If you are suddenly without a family holiday in August, or you just want a day sail in Devon, then Brixham Sailing Trawler Pilgrim offers a large number of day sails and tasters. Generally though most vessels are making best of the peak summer to go on longer voyages to Isles of Scilly, Outer Hebrides, Swedish Archipelago etc. This is peak season in the UK, but it is also the only time of year to explore the High Arctic, transit or sail the approaches to the North West Passage.
On the other side of the world Oosterschelde is crossing the South Pacific. The world really could be your oyster in August, if you book early enough.
August Sailing – High Arctic – North West Passage
If you want to sail into the Arctic Circle and through some of the historically difficult sections of the North West Passage then August is your month. Whilst the globe is warming the sea ice is disappearing alarmingly – it is still very unpredictable in the North of Canada and Alaska. If you are going to make it through without ice breaking bows then the weather window is short. August. Tall Ship Tecla is our NW Passage transit pioneer. She has successfully sailed from East West and in 2023 sailed from Alaska West East to the Greenland side.
Tecla has now established herself as the expedition ship to sail around the world from North to South with expeditions through the NW passage every 2 years and offering a taste of the North West Passage in the years in between.
Newcomer to Arctic Expeditions in 2023 was three masted schooner Linden but the Ocean Warrior team that create her programme have been running polar expeditions on foot for decades. She is working with scientists on a 10 year programme to gather critical ocean data as the climate changes, and you can help the scientists in their work in West Greenland and places they cannot easily get without a ship as a base.
Arctic and Greenland expeditions
Inner & Outer Hebrides
It is impossible to do this sailing ground justice in a few words. Sea stacks of Mingulay, Puffins and sea eagles on the Shiant Islands, the white caps and fast blasts under sail in the Minches. Ruined crofts, snug pubs with whiskey, fresh langoustines from the fishermen, dramatic castles and sharp mountain peaks.
The light in Western Scotland is amazing. Weather scurries fast off the Atlantic but when high pressure dominates blue skies and heatwaves are not unknown. Its a land of struggling communities against the elements, difficult terrain ashore maintaining vast tracks of wilderness, some of the best white sand beaches in Europe and a surprising amount of flat seas as the outer islands can provide shelter from the Atlantic swell. Provident is based in Scotland and has the longest season in the Hebrides. Grayhound often heads to the Hebrides in late summer.
High Summer in the Hebrides Early season voyages in Scotland
Isles of Scilly – Ocean Sunsets & White sand beaches
If you want a 360 degree view of the sea and ocean sunset whilst eating breakfast or dinner on deck, then join us on a 6 or 7 day sailing adventure amongst the Isles of Scilly. If we row to the pub, then we also need to get back to your bunk in the moonlight. If we sail between the islands then we need clearing bearings and accurate tidal heights. If we anchor in St Helens pool then we are committed amongst the drying sand bars, oyster catchers and seals, to stay there until the next high tide.
This is a proper remote anchorage, limited facilities wonderland. Closer to nature than hot showers. These voyages always book up fast. The sea journey around the Lizard lighthouse, Lands End and out into the Atlantic to reach the islands is nearly always challenging but scenically stunning. Dolphin sightings are common. Are you up for it? June sailings are the best in Tallulah skippers view but there are voyages in July, August and sometimes September. May if you are lucky with a weather window.
No voyage aiming for the Scillies is ever guarenteed. We do our best to select dates in summer with the best tidal combinations, but there is no single anchorage or port in the islands that is safe for changing wind directions in a gale. In those circumstances the skipper will seek out safer sailing grounds for a similar style holiday.
Isles of Scilly voyages
