PDF (0.4MB) 

TROPICAL HOT with trade winds– Cape Verde The nine islands of Cape Verde lie 16 degrees north of the equator and sit squarely in the NE trade wind belt so they are hot and as windy as the West Indies.

Our 1916 topsail schooner Oosterschelde has made this tropical archipelago off Senegal her winter base for a series of 11 day sailing expeditions.

Her crew have a tried and tested itinerary to gain the most out of some exhilarating sailing and forays ashore. Cape Verde is our Classic Sailing Directors choice for our annual holiday (yes we do pay for it !) this year, so if you can spare 2 weeks then follow the insiders tip.If you want to sail her over Christmas and New Year do not leave booking flights too late.

PDF (0.7MB) Oosterschelde - 11 day Cape Verde Sailing Expeditions – Description,itinerary and dates €1750 (£1490*)

Return Flights UK to Cape Verde – 14 day returns from Gatwick or Manchester from £358 (www.thompson.co.uk) or £600 for scheduled daily flights(TAP)

Bay of Biscay for the Brave

Do you ever have the romantic urge to just leave these shores on a sailing ship of old ? Go beyond the reach of a mobile phone signal and haul on blocks and tackles with sailors who have not got a phone glued to their ear ? Both Bessie Ellen and Oosterschelde once plied cargoes around the coasts of Europe or Africa under sail and frankly the experience of sailing either ship across Biscay and down to Vigo in northern Spain is about as authentic as you can get (although the living quarters are rather more plush). The two crews know each other so both ships will rendezvous in Vigo and you can compare stories over a beer or two.

Bessie Ellen 10 day Voyage across Biscay 20-30th October 2010 Plymouth to Vigo SPECIAL OFFER Was £799 NOW £699

Oosterschelde 14 day mile building voyage 18-31 st October 2010 Rotterdam to Vigo £899* (€1050)

Flights back from Vigo approx £102

Affordable Blue Water Ocean Passages

We all dream of sailing on Soren Larsen in the South Pacific, but you can enjoy a blue water ocean passage from Europe southwards (with a lot less carbon to offset on the flight back) for much, much less money.

Bessie Ellen and Oosterschelde will head down the Portuguese coast at the same time, and o nce past Cape St Vincente the deep blue seas get warmer and warmer.

Bessie Ellen is bound for the Canaries, but Oosterschelde will make a brief stop and then bowl on down the trade winds another 700 miles or more to Cape Verde. Flying fish, wahoo and bonito ad d to the exotic and maybe the cooki ng pan !

Bessie Ellen 31 Oct – 9thNov 9 days ocean passage -Vigo to Santa Cruz,Tenerife SPECIAL OFFER Was £799 NOW £699

Oosterschelde 31 st Oct – 13 th Nov 14 days ocean passage – Vigo to Cape Verde £899* (€1050)

Happy Tall Ships without the ‘happy hour’

The beauty of both Bessie Ellen and Oosterschelde is that they are tall ships where you are very much a valued customer rather than a trainee. There are no ‘happy hou rs’ where you have to c lean the ship, and it is altogether a more laid back adult experience than some sail training ships. You can enjoy a drink on board and it is quite ok to eat your supper or lunch on dec k in the sunshine. The professional crew on both ships is small so working closely alongside them you get to know them as friends, and there i s n o 2 nd tier of ‘expert’ volunteers to nick all the best jobs.

Late availability – Cornwall & Solent Autumn Blasts & RYA

E1030 Sat 9 - Fri 15 October Eve of Mawes in Cornwall 6 day RYA Competent Crew or Day Skipper – 2 places left. Was £640 NOW £499

AJ1025 Fri 8 - Mon 11 October – Annabel J in the Solent – 3 day autumn break. Was £340 NOW £280

E1032 Sat 23 Oct – Tue 26 Oct Eve of St Mawes – Our famous multi activity 3 day SAIL WALK ROW voyage is ideal for getting outdoors in autumn. Two Places left. Was £320 NOW £250

You can ring us in our Cornish Office for more information, or reserve a place with an on line booking application (subject to availability) on 0044 (0)1872 580022 *Oosterschelde prices are fixed in Euros. The £ sterling price is a current quote but may change. There is a £20 (or 30 euro) booking fee for all voyages including special offers.

 Yours Sincerely

 Adam and Debbie Purser

PS These prices are for new bookings only.