Situated in clear blue water just off the coast of Africa, the Canary Islands are the perfect place for a sailing vacation. The ferry links are good, but there’s nothing like doing it yourself, and this can also give you access to some of the smaller, uninhabited outcrops that are intriguing to see from the sea even if you can’t land. Despite the presence of these outcrops, safe navigation is fairly easy, so it’s a great place to take your first sailing trip. Just be warned – you’ll be left longing for the next one.
Courtesy of thecanaryislands.info
Jewels in the Atlantic
There are few holiday destinations as appealing as the Canary Islands, with their perpetually warm but breezy weather and their remarkably varied landscapes. Pulling in at their historic ports, you can walk along centuries-old streets and chat with friendly locals before heading along the coast to relax on pink, white, or black sandy beaches. Inland, you’ll find lush banana plantations, intriguing ancient ruins, and mountains that offer stunning views of the heavens at night. Taking your own boat means you can take it all at your own pace and never feel rushed as you explore.
Luxury yachting
Sailing has never been more luxurious than it is today, and there are fantastic opportunities to admire luxury yachts in the Canary Islands. Pull into the Marina Rubicón to see the rich at play and to enjoy easy access to the popular beaches Playa Papagayo and Playa Blanca, or visit Puerto Calero Marina where superyachts gather. Don’t worry that you need to be rich yourself in order to be a part of all this, though – there are lots of ways to get involved, and you’ll be surprised by how affordable boat hire can be. In fact, the lower-priced boats are often the easiest to handle for beginners, and they blend in beautifully with the happy-go-lucky charm of island life.
Courtesy of onthebeach.co.uk
Getting hooked
One person who admits he has developed an addiction to sailing is Lord Laidlaw, the man behind The Lord Laidlaw Scholarships. He first took sailing lessons in 1974, at the age of 32, and admits that a rough experience early on left him feeling scared, but he’s always been a man who loves a challenge, and he was soon back out on the water. Since then, he has grown passionate about competitive sailing, and he has owned some of the world’s most celebrated yachts.
If you start off in the Canaries, consider making your next trip a tour of the Black Sea coast, where you can stop off at ports such as Istanbul, Yalta, and Constanța, exploring some of the region’s most famous cities at your leisure or just lazing about on deck under the warm sun. You might also venture into the Aegean to visit Athens, Thessaloniki, Ephesus, and islands such as Skiathos, Mykonos, and Lesbos. Wherever you choose to go, you’ll be the captain of your own ship, the master of your fate, and you’ll find that there’s always more to discover.
