February Sailing – Where can I go on a tall ship?

You can go sailing in February, but where?

February is the month to see the Antarctic Peninsula, as the summer ends. The snow flurries start to come in and the scientists start to escape the summer research centres. You have the place to yourself and millions of penguins, and then it is time to leave and head back into the open sea with icebergs, whales and albatrosses. The sailors goal in late February is to follow the 800 mile open boat journey of Shackleton from Elephant Island to South Georgia. Probably the most wildlife rich island on the planet.

In the Caribbean, Sailing vessels aiming to cross the Atlantic in March are starting to head Northwards. If you want to sail up the Caribbean island chain from the French Caribbean to the Leeward Islands then this is a fantastic February sailing opportunity to see places like Guadaloupe, Martinique, Domenica, Antigua, Barbuda, St Kitts, St Maarten, and have a sense of passage making in the Windy Indies.

Antarctica, South Georgia and the Wild Southern Ocean

In our view the ultimate destination for experienced sailors is to find a February to April gap – one year in your working life – for the adventure of a lifetime. We introduce to you the Cape to Cape Challenge in the Southern Ocean. Both Classic Sailing co-founders and many brave customers have sailed this journey over the last 15 years, and we will never forget it. You don’t have to sell your house to do something like a Clipper Round the World Race. Just jump straight to the most thrilling leg and sail downwind in the Southern Ocean from Cape Horn to Cape Town in South Africa on a tall ship with years of polar sailing experience.

Our Cape to Cape expeditions run most years on on tall ship Tecla, but also sometimes on other globe trotting ships like Oosterschelde – Typically 52 days and over 5500 miles of ocean with albatrosses, big waves and seat of the pants sailing. The fundamental different between this and a Southern Ocean yacht race, is you get to spend a week or so landing in Antarctica and 7-8 days anchoring off the best landing spots on the sub Antarctic island of South Georgia

Sail up the Caribbean Island Chain

Sailors generally seek the sun, sand and brisk winds of the Caribbean in our European Winter. What few realise is how much Caribbean there is to sail in. Caribbean sailing destinations stretch from Trinidad and Tobago near the shores of Venezuela to Cuba, Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos near the US coast of Florida. Way out to the North East is Bermuda – the classic staging post for ships about to cross the Atlantic from West to East.

In the good old days there was the predicable North East Trades giving force 4-7 strong winds for exciting sailing in blue warm waters, right across the Caribbean. On the lee side of the more mountainous islands you will find the coral reefs, palm tree fringed beaches and sheltered anchorages. Today the wind directions are a bit more unpredictable with climate change but the winds are still cooling in the hot tropical sun, and it makes for intelligent navigating to both notch up the miles between islands and find time to explore ashore, swim in the sea every day and just soak up the sun.

Pirates of the Caribbean – Ideal for solo travellers and couples

Bare feet on wooden decks is normal for the instagram selfies, but a pair of all terrain sandals are better for climbing the rigging.

Each February we generally have voyages exploring Windward islands of St Lucia, Grenadines and St Vincent, with Barbados out to the east. The French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique have mountains, jungle and French chic resorts. Domenica has waterfalls and black volcanic beaches, British Naval history is etched into the Leeward Islands of Antigua, Barbuda and the lovely islands of Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Martin/St Maarten have been fought over many times.

North of here you are into ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ territory – The Spanish Main, Hispanola and Cuba. Let your imagination run riot but don’t pack a cutlass.

You are the crew on our ‘hands-on’ sailing vessels. Eye of the Wind has 12 guest berths in 2 person en suite cabins with air conditioning. Tenacious caters for disabled and able bodied crew. There is air conditioning but cabins are more communal, Oosterschelde only takes 24 guests with plush and elegant below decks accommodation. Grayhound sailing lugger was built for extended blue water sailing, and only takes 10 guests so you really are part of a ‘family’ having a shared adventure.

Boat Building Academy Courses in February – Sawdust & Storm Watching

Using hand woodwork tools likes planes and chisels keeps you warm and is better than any gym at toning muscles. I should know. I lost half a stone and gained biceps on the 40 week professional boat building course at Lyme Regis. You can get a taste of it in January with both 2 day and 5 day short courses at the Boat Building Academy.

At lunch time enjoy a hot chocolate from the Deli Welly café down in Lyme Regis harbour, or buy one of the warming lunches, hand made at the college by Wendy. The BBA is located on the seafront so you can watch the waves hitting the famous Cobb harbour wall. Who needs to go storm chasing?