The Perfect Atlantic Crossing

IDEAL VOYAGE FOR…

Sometimes you come across a voyage that ignites your imagination and kindles the romantic soul of a sailor.

This is it.

I’ve sailed the Atlantic in both directions and I can assure you it is one of the most memorable experiences you can have.

But time is short.

Atlantic voyages are growing more popular all the time, book while it’s still available.

You do have time to organise your life for being away for over 35 days in 2023 as long as you get onboard quickly.

FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

The winds are ever present in the Caribbean. Add to that the pleasant temperatures of the region and you’ve got perfect sailing conditions. 

Starting from St Martin

Is easy to get to from Europe or North America with flight by KLM and Air France.

It is quite a populous little islands basking in the Tropical Sun, lovely beaches and plenty of bars and restaurants.

6 Days to Bermuda

Enjoy your first taste of Ocean sailing on this voyage as you head almost due North from St Martin to Bermuda. 

It’s a sailor’s life so get your sleeves rolled up, raise the sails as the anchor comes up, trim the sails and relax into sea time.

This is an ideal time to learn the ropes on Morgenster and understand how well the ship works with crew, sails and wind all working in harmony.

Bermuda, 

This lonely, tropical island in the Atlantic Ocean lies 1000 kilometres away from the mainland USA. 

The street scene is made up of pastel houses, businessmen in ties and colourful Bermuda Shorts and British influences such as cricket and afternoon tea.

Bermuda is surrounded by the pink beaches it is famous for, as well as by coral reefs underwater. There are also many caves, such as the five hundred meter long  Crystal Cave.

 

 

The Long Voyage

This is what you came for a long deep sea Ocean Passage across the Atlantic.

The sailing is wonderful with the wind at your back, the ploughs along over the long ocean waves. 

At sea in an ocean the ship needs to be navigated, steered, lookout kept, sails trimmed and other tasks completed to make sure you travel safely towards the Azores. The wind usually blows from the same direction, though, so the sails need little trimming now and again. 

The ultimate escape

Being part of a watch structure fills your days and frees the mind of worries about life onshore, it is the ultimate escape. Temperatures are pleasant and there is time for lively conversations, reading, or simply enjoying and relaxing. 

Things you will to escape from on the Ocean

• Day to day worries – there are none at sea. The captain takes the responsibilities.
• Worrying about your future – there is no action you can take at sea about it; but it can be a very useful period of reflection.
• Worrying about the the next meal – it’s always going to be provided for you.
• Answering emails – you will only receive emails if there is an emergency ashore.
• Answering the phone – you cant.

 

Ocean Swimming

When the wind dies down, it’s time for a swim. Swimming in the deep ocean, with 5 kilometres of water below you and no land in sight is an unforgettable experience. 

Once in a while, a tuna will chase a flying fish up from the sea. Sometimes, a flying fish will actually soar on board, an easy catch of the day. There are very many types of flying fish and they have distinctive flight patterns.

 

Land Ahoy,

As you near the Azores keep an eye out so you can be the person that shouts’ land ahoy’ it’s such a great experience, it never fails to excite me.

At that moment, it’s easy to imagine how special the experience must have been for the sailors that crossed the ocean without modern maps, navigational equipment, good food, comfortable clothing and beds. 

The Land Approaches

After a long sea journey it’s very natural to be excited about your landfall, watch as it gradually gets bigger and the details of the land come into focus. New places to see, new cultures to experience, legs to walk on the land!

The Azores. 

This archipelago is known for its dramatic landscapes and for whale watching. 

If you get the chance there are some amazing water filled multicoloured volcanic crater lake to visit. 

Gin and paint

Tradition has it that we head down to Café Peter Sport for a gin tonic and paint one of the harbour wall’s stones to commemorate our arrival on the Morgenster.

 

Still more great sailing.

Sailing from the Azores and your thoughts begin to turn homewards. The prevailing winds should be pushing you along at a great rate of knots.

Things change quite quickly now. The sea gets darker as you cross over onto the continental shelf of Europe. The temperature probably drops and you begin to see fishing boats and other ocean going vessels.

You are part of long long tradition of sailors with the Ocean behind them, the sea is still king and the wind dictates more determinedly your sail trim. But that is all second nature to you now. Look out for the first sight of Europe and as you reach soundings. (Depths it is possible to measure with a long lead line.) Imagine as they did in the past that you could be anywhere between the Isles of Scilly and Isle de Ouessant, a distance of 35 leagues according to the shanty. (Of course with GPS you will know exactly where you are but that misses the fun of it.)

The Channel Islands

This will be the last stop before the voyage ends. Not sure which island it will be, they are quite a few to choose from but my guess would be Braye Harbour on Alderney as shown above.

You are all heroes, this is the time to celebrate the crossing and exaggerate the stories you have all created. Enjoy.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is one of the busiest ports in the world so you will need to keep a good lookout as you near Morgensters berth. 

You will be sad to leave but friends and family will be waiting for you and all the stories you have to tell.

 

WINDS, WAVES & WEATHER

This is an Ocean crossing with prevailing Westerly winds. They may not oblige but that is all taken into account in the voyage plan. It will almost certainly be rough at some point with strong winds and big waves. Morgenster has handled similar many times before and the ship will just shrug and get on it with it under the command of her highly experienced Captains Harry or Jakob.

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.

Included

• Sailing Instruction
• All meals to include refreshments throughout the day
• Duvet, pillow and sheets
• Hand towels

What is not Included

• Waterproof jackets and trousers
• Alcoholic drinks but there is a bar on board

What to Bring

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.

• Morgenster does not supply waterproof jackets and salopette type trousers. Please bring your own waterproof clothing.
• A mix of warm and wind proof clothing.
• Lots of thin layers is better than one thick layer in cold destinations.
• In tropical countries - long sleeves and long trousers to protect you from the sun 
• Footwear on board needs a good grip and soft soles- the decks are wood or steel.
• Ashore stout, waterproof walking boots are best if you are in remote places.
• Morgenster has European 2 pin sockets 240 V
• Cameras, chargers and video recorders
• Binoculars are handy for bird watching etc.
• Suntan lotion, hats, sunglasses
• Dont forget any regular medication, persciption glasses and spare
• Euros for bar bill
• Passport, travel insurance, tickets etc
•  To get ashore is usually by dinghy so be prepared to get wet feet. Rubber boots or quick drying sandals - depending on the location.

Online Reviews

 

I loved it.

I loved everything about my week. The crew were fantastic, the ship was beautiful, the singing on the deck was great fun, the dolphins were around a lot. It was brilliant!

Least enjoy - Nothing.

Why do I Sail?

I love the ocean and have always loved boats. For this particular voyage I was also researching a children's book involving mermaids and pirates!

Liz K sailed in 2017

 

What was the best bit?

Climbing in the rigging, unfurling the sails on the yardarm. 
The cameraderie between the paid and guest crew was second to none. A fantastic atmosphere. Singing in the evenings on deck accompanied by guitar and trumpet. New Year on St Lucia, we celebrated the New Year 3 times (once for Dutch/European time, once for GMT and once for Caribbean time).
The sun glinstering off the ocean surface like a thousand shards of broken mirror.......flying fish like small humming birds skimming over the surface of the water, dolphins on New Years day: what a start to 2019!
Too wonderful to describe, a life changing experience, I want to pack in my job and sail the world! (making plans now) - Carol from Caribbean Season 2019. 

Great experience, will definitely be doing it again.  Climbing the rigging was the best bit. 'First time' sailor. John M July 2018

"Thank you for a very nice trip, some hours on Kattegatt this afternoon. Beautiful boat, nice and joyful captain and crew. I loved it! Wish you all a really nice trip during Tall Ships Races. And I would love to join again someday for a longer trip." Camilla A. June 2017

Thank you Harry, Mariann and all your wonderful crew for an amazing week on Morgenster. Great food Will, such patient climbing instruction Michelle, fun birthday outing Evy and lovely guests from 80 to 22 years old. So many highlights but sailing at night with sparkling dolphins at the bow was truly breathtaking!" Sue G.

Just returned from 11 days sailing round Cape Verde. The whole experience was exceptional - friendly, knowledgeable and caring crew; wonderful sailing (the 4am night watch experience was particularly magical!); interesting trips exploring the islands; and great food." Julia G-F

Thank you Harry, Marian, Joost, Rene, Hessel & Willie for a fantastic week's sailing. I'll be humming sea shanties and saying "o nay!!!" for days! I really hope to sail with you again. Happy New Year" Kerry Mc C.

Had a fantastic trip around Cape Verde, Jan/Feb 2016. Lovely crew, felt like a family. Thanks to you all xxxx. Really special people and a holiday to remember. My penguins X" Louise G

What a fantastic time, thanks to everyone on the Morgenster both crew and passengers hope to see you all again, maybe next year?" George Mc L

Harry, Marian and their crew make your stay on board the Morgenster wonderful!" Aleike K

What was the best bit?

The trip was fabulous. The crew were incredibly supportive and even helped me overcome enough of my fear to get out onto the first yard. I felt that I was included in everything and that my contribution, however small, was appreciated. The food was excellent and there were plenty of drinks and snacks throughout the day. We had gorgeous weather all the way. I really enjoyed it. - Caribbean Season 2019 by Amanda G. 

Tall Ship Morgenster in action and images. 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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