FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

Cape Town

Cape Town is known for many things, amongst them the Table Mountain. In 2013 the Tecla crew made the journey up on the mountain and reckoned it was certainly worth it! From the harbor waterfront, you can see Table mountain as a back drop of the Tecla while she is moored there. The Waterfront is a beautiful place to be. With many opportunities for shopping, having a drink on a nice terrace and getting into some markets with the finest foods, it’s worth arriving a bit early for your voyage to give yourself chance to explore.

With many miles ahead of you, sail will be set and the traditional ‘S turn’ will be used to sail with the wind from the South Atlantic into the North Atlantic. Crossing the equator is a true experience. The changing weather, with changing clouds and winds until there is mostly sunshine and hardly a breeze when you meet Neptune!

With so many days at sea watches will become part of your day to day rhythm and sail changes will be your exercise of the day.

Horta, Azores

On the Azores the Tecla will be moored in Horta on the island Faial. Horta is THE place to be for sailors who have crossed an ocean. And you will be one of the few there who have actually crossed two! Most of the sailors there are heading back from the Caribbean and most of them meet in the bar called Peter Sport, just opposite the harbor. 

Be sure to assist the crew in leaving a painting of Tecla on the quay in Horta, where you’ll also see murals from many other ships which have passed through over the years.

WINDS, WAVES & WEATHER

This is a big ocean voyage, and you should be prepared for some swell. Within a few days of being on board you will have become used to the movement of the ship, and how to get around her safely. The crew will be using forecasting and weather routing to avoid the worst of the weather, but sometimes things can be unpredictable, so be prepared for all eventualities.

HANDS ON HOLIDAYS

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.

SAILING STYLE & LIFE ON BOARD

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.

AGILITY & FITNESS

Every customer sailing with us will need to fill in basic medical questions on their booking application. If you are not sure if your current level of fitness and agility are up to a voyage, then please ring the Classic Sailing Office on 01326 53 1234 and we can chat through your concerns and possibly find options that might suit you better.

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Kit List for Tecla 

THIS IS TECLA standard voyage kit list. Specialist Antarctic kit list to follow shortly

Included

• Sailing instruction 
• Safety Equipment (Life jackets and harnesses)
• All meals to including refreshments throughout the day.
• Bed linen, duvet, pillows and towels. 

What's Not Included

• Travel to and from the start and end port. 
• Optional trips or tours taken ashore
• Meals ashore
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Waterproof jacket and trousers
• Personal towels

 

What to bring

There is limited storage space on Tecla so please pack all you belongings in a soft rucksack or bag.

• Footwear: Shoes with a good grip e.g. trainers or sailing deck shoes. (Sandals are great for beaches but you do need toe protection for sailing). Tecla has steel decks so waterproof walking boots are fine at sea in moderate winds and dry conditions and great for voyages where you might do some rough terrain walking like Iceland and Scotland. 
• Rubber Boots or second pair of shoes for wet weather or getting in/out of dinghies. 
• Swim suit & beach towel
• Suntan lotion & sunglasses
• Sun hat / warm hat, scarves, gloves
• Clothes that dry quickly like fleeces and thermals. Mix of warm, waterproof & windproof layers. Wool jumpers are warm, even when wet, but can take a while to dry. Merino wool type shirts are good for under layers.
• Small rucksack for going ashore
• Travel insurance documents/any travel tickets
• Personal medicines/ spectacles/ seasick tablets –check which brand if you suffer from asthma or are on regular medication.
• Camera/binoculars etc
• Modest quantity of alcohol for evening meals
• You are welcome to bring musical instruments

 

This trip fulfilled my desire for adventure sailing as we transited the north coast of Iceland, along the Arctic Circle. Even though it was rough, the boat and crew performed admirably.

Bruce

An enjoyable week in less than ideal weather conditions. The crew were competent and friendly, the catering excellent. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a voyage on Tecla.

Jonathan

A great mix of sailing in Scottish waters, some super hikes and an opportunity to see some of the immensely important historical sites in the Orkneys and Sheltands.  

Mooring alongside in the Fair Isles was a great privilege.  

The ocean passage to the Faroes was quiet but as a result we were blessed with clear skies whilst slinking in and out of the islands and some of the best coastal views one could hope to see anywhere.  

The ocean passage to Iceland was a bit of a bimble until we were 60 miles off and then it got exciting.  Thanks to a great skipper and permanent crew we snuggled into a fjord whilst the cruise ship ran aground in Reykjavik harbour.  A good holiday, an adventure and fun.

K

Any initial doubts as to the number and experience of the crew were very quickly dispelled and we were impressed with the knowledge and the handling skills of the skipper and the 2 mates. Every opportunity was taken to enhance our enjoyment on both voyages and at every stage we were made to feel relaxed and under no obligation to crew the ship under sometimes testing (but enjoyable) conditions. As an observation, we must congratulate the skipper for her culinary skills under difficult conditions..........the food was perfect for the voyage.

Geoff

A delight. A competent and engaging professional crew, an interesting voyage with some challenges and some great rewards. Good companions to make the log spin around.

Mike

Brilliant. I would do it again tomorrow. And good value too. The food was excellent. I loved the spicy meatballs and my wife loved the fresh langoustines.

Steve

Most enjoyable classic sailing with great food, a true sense of teamwork, great guidance and a good sense of humour. Can't get any better. 

Thomas

Globe trotting Tall Ship Tecla in action and images. This historic gaff ketch is our Iceland Specialist and also has Greenland Sailing Expeditions. Photos from Classic Sailing customers, ships crew and professional photographers. We hope it gives a flavour of her sailing, life on board, the people that come, her beautiful sailing grounds and what it is like to live below decks.

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