Sailing to warmer climates for winter: ‘The nerves are still there, sometimes utterly stomach churning’

When winter is dawning, many yachties decide sailing to warmer climates for winter is wise. Lu Heikel describes her journey.

You don’t really notice it too much at first. At each stopover on our summer Mediterranean wanderings we meet up with other yachties, and talk inevitably comes to your cruising plans. ‘We’re heading west,’ we say. ‘Us too,’ is the increasingly common reply. The further we sail towards Gibraltar, the more likely you are to hear the same refrain.

It becomes clear we are part of the annual migration. We imagine a map of the Med, with yachts converging on Gibraltar from all parts, and as others peel away to their winter yards, we continue westwards with the rest of the herd in our quest for ocean adventures. Boat names become familiar and sailors become friends. By the time we reach southern Spain, talk is of provisioning and final kit modifications.

Spare parts are sourced and broad routing plans are discussed. We analyse the weather for a window to exit the straits, swap contact details and agree a radio schedule for fellow SSB users.

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Sailing to warmer climates for winter – Heading West

By the time we arrive in the Canaries the group has grown from a few to a dozen. This is not a rally, just the normal flow of yachties aiming to swap the European winter for Caribbean warmth. Our Mediterranean herd is joined by our northern European counterparts. Marinas and anchorages are abuzz with final preparations.

The old hands are mined for information from the first-timers. Youngsters help elders with tech. Hopeful spare crew tramp the pontoons to secure a ride across the pond. Tips are swapped and problems solved. And of course, weather forecasts are interrogated for the ideal passage. The anticipation is palpable.

Finally, farewells are made. Some of us slip lines, taking the route south via the Cape Verdes. Others we hope to see in the Caribbean. Rendezvous are planned, but now, suddenly, we are on our way.

Our preparations are over and we must now rely on our boat and our teamwork to make a successful passage. People often ask, in a general sense, ‘Do you get nervous?’ Well here’s the truth – yes, of course we get nervous. What have we forgotten? What have we overlooked? What if?

A million mini-concerns flood the mind as we set off, every time we slip the lines. Of course the levels vary – a day trip raises far fewer questions than casting off for an ocean passage. But yes, the nerves are still there – sometimes utterly stomach churning, but more usually more like a frisson of understanding of what you are undertaking. For sure, experience allows you to think more broadly of what is required, and what might be expected, but it is no panacea for a successful voyage.

And while it is good for all crew to be aware of the demands, no one wants an Eeyore for a skipper. It is a fine balance. I often think back to my first Atlantic crossing, and muse on my rank inexperience – and my admiration of the skipper for taking on such a novice. On reflection I reckon ‘ignorance is bliss’ indeed. No worrying about much, simply because I didn’t know that much. These days, I no longer have that advantage, but it’s still easy to find the joy in our sport.

Sailing remains the most amazing mode of transport where you have a genuine sense of not being entirely sure how it is all going to pan out. Fair winds to all the sailors heading off across the pond this season!

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