| Embark | Disembark | Vessel | Duration | Voyage No |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 31-10-2023, 18:00Ullapool, Scotland | Fri 17-11-2023, 10:00Santa Cruz, Tenerife | Tecla | 17 Nights | TC311023 |
This voyage is brilliant as for mile building and the experienced sailor as there is a long way to go, including a real taste of the Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay. The weather can be very changeable in Autumn, with low pressure areas rolling in and every day getting colder in Scotland. As you make your way South, however, you’ll forget your long-johns and be in shorts by the time you reach sunny Tenerife!
You will form part of the ship’s crew for this voyage, taking part in the watchkeeping system and falling into the rhythm of life on board. Taking part in a watch allows you to experience night sailing, learn some navigation, helm the ship, keep lookout and, of course, get involved in all the deck work such as setting and trimming sails.
| Vessel type / Rig | Gaff Ketch |
| Guest Berths | 12 |
| Beam | 22ft |
| Draft | 8.9ft |
| Deck Length | 90ft |
| Overall Length | 124ft |
| Tonnage | 92 tons |
| Year Built | 1915 |
An Autumn Sail from Ullapool to Santa Cruz in Tenerife is a great long 18 day sail.
On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best sailing, 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.
Tecla sailed around the world in 2012-13 with Europa and Oosterschelde. She crossed the South and North Atlantic, Indian Ocean, the wild seas of South Australia, raced in the Tasman Sea and sailed across the Pacific to round Cape Horn. She is a fast ship that does well in tall ships races. Run by two Dutch families she likes to create unusual sailing programmes and her crews like to explore ashore with as much energy as they sail the ship.
Read more about Tecla the Vessel
The crew of Tecla have made very welcome by the local community in Ullapool on many occasion since 2015. Ullapool is North of Skye, North of Torridon and level in latitude with the Shiant Islands. Probably the best way you can get there is by coach from Inverness.
As you can imagine in any long voyage the skipper is aiming to make good time early on to give a better chance of exploring towards the end of the voyage.
You will sail in The Minches of the Inner Hebrides, through the North Channel separating Ireland and Scotland into the Irish Sea, Exiting this sea in St George’s Channel between Ireland and Wales. Now you are entering the Atlantic as you sail south across the entrance to the Bristol Channel and on past the Isles of Scilly. Maybe a required stop in Cornwall or Brittany to choose good weather to cross the Bay of Biscay. Once down by Spain and Portugal the weather will warm and there should be some great blue water sailing to the Canary Islands, with the possibility of a stopover in Madeira en route.
This is a lovely voyage to get into the swing of Ocean sailing, watchkeeping, helming and sail handling all on a regular pattern of duty. In the time off catch up with some reading, writing, art, or just contemplating the sea, life and the universe. You may also join in any maintenance tasks the crew are setting about, all good learning experiences.
This long voyage ends in sunny Santa Cruz on the Canary Island of Tenerife. Excellent flights back to Europe.
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.
For Joining any vessel, head to the harbour where your ship will more than likely be the only sailing vessel. Address: The Pier, Ullapool IV26 2UH
As a base for starting a sailing holiday, Ullapool rewards those who take the trouble to travel this far North. On the entrance to Loch Broom are the Summer Isles and if you head out West you come to the Shiant Islands before your reach Harris and Lewis. From here, it is a relatively short hop to St Kilda, or the Flannan Isles. The sailing grounds are virtually empty and in June it feels like the sun hardly sets. At nearly N 58 degrees latitude Ullapool is further North than Moscow. Its a long way up from Edinburgh, but not as difficult to get to as you might think.
Ullapool is nestled on the shores of Loch Broom. Whatever the weather, you are immediately struck by Ullapool’s whiteness and by its regularity of design and layout. This is a legacy of the town’s origins, being designed and built in 1788 by Thomas Telford and the British Fisheries Society to exploit a boom in herring fishing at the time.
The town is also the main terminus for the car and passenger ferry to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. The ferry operates seven days per week so all the public transport to Ullapool is good and there are plenty of accommodation options in the town.
As a base for exploring the north west of Scotland, Ullapool is ideal. It has accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets, including one of the best (and best located) campsites in this part of Scotland. And since the upgrading of most of the roads further north it is within reasonable reach of many parts of the region that twenty-five years ago would have needed a major expedition to reach.
Ullapool offers some very nice pubs, including the Ferry Boat Inn. It also has a range of shops from the smallest right up to a well-stocked supermarket: anyone on a self catering holiday is sure to be visiting the latter at some point during their stay.
For those wanting to know more about the area the excellent Ullapool Museum & Visitor Centre on West Argyle Street can be highly recommended. This is in the old parish church, and tells the story of the people of Loch Broom and the history of Ullapool.
There are cheap flights to Tenerife from all over Europe as it is a major winter sun holiday destination. You can probably find a flight from regional airports too. There are too many discount airline options to mention.
The harbour in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is huge, with two marinas and miles of harbour wall and quaysides for cruise ships and bigger tall ships. Berths for tall ships are small fry for the port authorities as the bigger more profitable ships get priority, so the sailing ships captain will have to go where ever the port authority puts them, and they may not get to stay there for very long. Please book a flight that gets in at a sensible time for you to get to the ship on time, even if it means getting there the day before and booking into a hotel.
If your vessel is small enough to get into one of the marinas then we can usually be a bit more specific as to where to find the ship beforehand.
The ships exact location in port is often controlled by the port authorities and they will only allocate a docking position a few days before. You will be informed as soon as possible of their exact joining location.
Any changes will be communicated to you before your voyage start date. Make sure you make a note of the ship’s number found in your confirmation email in case of any problems on the day.
Take a Photo of your Ship
We recommend you take a photo of your ship with you to show taxi drivers so they can get to to the right ship!
You can usually see the ships masts on the other side of the harbour, but the taxi drivers will know the shortest route to get to that berth. If you are the independent type with a rucksack walking from the bus depot, chose your route with care, or ask a local, or you could end up walking miles without finding the cruise ship / public entry to the dock.
THIS IS TECLA standard voyage kit list. Specialist Antarctic kit list to follow shortly
There is limited storage space on Tecla so please pack all you belongings in a soft rucksack or bag.
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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