Best sailing holidays: book a cruise on a sailboat
From the coast of Maine to Key West, from the Pacific Northwest to Antarctica, tall ships offer a unique experience. Centennial-designed sailing ships moved goods around the world in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries; they now enjoy an esteemed place in the minds and hearts of modern men and women.
Tall ships captured the public imagination in the 1970s after being relegated to the history books; Everyone alive and conscious during America’s 1976 bicentennial remembers the glorious sight of dozens of large ships sailing toward New York Harbor, past the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. Since then, governments around the world have maintained fleets of large ships as a kind of maritime ambassadors; and many small private companies have sprung up to offer short and day-long cruises.
In Maine, the owners of the Mary Kay schooner have been offering windjammer cruises since 1950, long before the tall ship craze hit. The cruises, which last three to six days, depart from Camden, Maine and explore the islands and coastal passages of Maine. Accommodation on this specially designed gulet includes a selection of single, double or triple occupancy cabins and a lounge, with a cozy fireplace, offering delicious meals prepared by an experienced chef.
Adventure on the high seas
If you’re looking for adventure on the high seas, Liberty Fleet offers a two-week cruise on a frame schooner, a replica of the famous 19th-century Baltimore Clipper, from Key West, Florida to Boston, Massachusetts in May. 2006, with a stop in Charleston, South Carolina and a possible additional stop in Nantucket or Block Island before reaching their final destination in Boston. Participants can relax on board or work as part of the crew, learning navigation and other maritime skills. In the fall, the ship participates in a series of regattas and short sails that stop in Provincetown, Baltimore, Norfolk, Virginia, Charleston and back to Key West; participants can register for any leg of the journey south.
For the more adventurous among us, the bark Europa offers a 22-day trip from Argentina to Antarctica and vice versa, with a complete itinerary with many stops along the way to explore the unique natural environment of this remote region of the world, with its unusual animal life, volcanic geological formations, looming ice cliffs and geothermal pools.
Anyone who loves navigation you would find one of these adventures, be it a day trip or a three week Antarctic tour, the best sailing experience, a journey linked to centuries of maritime history and offering a unique point of view in the world. And these three opportunities represent only a fraction of the many ocean trips available in all corners of the world.