Blue Water Ocean Passage to the Canaries

LEG 2: Lisbon in Portugal to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands

This 12 day voyage on an impressive three masted sailing ship is an ideal mini ocean adventure that gets warmer the further south you go.

Lisbon is warmer than Northern Europe but it can still be a bit squally and there are some good winds as you pass Tarifa and the entrance to the Mediterranean. Sailing down the coast of Africa is true blue water sailing and working on deck in a t shirt is a pleasure.

Mini Ocean Passage

To experience the routine of a ship sailing in deep waters is to be in a different world – the rhythm of the sea reflected in the passing of the watches. You could be in a different age – take part and enjoy to the full. Your participation helps the voyage make way and when you arrive you have a real sense of achievement.

Las Palmas is a big port in the Canaries and is great town with culture and fine restaurants. There is a good bus service that can take you all over the island for walking and sight seeing. Plus gets you easily to the airport if you have to leave the ship here.

Next stop - Brazil ?

This is the second leg of Europa's winter migration from the Northern Hemisphere accross the equator to South America, and ever southward to Terra del Fuego. In case you are tempted to stay on - the ports are Amsterdam -LIsbon - Las Palmas - Salvador in Brazil - Punta Arenas in Chile.

Sailing Before The Mast

Crossing an Ocean on a tall ship is a challenge and once in a lifetime ambition you should seize whilst you can. It is possible to live life comfortably and dare we say boringly, but you may never know your true strengths and what you can achieve working with others, or experience the truly humbling effect of being alone in a wide vast ocean. The sailors who followed the trade winds in square riggers were a special breed, and after a your voyage on Bark Europa you will earn yourself a place in a unique ‘club’, and make friendships which will bond you for a lifetime.
 

Do I Need Sailing Experience?

You do not need any sailing experience to go on Bark Europa’s voyage as you will be trained and well looked after. However these are the most challenging voyages we offer and not to be taken lightly. We want you to enjoy it, so if you have never spent longer than a few hours on a boat or ferry then please speak to us for realistic advice. This 9 day voyage is often a long way from land - but not beyond the ambitions of an adventurous newcomer to sailing, but if you plan to stay on for several legs, we may be able to suggest a trial voyage before the big challenge.

On Watch At Four Bells

Being woken up in the middle of the night has its compensations; helming the ship under the brightest stars you have ever seen, being in charge as the ship as she ploughs through the unseen waves and the welcome hot drink at the end of your watch. You do need to be reasonable confident in your level of fitness and stamina for Ocean Passages and settling into the ships routine as she sails day and night is the key to becoming an ocean sailor. Taking advantage of opportunities to rest or sleep when off watch in the daytime will help you enjoy this extended period at sea. Life back on shore will feel very strange once you get used to the rhythms of the sea and shipboard life.

Blue Water Sailors

There is more to becoming a blue water sailor than swapping oilskins for shorts, but a 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.

Equatorial Waters

Approaching equatorial crossings, or possibly on the way to the Canaries,  the extra skysail masts and yards are sent aloft and the whole crew can easily be kept busy setting the studding sails that few training ships dare rig. The 14 professional crew and guest crew soon become indistinguishable as you learn the ropes, gain a healthy tan and perhaps help out with the ships maintenance.

Food

The Dutch are great eaters and there are snacks all through the day and night on top of three regular good meals every day. Dietary requirements on not a problem even on these longer ocean voyages, just let us know on your booking form of any dietary requirement you may have. Fresh bread is baked every day and the ship has large freezers. There is also a bar on board for when you are off watch.

Experienced and first time ocean sailors

If you are an adventurous spirit sailing for the first time then Europa keeps the romance of sailing alive with a great library, lectures, and enthusiastic crew who can teach a range of topics. If you have already sailed on a tall ship or are an experienced yacht sailor wanting to immerse yourself in square rig seamanship or maybe learn some Astro Navigation, then Europa is an excellent choice.
 

Wildlife at Sea

On a long ocean passage on Bark Europa you are almost bound to see whales, these hump back were spotted on a Voyage from Ushuaia to Cape Town and photographed by Debbie Purser from aloft. The bird life will vary depending on your sailing grounds. In the Southern Atlantic you will see many different sorts of albatross, skuas and gulls. A sea bird that seems to crop up in many different waters is the tiny storm petrel, about the same size as a swift but having a different flight pattern. If I was asked to choose a bird to be I think on land I would choose to be a swift but at sea it would have to be the storm petrel, such a small bird in such a big ocean.

Life on board

On deck you work with the crew to sail the ship, joining in the watch system; you may assist with manoeuvres, steering and navigation. Bark Europa may be steered from within the wheelhouse or on deck at the ships wheel. The ship is ideal for ocean crossings and longer voyages, with various places for relaxing: library, lounge, cosy corner and deckhouse. These different areas allow you to do your own thing: perhaps some quiet reading or perhaps a more active role in the social life in the deckhouse. The ship is equipped with television/DVD, CD player, I-pod and radio.

There are two 2-person cabins, six 4-person cabins and four 6-person cabins. During these expeditions the 6-person cabins will have a maximum of 5 occupants. The comfortable cabins have an en-suite toilet and shower. An experienced cook and cook’s assistant will prepare three meals a day.

The majority of the crew is Dutch, but usually you will find various nationalities among the crew. All crew speak English, some are native speakers.