Scandinavian Cruising by Tall Ship – Kalmar Sound, Gotland & Stockholm

IDEAL VOYAGE FOR…

Tall ship fans wanting to try a different tall ship. European tall ships are run very differently from UK sail training ships. Eye of the Wind offers both a luxury feel to the accommodation and customer service with only 12 guest crew, but the potential for active participation is there. Her professional crew like to set lots of sail and do as much as possible under sail. In Europe, particularly Scandinavia there are a lot of historic waterfronts in the centre of towns. It is part of the summer entertainment to create a good spectacle sailing away from the dock whenever possible.

Scandinavian Summer  on Eye of the Wind

The Baltic Sea around Copenhagen has many islands and straits offering relatively sheltered waters for beginners. Towards Gothenburg or Stockholm there are more open stretches where the Baltic Sea is wider, contrasting with the Swedish coast which has complex archipelagoes of small islands and skerries (smooth, low lying rocks in a former glaciated landscape.

For culture lovers this whole area is steeped in maritime history from Vikings to the Hanseatic trading ports.

For those who want to be close to nature, Many of Eye of the Wind’s summer voyages here in Sweden, Germany and Denmark are a great mix of anchorages off white sand beaches, pine covered islands and nature reserves or national parks.

If you travelling from outside of Europe, or just want to see more of Northern Europe, then exploring whilst on a green mode of transport has a feel good factor. See the great cities Scandinavia and Northern Europe by travelling under sail.

Finland for the Aland Isles

two voyages in 2021 will set sail from Stockholm into Finland waters – aiming for the famous Aland Isles. Not only is this granite archipelago an iydillic nature haven ,it is also steeped in maritime history. It was Gustave Erikson who bought up the remaining great windjammers at the turn of the century and gave them a harsh economic life sailing to Austraila and back for the grain cargoes.

FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

We don’t have detailed voyage descriptions of these voyages yet from the ship, but they are already booking up fast. We invite you to explore the map below and you will see what an amazing sailing ground this is. For many of us it is right on our doorstep, and you can probably get there without using a plane flight. 

If you are a true explorer that is happy to sign up for an adventure that has all the right ingredients without a detailed itinerary, then these voyages are here to book. We will add more detail as soon as we can. The ship is German owned so they know the Baltic well, so it is not quite a magical mystery tour.

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 and most idyllic or sheltered anchors and ports. They are as keen as you to include some of the highlights described below, but you have to go with Mother Nature, not fight her. The description below is based on what we think might be possible, based on past trips, or experience, but nothing is guaranteed on a sailing voyage.

 

 

WINDS, WAVES & WEATHER

There are places with fast tides so you can get some exciting choppy water in very localised spots but mostly this is sailing in flat waters without big swell.

The climate on the shores of the Baltic is more continental than maritime so summer temperatures can be hot but spring and autumn will be colder than Britain or Atlantic facing countries.

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.

After receiving safety instructions and an introduction to sailing from the ship’s crew, you will soon be able to take part in sailing yourself. On Eye of the Wind Hands-on assistance on deck is always voluntary, so if you want, you can just relax and enjoy watching the sailing manoeuvers and the traditional seamanship in action every day. If you like, you can make yourself comfortable below deck in the comfortable lounge, browse through a good book from the large on-board library.

On Eye of the Wind – The wind and your wishes set the course!

In principle, the decision on which port or anchorage to call on in the evening is made by the captain on the same day and depends on the wind and weather conditions – whenever possible, your wishes will be taken into account. This ensures that your sailing trip is a pleasant mixture of adventure, relaxation,active participation and pure enjoyment. Look forward to some wonderful days of sailing on the summery and windy Baltic Sea. Weather permitting, we will have the opportunity to sail out of the harbour in the evening and sail at night – another highlight of every cruise.

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.

Working Language on Board

German and English

What is 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
• Any entry visas required

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.

• Eye of the Wind 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.
• Eye of the Wind has electric sockets in all the cabins 240 V 
• Cameras, spare batteries, chargers if you need them
• 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.
• The ship provides hand towels but please bring a beach towel
• snorkel and mask for caribbean if you like snorkelling (travel tip: swimming goggles pack up smaller than a facemask)
• Bring insect repellant for Caribbean as can get mosquitos ashore in evening (rare at anchor)
• ear plugs can be handy 

 

Electricity

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, but she is new to Classic Sailing website. We will post the first Classic Sailing guest feedback from 2019-2020 voyages as soon as we have some, it but here are a few from last year. 

Facebook Reviews currently 5 out of 5 stars Oct 2019

 

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

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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