More than Just Looking at the Scenery – Connect with the Coastal Culture
If you are visiting the UK, or if you live here and are looking for a different way to explore your own country, then we think a sailing holiday where you live on board with a skipper as your guide is the best way to connect with our incredible coastline. Helping sail a historic tall ship or wooden pilot cutter you can relate to the everyday folk from past centuries that fished, traded and set off to find new lands. If you want a more contemporary understanding of UK coastal communities then why not get involved in delivering small cargoes between local producers, cafes and restaurants along the coast on Grayhound.
So what type of Classic Sailing voyage will give you the coastal adventure you are looking for? We think there are 2 main types:
Voyage Type 1: Coastal Wandering Voyages
- Are you the sort of person who seeks out the sea and coast to chill out and decompress from a frenetic life?
- Do you want a break from tight itineraries and deadlines?
- Is the only ‘rush’ you want is when a good breeze pips up and everyone rushes to set more sail?
- Do you want to have time to wander lonely as a cloud along a shoreline once the ship is safely anchored?
- Prefer not to beat to windward when there is a more inviting destination you could head for on a beam reach?
Then we recommend you choose a ‘coastal wandering voyage’ on our website.
We have only just coined the phrase, but we think the search term ‘Coastal wandering’ most aptly applies to voyages that start and finish at the same port. You could get the same relaxed style of anchorage hopping on a voyage along the coast between a start and end port, but only if there are spare days built in for flexibility if the winds are on the nose.
The magic works particularly well in a location where the boat crew are local experts on what to see and do. It can be a short break in Cornwall or a week long ‘tour’ around favourite Hebridean islands and mainland lochs.
We also have similar coastal wandering voyages that have no particular itinerary in other locations around the world. This is where a vessel and crew are in home waters or have developed a seasonal base they visit regularly. They know the seas and the coastline and have tested some adventures you can do ashore themselves. They can’t wait to show you their favourite sailing ground.
Coastal Wandering Voyages – UK & Europe
Voyage Type 2: Coastal Journeys Under Sail
Coastal Journeys are a type of Classic Sailing voyage that follow the coast. They start in one port and end in another offer a real exploration journey where there are new sights around every headland. You won’t get bored on these coastal voyages as they generally intend to stop on route (unlike an ocean voyage) and there is a shared sense of purpose to get to the next new port or anchorage. It might involve night sailing or entering or leaving a port in the dark to catch a tide. There will be potentially more challenge and navigational choices to make. The ports visited may be new to the skipper so more detailed pilotage is needed. These voyages are great for intermediate sailors and those interested in voyage planning choices and navigation. The also appeal to romantic beginners and those who feel a sailing vessel should be travelling somewhere rather than anywhere.
The voyage might involve night sailing or entering or leaving a port in the dark to catch a tide. Expect longer days sailing or overnight passages and a watch keeping system so everyone gets structured rest periods. There will be potentially more challenge and navigational choices to make. The ports visited may be new to the skipper so more detailed pilotage is needed. These voyages are great for intermediate sailors and those interested in voyage planning choices and navigation.
You do need to read each voyage description carefully as there is a big range in the coastal journey type voyages from summer cruising to epics. Generally the more miles there is to cover between start and final end port, the longer the passages are likely to be between intermediary stops. This is why we have resisted calling them ‘coastal hopping voyages’ because the ‘hops’ could be quite exciting sailing and blur the line between coastal and offshore passages.
The Classic Sailing office team try to give you an idea of the pace of the voyage, likely length of the passages and where you might stop in the timescale in our website voyage descriptions, but they can only ever be our experienced guess of what might be in the actual skippers plan that week.
Coastal Sailing Voyages Around the UK
With a coastal voyage that aims to sail from A to B, the skipper will have ‘getting there in time for the end date’ at the back of their mind. Plans can change frequently with weather forecasts, and he or she will also be looking to maximise opportunities to have a great time on route. As guest crew you need to have a flexible approach to go with every sail change, or decision to use the ‘donkey’ (engine) if that is the only way to make progress. As all our vessels are there for you to have a holiday on these journeys, they are generally designed with plenty of time to get to the end port in a pleasant way but the pace of the voyage will be more challenging and hours sailing typically longer than our coastal wandering voyages.
