| Embark | Disembark | Vessel | Duration | Voyage No |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 22-12-2023, 19:00Bridgetown, Barbados | Fri 29-12-2023, 10:00St George’s, Grenada | Eye of the Wind | 7 Nights | EYE23/42 |
Christmas on a tall ship is like no other Christmas you will experience. Unlike Christmas in a hotel it is not impersonal, you and your fellow sailors all have the experience of sailing together and everyone on board from the Captain to the Deck hands and yourself help make it a very special and enjoyable Christmas.
| Sailing Areas | New Zealand |
| Vessel type / Rig | 2 Masted Brig |
| Guest Berths | 12 |
| Beam | 7.01m (23ft) |
| Draft | 2.7m (8.9ft) |
| Overall Length | 40.23m (132ft) |
| Year Built | 1911 |
Romantics, solo travellers, sun lovers, sailors and novices who want to see the Caribbean as working crew on a square rigger. Feel less like a tourist and experience island life as a sailor. No experience is needed as the professional crew will teach you to find buntlines and braces, clewlines and yard halliards.
If you would rather be outdoors and active this winter and feel the wind in your hair then sign up before the mast. Eye of the wind is a sail training ship, but there is no deck scrubbing (unless you like the exercise). Guest crew can dip into the exciting stuff and not feel guilty resorting to the mattresses on the sun deck when there are enough volunteers to set a sail or take a turn on the helm.
This voyage begins in Barbados, with its sandy beaches and lush gardens. Embarkation is at 7pm on the 22nd, but we recommend you arrive early and explore Bridgetown. Once on board, the captain and crew will greet you with a tour and a briefing, covering safety information, the latest weather forecast and the itinerary. You’ll also enjoy dinner aboard getting to know your fellow sailors.
The morning will see you slip lines and set sail, with relaxing sailing round the island. The passage to Grenada, at 150 nautical miles, is just long enough to feel like an adventure, and you may call in at St Vincent or the smaller of the Grenadine Islands en route.
7 days is plenty of time to relax and unwind, and there will be lots of time spent lazy sailing round stunning coastlines and exploring ashore. Christmas is spent with the crew, in one of a host of possible glorious tropical locations.
On arrival into St George’s, you’ll have time to celebrate with the rest of the crew, toasting a successful passage and looking forward to the New Year, before your last night aboard. Disembarkation is at 10am, after which you can explore the island at your leisure before making your onward journey. We recommend spending some time in St George’s, with its brightly painted houses and uniquely beautiful underwater sculpture park.
On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best sailing and shore landings for the forecast the captain, who will take your wishes into account whenever possible. This ensures that your sailing trip is a pleasant mix of adventure, relaxation, active participation and pure enjoyment.
Average air temperatures are 26-28 degrees centigrade. Sea temperatures are a balmy 26-28 degrees.
If you are on the Atlantic ocean side of Caribean islands the seas can be boisterous and blue. In the lee of any big volcanic island or inside a protecting reef, the seas can be flat. The winds mixed with tropical sun are generally the reason why the Caribbean is a perfect sailing ground. Square riggers under full sail, generally create some shade somewhere on deck or in the rigging so you can always find a cool spot. There is air conditioning in the cabins.
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.
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.
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.
The exact location in St George’s, Grenada will not be known until closer to the time. Make sure you make a note of the ship’s phone number from your booking confirmation – or use the ship’s tracker to help locate the ship.
Practical Advice for Eye of the Wind
Practical Advice for Covid 19 and Eye of the Wind
Suitcases take up a lot of room in a cabin, so it is better to uses soft bags in a ship. A small rucksack for going ashore is useful.
All the power to your plug sockets comes from the ship's generator which runs on deisel. The less the generators have to run to top up power, the nicer it is for the guests on board and also greener for the planet. Please don't bring loads of hairdriers, electric devices to charge.
There is no internet on board whilst at sea.
Eye of the Wind is an experienced operator with many happy customers. She sails in Northern Europa nad the Baltic in Summer (Northern Hemisphere) and across the Atlantice to the Caribbean for some winter sunshine sailing holidays.
Facebook Reviews currently 5 out of 5 stars
A fabulous adventure! Words cannot convey the experience.
John, Tortola to Bermuda, Feb- March 2023
Tortola to the Azores! What a great time. Thanks to Captain Pit and the crew. An awesome adventure with awesome people!" F Coutreau, New England
What a wonderful, lovely, great, awesome trip we've had from Malaga to Lanzarote! I loved and enjoyed every minute.
Thanks again for this wonderful experience. I miss you guys! Andrea Schwartz
Dear Adam,
Now that was a voyage! The EYE crew - all 10 - five women and five men - embody two words:
COMPETENT and KIND
And such a beautiful ship.
Thank you beyond measure, Susan.
Eye of the Wind Faroes to Iceland Summer 2022
With red sails against a blue sky, Eye of the Wind is a photogenic ship. If you have any new images we would love to see them since Eye of the Wind has only recently returned to our website.
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