The Experience

As an association’s member and visiting crew, you’re about to experience an extraordinary adventure. Embarking on an ocean passage is akin to a journey into space for us ordinary people. It demands self-reliance as you navigate vast, challenging (yet stunning) expanses at a pace that feels human, where time seems to stretch and compress simultaneously. At sea, we forge a deep connection with nature while stepping away from our everyday lives. Each person ventures out for unique reasons, and everyone returns transformed in some way.

When coming aboard, participants understand they are not embarking on a traditional Mediterranean or West Indies “charter cruise” journey, with long periods of inactivity, gin and tonic sunsets and the professional crew at their service, but rather on a trip for which their active participation in all duties inherent to sailing a vessel is required.

What Should You Expect

Welcome and Initial Briefing:

Any passage begins with a crew presentation, an extensive vessel tour and a thorough safety briefing. This commonly takes place the day prior to any passage departure.

Onboard Duties:

Journey Planning: Assist in planning the route and daily activities to ensure smooth and great sailing.
Provisioning: Help manage and organize supplies for the trip, ensuring everything needed is on board.
Sailing and Steering: Take 20 to 30-minute turns at the helm, steering the sailboat with other crew members.
Maneuvers: Actively participate in various sailing maneuvers, such as tacking and jibing.
Watches: Be on watch usually on a 4-hour-on / 8-hour-off basis, and with at least one other crew.
Galley Duties: Help with meal preparation and other tasks in the galley.
Cleaning and Maintenance: Help perform routine maintenance tasks to keep the boat in top conditions.

Learning Opportunities:

Role Assignment: Take on specific roles to deepen your knowledge in certain areas and share it with others. This could include navigation, sail handling, weather observation.
Workshops: participate and learn specific tasks, routines or technics, like route planning, knots mastering, celestial navigation, sewing, etc.

Sharing Activities:

Participate in activities based on the professions and interests of other crew members. This could range from photography to yoga.
Share your own passions and hobbies with the crew, whether they are related or not to sailing.

Scientific Activities:

Data Collection: Gather data on various aspects of the marine environment, such as water quality, temperature and currents.
Wildlife Observation: Observe and document wildlife, including birds, fish, and marine mammals.
Documentation: Keep records and reports of scientific observations and data.

Recreational Activities:

Snorkeling: Explore the underwater world and discover colorful fish and coral reefs.
Exploring the Region: Visit the surrounding area and learn about the local culture, fauna and flora.
Historic Site Visits: Tour historic sites and learn more about the region’s history.
Kayaking or Stand-Up Paddleboarding: Enjoy the water on a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard.
Shore Excursions: Take trips ashore to explore nature and local attractions.

Debriefings:

Regular Debriefings: Join regular meetings to discuss your integration on board, your degree of satisfaction, tackle possible issues and solve them, or express wishes for the coming days. This helps strengthen teamwork and good spirit onboard.

Although the main technical language onboard will commonly be English, our professional crew is largely polyglot with native levels of French, German, Spanish and Italian that should surely put our visiting members at ease in their communication.

Each trip or passage will have a specific program detailing these activities. It sounds like a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills, share your passions, and experience exciting adventures! Is there a particular activity you’re especially looking forward to? Let us know.

What Do We Expect

Openness, Resilience and Willingness to Learn: Members should be eager to learn new skills and embrace the challenges of sailing, even in difficult weather conditions.
Teamwork: Cooperation is essential on board, so being a team player and willing to take on tasks is important, both for good spirit and safety reasons.
Respect and Consideration: Maintaining a kind and respectful attitude towards others and the environment is crucial for a harmonious atmosphere.
Physical Fitness: Sailing can be physically demanding, so a basic level of fitness is necessary.
Travel Arrangements and Documentation: You handle all the necessary in-and-out travel arrangements, documents and formalities.
Flexibility and Adaptability: Weather conditions and unforeseen factors can affect the schedule, so flexibility is key.
No Alcohol Consumption During Passages: Reasonable alcohol consumption on board is only allowed when docked, and at captain’s discretion at anchor for safety reasons.
Drug Consumption is Strictly Forbidden at Anytime

Start Booking Your Passage Now!

Testimonial

We had the chance to sail our first nautical miles with Gregory at the beginning of July 2021 in the Azores.

We were quite apprehensive before embarking on our first ocean navigations. However, the initial contact went very well, and we spent four dreamlike days in his company.

As part of validating our nautical miles for the Swiss offshore license, we had various maneuvers to perform. Everything went smoothly, and above all, Gregory demonstrated exceptional competence and more. He instills confidence and adopts a very calm and pedagogical approach, which we greatly appreciated.

In summary, he gave us the sailing bug. Gregory is endearing, full of life, and above all, highly professional.

Micki and Sylvia

MEMBERS CREW