Spanning around 20% of the Earth’s surface, the Atlantic is the second largest of the world’s oceans. It stretches from the sunny coasts of Florida across to the challenging Bay of Biscay off France and Spain. Sailing across this expanse of ocean is no easy feat; it takes planning, perseverance and precision in its execution. Back in 2018 I undertook this challenging voyage as part of an expedition through work. The plan was to fly out to St Lucia, then sail up to Antigua. From here, we would head to the British Virgin Isles then across to the Azores, into Jersey, Isle of Wight then finishing at Portsmouth.
Preparation
As I said, sailing across the Atlantic takes quite a bit of planning. The whole expedition saw the yacht travel all across the globe, but we were just taking it on the final leg. To that end, most of the planning of the route, victuals (food, drink, etc…) and logistics had already been covered. Still, for the relative newbies to sailing, packing itself would be quite the challenge.
I was already comfortable packing for a week on the water, but 6 weeks away was a new challenge. We were spending up to 2 weeks at sea at a time, meaning we would need to be self sufficient.
With airline baggage restrictions on our flight out to St Lucia, I needed to make sure that I had packed the bare essentials. In addition to a usual week’s worth of sailing kit, I also needed extra underwear, clothes, wash kit and plenty of entertainment.
Currency for the various locations was another consideration. However, due to the variety of currencies we left this until we were on island.
St Lucia
As we stepped off our flight, the heat hit us and we were well and truly in the Caribbean. We were collected by a minibus and taken down to Rodney Bay Marina in the North of the island. This was where our yacht, the Adventure of Hornet, was moored up from the previous voyage from Cape Town.
The first day was predominantly spent preparing the yacht for voyage and carrying out essential training for all the crew. We had dinner in one of the bars in the marina, which soon became our local.
On our final day before setting off, we decided to venture out and explore some of St Lucia.
Piton – Volcanic Plug or Local Beer?
It’s both! Nestled in the South West of the island are the Pitons, aptly named Gros Piton and Petit Piton. Gros stands at just over 798m, whilst Petit is 743m high. They stand very impressively on the landscape, which provides fantastic photo opportunities from anywhere in the area!
After our taxi driver stopped off for us to take some photos, he continued with us to Sulphur Springs. This volcanic pool brings visitors from around the world and it is reviewed highly on TripAdvisor. The site was recommended to us the by the taxi driver, which was as good a reason as any to visit!
When we got there, we paid the $12.50 entrance fee (that’s Eastern Caribbean Dollars, which is roughly $5 USD). Locals only pay $2 ECD, but it’s still good value for the experience. There are no lockers on site, so it is recommended to not bring any valuables, just some dark trunks. I’ll emphasise dark there as the mud can stain anything lighter – consider yourselves warned!
There are several hot pools, where you are encouraged to scoop up the mud and lather it all over yourself. Once dried, you wash it off and feel rejuvenated! I’ve been to one of the best natural spas in the world, the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, and in my honest opinion Sulphur Springs is better (and cheaper).
After a day of relaxation, and a night of partying, it was soon time to leave land behind and begin our voyage.
Antigua
By Sunday we were in Antigua. It was only a couple of days at sea and we anchored off the coast of Martinique for the night on the way. We passed the islands of Dominica and Guadeloupe, before coming alongside the historic Nelson’s Dockyard. Fairly similar to St Lucia in some respects (predominantly currency and vibe) yet vastly different in others.
Once we had arrived and put the yacht to bed, it was time to explore. We had several recommendations, primarily Shirley Heights, but first our hearts were set on luscious sands. We took a 20 minute walk from the dockyard to Pigeon Point, where we spent a few hours lapping up the Caribbean sun.
Despite the sun, beaches and great Caribbean food, the highlight of our couple of days in Antigua was without doubt Shirley Heights.
The site is a restored military lookout and gun battery, which provides a great attraction to tourists throughout the week. However, as the sun sets on a Sunday evening, the site transforms into the Caribbean’s greatest party. Known as Shirley Heights Sunset Party, the lookout transforms into a reggae extravaganza. A BBQ serves up a range of jerk-style foods, the bars serve various drinks (most cocktails rum based) and steel drums complete the mood. We spent hours there enjoying the setting sun, good food and great music. A true taste of the Caribbean that you will never forget!
Antigua has so much to offer, however our expedition had to move on and the largest chunk of our voyage was to be faced. Due to unfavourable weather conditions we had to bypass the British Virgin Isles and head straight for the Azores.
Western Atlantic
This is where the true graft really begins. The drinking, partying and tourist days on the islands took a toll on fatigue, but really built us up as a group. Morale was high as we set sail for the 2,267nm to the Azores.
Fortunately, the weather was glorious as land slipped away behind us and much time was spent on deck. The more experienced crew members shared their experiences, skills and poor jokes, whilst the younger kept the energy levels high throughout.
It was important to establish a rota, with the crew split into 3 watches (groups) to share the time on the helm and ensure everyone had adequate rest. Shifts were 4 hours long and everyone rotated through. Mother Watch was a shift which came around once every 3 days and lasted 12 hours. It included providing meals, cleaning the yacht, being able to wash and get a proper sleep. Yes, you read that right, we were able to shower once every 3 days!
Grafting on Deck
At any one time, 2 watches were on the 4 hour shifts. When you were ‘on’ watch, you would be up on deck in control of the helm, whereas when ‘off’ watch, you would either eat (at meal times) or sleep. The night shifts were the hardest. Your sleep pattern would be interrupted as you are woken by the ‘on’ watch (thankfully they will have made you a hot drink before waking you) and you would head out on deck, wrapped in as many layers as you can physically find!
As disruptive as night shifts were to sleep, and despite almost drifting off on many occasions whilst not on the helm, they were surreal experiences. You would sit under the stars, with zero light pollution. Compass bearings were the only means of navigation by day, but by night we also navigated by the stars.
In my whole life, few experiences have stuck with me as vividly as those night shifts on the helm, steering a 20ft vessel through the Atlantic. The nights turned to days and before you know it, you’re back on Mother Watch. You wash, cook and rest, then are back at the helm. As monotonous as this seems, days pass quickly and before we knew it, the blue horizon changed shade. The volcanic mountains of the Azores came into view and the end of almost 2 weeks at sea was in sight.
Azores
It seemed an eternity sailing towards land on the horizon. We had spent so long at sea, surrounded by nothing but blue. Now land was in sight and the respite couldn’t come any sooner!
The Azores themselves are a series of volcanic islands, administered by Portugal. They are the hidden gem of the Atlantic and have provided refuge to sailors for centuries. Portugal is a further 734nm to the East, which illustrates how isolated the islands are in the ocean. Nonetheless, the European influence is clear, especially in contrast to the Caribbean islands we had just come from!
I speak more about our time in the Azores in a dedicated post, which speaks volumes about how highly I regard them! I won’t repeat myself here, but across the islands there is so much to do. We hired a car to be able to explore further, which I highly recommend as many of the best places are quite remote. Also, the islands feel decades behind the Europe we are familiar with today!
A few days here were crucial to replenish our food stocks, spend some relaxation time ashore and get in touch with home. We had spent almost 2 weeks without any outside contact (or a proper shower), so this was top of everyone’s list when we docked! We also repeated these luxuries before leaving. Before long we were packing up, slipping our mooring and heading back out into the blue.
Eastern Atlantic
Whilst the first leg of the ocean crossing was (apologies for the pun) plain sailing, we were anticipating a completely different picture this side of the Azores. The Bay of Biscay is notoriously challenging, even in the best weather conditions! We were listening to shipping forecasts daily and taking particular note of moving pressure systems. After our first day back at sea, there were reports of a storm moving across our projected path. While seas were calm, we undertook some further crew training.
The skipper led us all through hoisting the storm jib and procedures for operating on deck with waves lapping over the side of the yacht. He even covered getting on and off deck in soaking wet gear! We were expecting the worst.
The Mother of Storms
It might have been. Fortunately for us, as we neared the intersection point off the Bay of Biscay, the storm’s course had changed. Each time we went on watch, we were expecting torrential downpour and high seas. Every time we went to sleep, we were expecting to be thrown from our bunks. With Neptune on our side, we passed through the Bay and into the English Channel relatively unscathed. Of course we had taken some of the outer edge of the storm and had some downpours, but the storm jib remained safely tucked up in the sail locker.
As we entered the English Channel, rounding the tip of France, we were just a day off our next stop – Jersey. Thankfully our voyage from the Azores had been shorter than planned with better weather than predicted. However, 4 weeks from home was starting to take its toll on relationships, sanity (that long with the same 16 men…) and hair length! Jersey was a blessing.
Jersey
We sailed into St Helier, rounding the breakwater of Elizabeth Castle and moored up in the harbour. Once ashore, with the yacht put to bed, we were straight to the showers and phoning home – much like our arrival to the Azores. As much as the break from technology was bliss, it showed how much we rely on contact with our loved ones. Once replenished, we headed into the town for dinner and a few drinks.
In the morning, pampering was first on the agenda for most of us. We made our way through the cobbled streets, looking for a barber. To date, I have never felt as great after a haircut as I did that day! We spent the afternoon shopping and enjoying the return to Western culture. Our stay on the island was short lived, as we were expected in Gosport to mark the end of the expedition.
Jersey, like the Azores, seem almost stuck in time (or at least a few years behind!). Though British by administration, the island has a feel of pride in its identity. This was my first visit to the Channel Islands and from my short stay in Jersey, I will be back! That being said, we were soon back underway for the final stretch across the Channel.
Cowes
What’s a sailing trip without a visit to Cowes on the Isle of Wight?! The town is a true sailor’s hub and is located, figuratively speaking, a stones throw from Portsmouth. Any voyage around the Solent deserves at least a night here!
Cowes Yacht Haven, on the West bank of the River Medina is the only spot I’ve ever moored up and I would recommend here over East Cowes. The town’s nightlife exists within the streets behind the marina and during season is surreal. Cowes Week, the famous sailing regatta, is one of the best events I’ve ever been to! However, while we were here at the start of April, the town was just beginning to open. Nonetheless, there was plenty to do; restaurants opened us with welcoming arms, catering for our large party with ease. We enjoyed a great night in town, reflecting on a truly remarkable experience.
Home Straight
As the celebrations of completing a successful Atlantic crossing pushed into the early hours of the morning in Cowes, one more passage remained. Crossing the Solent from Cowes to Gosport is a mere few hours, but trudging across with pounding heads is not the easiest of transits!
We were welcomed into Gosport by the expedition organisers, accompanied by several crates of beer. Just what we wanted. Still, it was a relief making that final step onto dry land after having covered thousands of miles (to be honest, the exact figure is in my logbook which is not to hand) across the world’s second largest ocean. The Atlantic is not easy, neither is it impossible. If our motley crew can accomplish the feat, then with the right preparation, dedication and resilience, anyone can.