- Crossing the Atlantic
- Stopovers at Canary Islands and Cape Verde
- There will be sailing day and night
- You will be assigned to the Twister’s watch system. It is not compulsory but highly recommended to participate in all watches.
- Vegetarian food is served on board as standard. If you want to eat fish or meat, you can indicate this when booking.
- All meals on board, port charges, etc. included
From Lisbon, we begin the great crossing to the New World. We raise the sails and set course south-west to the Canary Islands. We sail on the Atlantic Ocean, where the waves are long and roll lazily under the ship.
After about five days of sailing, we reach Tenerife, one of the larger Canary Islands. Here there is time to disembark and explore the island. Depending on how well the trip went, we may stay here for a few days, as there is so much beauty to see.
Tenerife is a volcanic island with spectacular landscapes and jungle inland. You can climb the volcano El Teide here and there are several species of whales and dolphins swimming around the island. The coastal towns are more touristy and have an abundance of nice bars, so this island has something for everyone.
Our next stopover is about the same distance away. The trade winds push us towards the Cape Verde Islands, where Sao Vicente is our destination. We dock in Mindelo, the capital. After a few days at sea, it is nice to enjoy city life and soak up some culture or take the ferry to Santo Antao, the exotic paradise, and visit the tropical forests there. Spared from mass tourism, this island is still authentic and unspoilt. The Cape Verde Islands are interesting enough to stay for weeks, but we need to move on. We set sail for the New World. The trade winds here blow us towards the coast of South America at breakneck speed. On the ocean, you also mentally detach yourself from the coast. Along the way, we have to navigate and steer. Since the wind mostly blows from the same direction, the sails only need to be adjusted slightly. The temperature is pleasant and there is plenty of time for good conversation, a book or lazing around. The watches give structure to the day.
When the wind slows down for a while, it is possible to swim in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Swimming with 5,000 metres of water below you, with no land in sight, is an experience to remember. Chased by a tuna, the occasional school of flying fish shoots out of a wave. Sometimes one falls onto the deck and fresh fish is literally within reach.
And then suddenly land comes into sight! After a long time at sea, this is a very special experience. At such a moment, you can also imagine how special it must have been for the sailors who crossed the ocean without modern maps and navigation equipment. We anchor off the Devil’s Islands before the coast of French Guiana. We have made the crossing! Once ashore, you experience what it is like to have sea legs. It can take more than a day for this effect to disappear. The Devil’s Islands are known from the book and film Papillon based on it. There used to be a penal colony here, the remains of which are now overgrown with jungle. After celebrating reaching the other side, we sail to the mainland of French Guiana. The Marowijne River flows along the border between French Guiana and Suriname. We sail up this river and anchor near the town of Saint Laurent du Maroni. Here we can visit another French penal colony, cross the river to the Surinamese town of Albani or continue upstream by dinghy to see what there is to discover. We then drift downstream again and set sail for the beating heart of Suriname: Paramaribo. Here we enjoy the good life: Parbo beer, fun atmosphere etc.
