September Sailing – Northern lights, Sail-Camp & Boat building careers

September Sailing – Star gazing & Northern lights

If you want to see stars or the Northern lights you need the dark. In September the further North you are, the sooner the sun sets and it starts to change fast in September. What that means for sailing in Cornwall is that we don’t have to stay up half the night to enjoy a starlit row home from the pub, or a a campfire whilst dinghy cruising. In Greenland, Iceland or Svalbard you could be treated to the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.

Early September still feels like summer with wonderful warm seas in the UK. The children have gone back to school and local seaside communities finally get their beaches back from the tourists. Its a mellow time of year, until the equinoxal gales start to blow in at the end of September.

There is also that ‘New Term, New Start’ feeling as young adults set off for colleges and universities and parents wonder how best to use their time. The Boat Building Academy has a September start to its 40 week professional boat building course….open to all ages, whether you do it for pleasure or a new career.

City & Guilds professional trade qualification & multitude of skills

Looking for the next challenge?
What better time to retrain for a new career?
Want to become a craftsperson with a raft of new practical skills?
Join the world renowned Boat Building Academy at Lyme Regis for the 40 week Boat Building course starting in September or February each year.
There are typically 10-18 students each year group. Build a solid skills base to modern City & Guilds trade qualification standards and then in the last 18 weeks students build a small fleet of 10-20ft boats from lofting to launch.

Where can I see the Northern Lights?

Towards the end of September you have enough dark to potentially see the Aurora Borealis in high latitudes like Greenland, Svalbard or even Iceland. As the main high Arctic season is typically August and September, any voyage on Tall ships Linden or Tecla could offer views of the Northern Lights, but that is not the only attraction. Glaciers, icebergs, walrus, musk ox, polar bears, mountains, ice caps, low sunlight creating a landscape photographers dream.

Try Dinghy cruising – better than sea kayak expeditions

Now we have the creeks and secret coves to ourselves why not try an open boat wild camping adventure on Outdoor Girl in Cornwall. In September Sail and row deep into Cornwall’s drowned river valleys and salt marsh on an open boat that only draws 60cm. It is easier to camp ashore without drawing attention when the nights start to close in. Some places we can have a campfire, or the trusty trangia camping stoves can cook up a feast for 2 or 3.

If you don’t want to rough it that much you can try a small boat experience whilst being based on 44ft pilot cutter Tallulah.