| Embark | Disembark | Vessel | Duration | Voyage No |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 17-01-2027, 16:00Shelter Bay – Near Colon Panama | Tue 26-01-2027, 11:00Bocas del Toro, Panama | Eendracht | 9 Nights | EE170127 |
You can join Eendracht, a 59 metre three-masted gaff schooner, at Shelter Bay Marina on the Panama Canal for nine nights of Caribbean winter sun sailing.
A day and a half of trade wind sailing takes you west to Bocas del Toro, where short daytime hops link reefs, beaches and quiet anchorages. Every sail is hauled by hand from the deck, no experience is needed, and there are no night watches, so you sleep well at anchor.
The voyage ends in Bocas del Toro, a lively island town of painted timber houses, with sloths, dolphins and coral reefs close at hand.
| Vessel type / Rig | Three masted gaff schooner |
| Guest Berths | 40 |
| Beam | 12.30 m |
| Draft | 5 m |
| Deck Length | 54.05 m |
| Overall Length | 59.08 m |
| Tonnage | 606 GT |
| Year Built | 1989 |
This Bocas del Toro sailing holiday gives you nine nights aboard Eendracht, a 59 metre three-masted gaff schooner, on Panama’s quiet Caribbean coast. You join at Shelter Bay Marina, Panama, at the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal. From there you sail west for about a day and a half to the Bocas del Toro archipelago, then spend the rest of the voyage island hopping in short daytime passages, with nights at anchor.
Eendracht spends only four weeks on this coast each winter, and this is the middle of her three Panama voyages. No sailing experience is required. You help sail the ship as much or as little as you like, and every sail is hauled by hand from the deck.
A Bocas del Toro sailing holiday on Eendracht combines one longer passage with relaxed island hopping. Expect warm trade wind sailing, sea temperatures around 27°C, daily swimming and snorkelling, shore visits to beaches and Bocas Town, and full nights’ sleep at anchor, with all meals cooked on board.
Sailing Holiday Planner
A sailing holiday takes some planning. We make it easy. Our free Sailing Holiday Planner gives you a voyage planning checklist, your travel details, kit list and costs in one private place.
You can use it for any type of holiday not just sailing.
There are two styles of voyages on Eendracht on this coast, and it helps to know which one you are booking.
Active Sailing Voyage: hands-on, with a full watch keeping routine. Guest crew join one of three watches, four hours on and eight off, and the ship keeps sailing day and night. The voyage from Portobelo is an Active Sailing Voyage.
This voyage is a Sailing Holiday: with no night watches for guest crew. The ship sails mainly by day and most nights are spent at anchor. You still haul on halyards and sheets, take the helm and keep lookout when she is under way, but the pace is set by the islands rather than the watch rota. This voyage is a Sailing Holiday.
If you want the full sail training routine, choose the Active Sailing Voyage. If you want proper sailing with time ashore and a good night’s sleep, this is the one.
The first part of the voyage is the longest sail. From Shelter Bay the route runs west along the coast to Bocas del Toro, roughly 140 nautical miles. This takes around a day and a half, depending on the wind.
In January the northeast trade winds blow steadily across this coast. Heading west puts them behind the beam, which usually gives good, fast sailing on a ship of this size. The sea can be lively on this stretch, and some guests feel the swell for the first day. Where the passage runs through a night, the professional crew keep the watches.
Before leaving, everyone takes part in safety briefings and drills, then the crew show you how the ship works. Eendracht has no powered winches. Every sail is set, trimmed and stowed from the deck by teams hauling on the lines together, and nobody needs to climb the rigging. With up to 40 guest crew on the ropes, a big gaff sail goes up quickly, and you soon learn which line does what.
Once inside the archipelago the sailing changes. Almirante Bay and the Chiriquí Lagoon are sheltered by the islands, so the water is calmer and passages are short, often a few hours between anchorages.
This is the time to spend longer on the helm, help with anchoring and see how a big schooner is handled in close water among reefs and cays. The captain chooses each day’s anchorage according to wind and conditions, and a daily briefing explains the plan.
The itinerary is subject to weather conditions and the captain’s discretion. The advertised boarding time at Shelter Bay and the drop off time in Bocas del Toro remain firm.
The crew teach rope handling, sail handling, steering and lookout at a pace that suits you. You can watch the officers plan the day’s route and read the weather forecast, hear how they choose an anchorage, and ask as many questions as you like. Chartwork and passage planning stay with the professional crew.
If you sail your own boat, you will know that chartering in a reef-strewn archipelago means the pilotage, anchoring and watchkeeping all fall to you. Here you sail a 59 metre three-masted schooner by hand, with dozens of people on the lines, which few yacht sailors ever get to do. Meanwhile a crew who know these anchorages take responsibility for the pilotage, and you get the sailing and the islands without the worry.
Shelter Bay Marina lies at the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal, on the site of the old US Fort Sherman. Ships waiting to transit lie at anchor in the bay and the Gatun Locks are close by, so arriving a day early gives you time to see the Canal at work. Fort San Lorenzo, the Spanish fort at the mouth of the Chagres river, is a short drive through the forest along the coast. Shelter Bay is about two hours from Panama City by taxi or pre-booked transfer, and boarding is in the late afternoon.
Bocas del Toro is an archipelago in Panama’s far northwest, near the Costa Rica border, with nine main islands, around 50 cays and some 200 islets. The voyage aims to visit several of them, weather permitting.
Isla Colón is the main island. Bocas Town is small and lively, with brightly painted timber houses from the banana trade of the early 1900s, many on stilts over the water, and cafés, bars and restaurants along the waterfront. You can hire a bicycle and ride about an hour along the coast to Bluff Beach. Starfish Beach has calm, clear water, and the number of starfish on the seabed varies through the year.
Isla Bastimentos has Red Frog Beach, a wide beach backed by forest where tiny strawberry poison dart frogs live. The Zapatilla Cays are two uninhabited, palm-covered islands with good snorkelling over the reef. Sloth Island and Dolphin Bay give a chance of sloths in the mangroves and bottlenose dolphins in the bay.
The voyage finishes in Bocas del Toro mid morning. Many guests stay on for a few days, as the islands are easy to get around by water taxi, and the domestic flight back to Panama City takes about an hour.
Eendracht was built in 1989 for sail training and is one of the largest sailing ships in the Netherlands. She belongs to a Rotterdam sail training charity, and most of her year is spent sailing with young people and community groups. The adult voyages help fund that work, and guests are treated as crew from the moment they step aboard.
Alongside the professional officers, bosuns and cooks, much of the crew are volunteers who return year after year because they care about the ship. The working language on board is English.
Days start with breakfast and a briefing: when the anchor comes up, where the ship is heading and what there is to do ashore. Under way, you lend a hand with the sails, take turns on the helm and help with the jobs that keep a ship running, from serving meals to tidying the deck.
At anchor, the afternoon is usually free for swimming, snorkelling or a trip ashore in the ship’s boats. Evenings are spent on deck in the warm air. On the last night there is often an evening of songs, sketches and speeches put on by guests and crew.
The ship’s cooks prepare all meals on board, a mix of local and international dishes, and guests regularly single out the food in their feedback. On average, guests rate their Eendracht voyages 8.6 out of 10.
Guest cabins sleep two, three, or four to five people, with bunks, lockers and a washbasin. All cabins have air conditioning, which matters at 9° north. A two-berth cabin costs a little more than sharing a larger one, and cabins are allocated before the voyage. A watermaker produces 8 tonnes of fresh water a day, and bar bills and souvenirs can be paid by card.
Ages on board range from 12 to 80, with a mix of nationalities, which gives the ship a broad and sociable feel. Solo travellers are common on these voyages, with shared cabins available and a naturally social atmosphere developing among the crew. Many guests come back to sail on her again. Sharing a cabin quickly becomes part of the experience, and by the end of the voyage people who met as strangers are working as one crew.
Eendracht is classed with Lloyd’s Register and holds SOLAS, ISM and ISPS certification. She carries a rescue boat and seven liferafts, each for 25 people, far more than her normal complement. Every voyage begins with a safety briefing and drills.
Much of Isla Bastimentos and the Zapatilla Cays lie within Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, Panama’s first marine park, created in 1988. The reefs hold hard and soft corals, reef fish, rays and starfish, and snorkelling from a beach or the ship’s boats is part of most days. In January the sea is around 27°C, so you can swim every day without a wetsuit.
The forest behind the beaches is home to strawberry poison dart frogs, bright red and no bigger than a thumbnail, best found with patience during the day. Sloths hang in the mangroves around Sloth Island, and bottlenose dolphins feed in Dolphin Bay. Frigatebirds and brown pelicans are a common sight over the anchorages. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the crew know where to look.
Please bring reef-safe sun cream and leave shells and coral where you find them.
Columbus anchored in Bocas del Toro on his fourth voyage in 1502, and the coast east of Shelter Bay was where Peru’s silver was loaded onto the Spanish treasure fleets. British sailors left their mark here too. Francis Drake died off Portobelo in 1596 and was buried at sea in the bay, and Henry Morgan took Fort San Lorenzo in 1671. Admiral Vernon’s capture of Portobelo in 1739 gave London’s Portobello Road its name.
Bocas Town grew with the banana trade in the early 1900s. Today it mixes Afro-Caribbean, Ngäbe-Buglé and Panamanian cultures, and you will hear an English-based Creole alongside Spanish.
No previous sailing experience is required, as the professional crew will teach you everything from basic rope handling to sail handling at a pace that suits you. However, it might be sensible to know you enjoy being at sea before setting off on this long voyage.
This Bocas del Toro sailing holiday suits people who want real sailing on a big traditional ship without the night watches. It also suits those who want time ashore and in the water, and anyone looking for winter sun with more purpose than a beach hotel. It works well for first-timers, for partners who sail at different levels, and for experienced sailors who want to try a large schooner. If you want round-the-clock watchkeeping, the Active Sailing Voyage will suit you better. Voyages and people vary, and we are happy to help you choose.
My First Tall Experience.
The physical demands are moderate, with tasks suited to various fitness levels, and you’re always free to participate as much or as little as you choose. Hauling is done in teams and nobody goes aloft. Getting in and out of the ship’s boats for shore visits needs reasonable agility. The passage to Bocas del Toro can be lively, and some guests feel seasick for the first day. Once inside the islands the water is much calmer.
January is in the dry season on most of Panama’s Caribbean coast, although Bocas del Toro has no true dry season and short tropical showers are likely. Expect about 30°C by day and 24°C at night, with steady northeast trade winds. The sun is strong at 9° north, so bring a hat, long sleeves and reef-safe sun cream. It is a long way from a grey British January.
All meals and accommodation on board, all safety equipment, and instruction and guidance from the crew are included. Travel to and from the ports, travel insurance (required) and your bar bill are not included.
International flights land at Tocumen Airport, Panama City, with good connections from London and UK regional airports via Amsterdam, Madrid or the USA. Shelter Bay is about two hours from Panama City, so plan to arrive in Panama at least the day before you join.
At the end of the voyage, domestic flights from Bocas del Toro to Panama City take about an hour. They land at Albrook Airport, on the other side of the city from Tocumen, so allow plenty of time before an international flight, or stay on in Bocas for a few days. UK passport holders do not currently need a visa for a short stay but may be asked for an onward ticket, so check the latest FCDO travel advice before booking flights. Our team can help you arrange flights.
With nine nights aboard, the voyage fits within a standard two-week holiday allowance, leaving time either side for Panama City, the Canal or the highlands around Boquete. Compare the cost per day with a good Caribbean hotel, then add all meals, a 59 metre schooner and a crew who teach you to sail her.
This voyage links with Eendracht’s other Panama voyages. You can join the Active Sailing Voyage from Portobelo beforehand, or continue from Bocas del Toro back to Shelter Bay on the return Sailing Holiday, with accommodation provided overnight between voyages. Ask us about the discount for booking two voyages.
For over 30 years Classic Sailing has helped people find the traditional sailing voyage that suits them. See available dates and cabin options, or speak with our team on +44 (0)1326 531234 or through Ask a Skipper if you have any questions.
Late June and early July are excellent times to explore the Scottish Highlands, with long daylight hours and generally mild summer temperatures. Daytime temperatures around Inverness and Oban typically range from 14–19°C, although conditions can feel cooler on the water.
Much of the voyage takes place on the sheltered freshwater lochs and canal sections of the Great Glen, where conditions are generally calm. Once the ship reaches Loch Linnhe and the west coast, there may be fresh breezes and some swell, although the surrounding islands and mountains provide considerable shelter.
Scottish weather can change during the day, with sunshine, cloud and occasional showers all possible. The long summer evenings provide plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, while warm layers, waterproof clothing and suitable footwear will keep you comfortable on deck and ashore.
This is one of the more sheltered voyages in Eye of the Wind’s programme and an excellent choice for first-time sailing guests. The professional crew will guide you throughout, whether you’re helping with the sailing or simply enjoying the journey.
On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best and safest sailing routes for the forecast. They are as keen as you to include some of the highlights described above, but when it comes to sailing, you have to go with Mother Nature, not fight her. The description provided is based on what we think might be possible, based on past trips, or prior experience, but nothing is guaranteed on a sailing voyage. As such, the scheduled joining ports, routes, activities and/or destinations may be altered. Due to the complexities of weather systems, this may be at very short notice.
Whether you are an experienced sailor or a complete beginner, the professional crew will train you to be guest crew from the moment you arrive, with the intention that everybody works together to sail the ship. The common thread to all Classic Sailing holidays is ‘Hands on’ participation on ships that use ropes, blocks and tackles and ‘people power’ to set sail. For more on this, see our article ‘What is a Hands-On Sailing Holiday?’
We cater for a wide range of ages and physical abilities and how much you are expected to do varies a bit between vessels. See the vessel tab above which explains all about the ‘sailing style’ and what to expect in terms of hands on participation. There is a lot of information about day to day life, the ships facilities and accommodation on the vessel pages.
Concierge TipYOUR PASSPORT! Along with any other required travel documentation. Please read the joining instructions you receive from the Ship carefully to ensure you have everything you need.
N.B. BOATS HAVE LIMITED STORAGE SPACE SO PLEASE PACK AS LIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE. Don't use a rigid suitcase or a bag with a rigid frame. Soft bags are much easier to fold up and stow.
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