Yachting World — February 2018

PRACTICAL

African, the Cape Verdes have had a long

Portuguese influence, which has created a

unique appeal.

If you have time to cruise here it makes most

sense to sign in at Porto da Palmeira on Ilha do

Sal, to windward, then cruise to the southern

islands, before reaching back to the north-

western group to Porto Grande, Mindelo. Porto

Grande is an excellent natural harbour and

facilities for yachts have improved dramatically

in recent years. It is a good place to prepare for

the rest of your Atlantic crossing.

It is also feasible, if you are self-sufficient

and well prepared, to head to Senegal and the

Gambia. The traditional cruising season in west

Africa is November to May when the weather

is cooler and drier. Beware the dust-laden

harmattan, which occurs from November to

March and can cause visibility to be very poor

along this coast and out to the Cape Verdes.

Notwithstanding the possibility of political

unrest (check the latest Foreign Office advice),

the River Gambia is an unforgettable cruising

experience. From the wrecks and dishevelment

of Banjul you will be carried on the flood into

the heart of Africa within a few hours, hippos or

crocodiles at the waters’ edge as you pass.

From the Cape Verdes or west Africa you

are quickly onto the tradewind conveyor belt.

Most yachts make a beeline towards the

Caribbean and plan to arrive for Christmas or

New Year, but if you head to South America

instead your timings can be extended. Tropical

storms do not affect the Atlantic south of about

10°N, allowing you to delay departure from

the eastern Atlantic and then aim for French

Guiana, where you can make landfall and cruise

at any time of the year. A cruise through the

Guianas in hurricane season (1 June to 30

November) allows you to arrive in the Caribbean

for the start of the following sailing season.

One Caribbean season, say December to

May, can feel far too short, particularly if it is

your first time. It is a joy to billow from each

stunning island to the next. The strength and

direction of the tradewinds does shift so,

depending on when and where you arrive, it

makes sense to try to work up or down the

island chains with the most favourable winds.

Between December and March they tend to

blow more strongly from the north-east at

20-25 knots. At the beginning and end of the

season they are usually lighter and swing to the

east or south-east.

At the end of the season one option is to

drop south of the hurricane belt to Trinidad, a

diverse island with plenty to explore ashore.

The adjacent coast of Venezuela is not currently

advisable to visit due to political unrest. But the

Dutch Antilles are a pleasantly quirky stepping-

stone to Cartagena and the San Blas islands of

Panama, which lie outside the hurricane zone.

An alternative route to Panama is from the

northern end of the island chain; cruise from

the Virgin Islands along the south coast of

the Greater Antilles and take in some surprise

gems such as Île-à-Vache off the south-western

corner of Haiti. Jamaica has a rough reputation

but is a spectacularly beautiful island and the

main yachting centres of Port Antonio, Montego

Bay and the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club are

popular ports of call. From Jamaica it is only

a two-day sail to Grand Cayman or three days

down to Providencia and on to San Andrés and

Panama. Even if you are not going through the

Panama Canal on your own boat, it is worth

volunteering as a line handler to experience a

passage through one of the man-made wonders

of the world.

Staying on the Caribbean side you will need

to head northwards after the threat of late

season hurricanes has passed, but before the

stronger north-easterly winds kick-in, late in

November to early December. San Andrés

and Providencia are good stepping stones

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The ‘Viking route’ is the

shortest transatlantic

passage: just 650 miles from

Greenland to Iceland

The Rías Baixas, in Galicia, north-western

Spain, offer excellent cruising grounds

Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have

numerous and interesting anchorages

The adventurous may

choose to head east to

Senegal and the Gambia

STRETCHING TIME

Atlantic coast of Europe: Be patient and

use the weather windows to explore the

Biscay coast of France during April and May,

or linger for longer in the Galician rias of

north-west Spain during May and early June.

Cape Verdes: Rather than waiting until

mid-November and then crossing from the

Canaries, consider heading to the Cape

Verdes in early November and spend a

month cruising the islands.

Panama: Head south and west before the

beginning of June to spend the Caribbean

hurricane season in the San Blas islands.

The far north: Stay ahead of the hurricanes

as you head north from the Caribbean and,

depending on the year’s ice reports, aim to

be in Newfoundland and Greenland during

July and early August.

i

Maria Galan / Alamy

98 February 2018