Cold Sailing, Clear Minds, Real Adventure
Overheard Office discussion
DEB “ Jess do you like hot sailing destinations or cold?”
JESS “Hot. Not really into cold. Not winter wild swimming. Not Antarctic, not even for a penguin moment. Not even Cornwall in spring”
DEB “ I like cold. Its great for the menopausal woman”
JESS “Well you write an article extolling the virtues of cold sailing then”
And so it came to pass….that on the coldest day of the year, I am going to try and sell you sailing in cold places.
Why would you want to sail in hot places?
Firstly I think you need to ask what is great about sailing in hot places?
Sailing can be quite physical. If you like active holidays, who wants to be hot, sticky, sunburnt and too lethargic to move. If you like being lazy then cruise ships in the Caribbean may well be perfect for you…..but that is probably not why you are on Classic Sailing website.
I wouldn’t book a holiday to be hot or cold. It is the association between a particular climate and the activities and pleasures it works well with that make it attractive.
I love early Spring sunshine on my bare shoulders in a sheltered spot, after a winter of jumpers and thermals.
I like sub tropical heat if I am near cooling trade winds and a refreshing ocean to swim in.
I don’t like working hard on a tall ship in the equatorial tropics when the ocean is too hot to support wildlife and too salty to swim in.
Debbie; explain your love affair with COLD?
To be honest I like cold and sunny places. I don’t like wishy washy mild climates. I skipper Tallulah in Cornwall and we have just had the warmest and sunniest summer on record.
I was also that menopausal woman having a hot flush in Antarctica and stripping down to my t-shirt amongst the penguins. I am over that now, but my all time favourite sailing destination is South Georgia and the Southern Ocean, which can be pretty damn cold with icebergs the size of small countries.
For me there are several different reasons to embrace cold places – whether it is by sailing or rowing in the ‘wrong’ season, swimming in British waters in summer, or deliberately going to sailing grounds in the high latitudes.
Cold Adventures.
Understanding Polar Explorers – a taste of hardship and fear
In a world where adventure is made sanitized and safe, it is refreshing to sometimes go places where you could die. I did a lot of soul searching when Classic Sailing first made the decision to promote Antarctic expeditions on tall ships. Was it safe? It was definitely hardcore charter. In 2007 I spent 52 days on a 1912 riveted steel barque in the Southern Ocean. It was end of February and weather and daylight was beginning to close in and the Antarctic scientific bases were being evacuated for winter before the staff got stranded by sea ice. Antarctica seemed a vast empty wilderness, as if we were the only humans there. We saw humpback whales every day. Ashore penguins pecked our feet and leopard seals eyed up our zodiacs for their next lunch bite. At night we careered along on lookout with square sails towering above us, playing Russian roulette with icebergs.
The professional and guest crew were awesome. We felt like Shackleton’s crew and knew we were almost as vulnerable. We learnt about Mawson, Gerlache and other less celebrated but equally brave polar explorers. Every day was like a David Attenborough Frozen Planet series.
I cannot imagine feeling so connected to the polar landscape as I might if I had visited the Antarctic waters on a well heated cruise ship with gym equipment and casinos.
20 years later I still feel marked and shaped by that cold landscape experience. I don’t remember feeling miserably cold. Your body adapts. Your behaviour adapts. Your survival instincts sharpen. You walk tall and strong.
Scandinavian Hygge – Baby its cold outside
Part of the pleasure of the cold is the contrast of being able to go below and be warm and cosy. Warm food together round a table. Oil lamps, candles, radiators, hot water bottles. Taking outside layers off. Sometimes below decks can get a bit like a sauna and you have to re-surface on deck to breathe the cold night air again.
Woollen jumpers, merino wood thermals, down jackets. They work perfectly in very cold and dry polar places. Wet autumn sailing in a mild maritime climate is much more challenging to dress for. Quite frankly the only place in the autumn your wet clothes are going to dry in, is a pub ashore…unless it stops raining for half a day.
Cuts like a knife – crystal clear, pure and dry
In December I went to a mountain retreat in the Alps for a mix of healthy winter activities and fresh mountain air. When we get high pressure days like that in the British winter, Spring or Autumn you can get incredible clear skies and combined with low sunshine angles it becomes a perfect voyage for photography. Iceland, Northern Norway, Svalbard or Greenland are like that too in their short summer. Breathing in unpolluted, dry air makes me feel pure, alert and reborn. All the senses seem intensified. You can see further. Hear an arctic hare scratch its whiskers, or a seal breathe.
Ill people used to be sent to the mountains to recover in the pure, clean air. Sailors know that feeling when they just have to get to sea and away from the grubby, smelly land. That clean feeling after a gale has blown through, the grey mizzle of the warm front passes and the cold front brings clear skies and eventually sun.
Cold Sanctuary – Nobody else here but the wildlife
The best bit about cold places is all the people who can only exist in central heated homes and need their sea swimming to be more like a hot bath ARE NOT HERE.
Their ignorance is my bliss. You have to stay active in cold places. It’s for movers and shakers, not lounge lizards. I admire animals and humans that can live in tough environments. I think it brings out the best in people. They have to help each other as resources are often scarce or expensive to acquire…. And you can die out there in the cold. Think Minnesota street protesters for an example of communities that pull together and look after their neighbours in sub zero temperatures. (The title for this article could have been I.C E – I,C.E., Baby but we weren’t sure how many of you would receive this if you live in the US!)
Wildlife tries to live where predators can’t reach them. I love seeing the chinstrap penguins clambering up the steep slopes of Bailey Head on Deception Island, Antarctic Peninsula to breed 100’s of feet above sea level.
The UK has incredible marine ecosystems all around its coast, in relatively cool seas. As the planet warms up many species are moving North to cooler seas. On Tallulah we are seeing more whales and tuna and Maine’s lobsters have moved to Canada!
The Cold Health Fix – endomorphins
In St Mawes we have ladies swimming in the sea every day of the year. They are addicted to their cold fix. There is plenty of evidence that a cold shower every day is good for your immune system. Tallulah’s skippers mostly jump in the sea because they sleep too close to a hot engine, but we also do like the thrill of gliding through chilly waters like an otter.
You don’t really have to be a masochist to enjoy wild swimming in the UK. During a sailing season it ranges from 12 degrees to 18 degrees in Cornwall. That really isn’t COLD COLD….and it is great when you get out and grab a fresh coffee, maple and bacon pancake, or egg and smoked salmon on toast.
If you have not really lived outdoors from 7am to 10pm recently – then perhaps you need to try it this summer. With the right clothes and the absence of rain it feels very natural to be out there like a wild creature. Even in winter or cold places, getting outdoors in daylight is essential for our circadian rhythm. It guides our human processes like sleep, energy and when to regenerate.#
Debbie Purser – Jan 26
In the Wake of Polar Explorers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cold Sailing
Q: Why would you want to sail in cold places instead of hot destinations?
A: Cold sailing destinations offer active adventures without the lethargy of heat. The contrast between bracing outdoor conditions and warm below-decks comfort creates an immersive experience. You’re also more likely to see wildlife and achieve the kind of connection to landscape that makes sailing truly memorable.
Q: Is Antarctic sailing safe?
A: Antarctic expeditions are hardcore charters requiring experienced crews and proper vessels, but they’re professionally managed. Classic Sailing has safely operated Antarctic expeditions for years with strict safety protocols. It’s adventurous but calculated risk, not reckless.
Q: What is hygge sailing?
A: Hygge is the Scandinavian concept of cosy warmth and comfort—on a cold sailing vessel, it’s the pleasure of going below deck to warm food, hot drinks, candles, and companionship after being exposed to the elements on deck.
Q: Where can you see the most wildlife on cold sailing expeditions?
A: Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Southern Ocean are exceptional for humpback whales, penguins, leopard seals, and other polar wildlife. UK waters in summer also offer increasing whale and marine activity as species move north.
Q: What are the health benefits of cold water sailing?
A: Cold water exposure boosts immune function, releases endorphins, and improves mental clarity. Regular cold exposure—whether sailing or swimming—sharpens your senses and increases overall wellbeing.
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