Sailing back North from the Canaries / Cape Verde?

[Tim Good]

Hi all... just wanted to hear from anyone that has sailed back to the UK from the Canaries? I imagine it is a bit of a slog and the route would be over to the Azores and then across, upwind a lot of the way until the Azores?

 

[jdc]

Yup - spot on!

Only thing is to wait for the Harmattan because this blows from the SE rather than the NE(1) so gives a better slant. During the Harmattan you can make the Canaries from Cape Verde on one tack. But upwind is not that terrible: your boat will cope I'm sure. We made 1200 miles upwind on one leg and it was fine: we were tired but the boat just plugged along. Get a good wind-pilot!

(1) Wikipedia doesn't mention this, but it's real: in the Canaries it's actually a pita as it makes a lot of anchorages on the W sideof the islands uncomfortable.

 

[capnsensible]

Have delivered a yacht from Lanza to UK and did the recommended route via the Azores. Straightforward.

Have done the passage from Canaries to Gib a number of times, need diesel! There is often not a lot of wind for long stretches near the African coast, deliveries mostly using the most direct route. Took me 6 days a few weeks ago.

Off tomorrow flying back to Mainland to pick up same boat for onward delivery to Brest. Looks like Im gonna need diesel!

 

[capnsensible]

The east wind in the Canaries is known as the Calima and brings huge ammounts of sand from Africa.

 

[jdc]

The east wind in the Canaries is known as the Calima and brings huge ammounts of sand from Africa.

So it is - I'd forgotten, but I think (can you confirm?) that it's the local name for the same wind known elsewhere as the Harmattan. When we were at anchor on the W side of Tenerife it deflected the wind to be a southerly, right into our anchorage and we had rather a difficult night...

 

[capnsensible]

Found this

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmattan

Sounds similar with that driving sand and fog like conditions.

 

[Sea Devil]

Hi all... just wanted to hear from anyone that has sailed back to the UK from the Canaries? I imagine it is a bit of a slog and the route would be over to the Azores and then across, upwind a lot of the way until the Azores?

I have done it via Maderia - got as far west as I could in the Canaries and was able to make Funchal with the occasional use of the motor to gain a few degrees. Then it depends if you want to passage make via the Azores or head for northern most port possible in Portugal then coast hop to Coruna before making the decision to depart across Biscay

 

[Tim Good]

I have done it via Maderia - got as far west as I could in the Canaries and was able to make Funchal with the occasional use of the motor to gain a few degrees. Then it depends if you want to passage make via the Azores or head for northern most port possible in Portugal then coast hop to Coruna before making the decision to depart across Biscay

After Maderia which way did you choose to go?

 

[Sea Devil]

via the Portuguese coast.

 

[macd]

nothcave: why does your heading mention the Cape Verdes but your question not?

Just to add to the (totally realistic) routing info above, it's rare, but not unknown to encounter sustained favourable winds for passage from the Canaries to the Algarve. Not experienced them myself, but did ancounter in Ayamonte a couple who'd experienced just that. (A day later an old friend arrived in the same place from the Canaries...via the Azores.) But that was in May.

So, should you see such a forecast, don't just dismiss it as an aberration.

 

[Tim Good]

nothcave: why does your heading mention the Cape Verdes but your question not?

I suppose it is to determine how far south I can go whilst still realistically have a reasonable option to sailing back North again.

 

[temptress]

Hi all... just wanted to hear from anyone that has sailed back to the UK from the Canaries? I imagine it is a bit of a slog and the route would be over to the Azores and then across, upwind a lot of the way until the Azores?

How long have you got?

I did that a few years ago via Portugal, across biscay and up to Norway.

If i had the time and had to go again i would consider cape verdies, west indies, bermuda, Azores, northern Europe....

 

[Tim Good]

How long have you got?

I did that a few years ago via Portugal, across biscay and up to Norway.

If i had the time and had to go again i would consider cape verdies, west indies, bermuda, Azores, northern Europe....

I think if I cross the pond then that will have to be be it and onwards to the Pacific or South to Patagonia. Not sure I can justify two Atlantic crossings just for Caribbean etc and not sure I want the boat so far away for long stretches of the year. Shes my baby haha.

 

[temptress]

Well that's the problem, last time in the cpe verdies we just keep heading west... Now in Singapore

 

[RupertW]

I think if I cross the pond then that will have to be be it and onwards to the Pacific or South to Patagonia. Not sure I can justify two Atlantic crossings just for Caribbean etc and not sure I want the boat so far away for long stretches of the year. Shes my baby haha.

As we are still working I agree on the double crossing being a bit much so our current plan is to get the boat to Spain from Croatia (almost there now), then Canaries and across to Barbados then a couple of months cruising in the Caribbean and get the boat shipped back.

 

[Tim Good]

As we are still working I agree on the double crossing being a bit much so our current plan is to get the boat to Spain from Croatia (almost there now), then Canaries and across to Barbados then a couple of months cruising in the Caribbean and get the boat shipped back.

How much does shipping it back cost? Is it that you're worried about the North Atlantic leg or just can't be arsed with that stretch?

I don't know but I'd feel like a cheat to ship my boat. I think she'd feel very upset and Neptune might come back to bite me.

 

[temptress]

It is really not that difficult to sail back from the West Indies... Shipping is not a cheap option and
you will probably still end up with the boat he
a few weeks away from where you really want her to be.

 

[RupertW]

How much does shipping it back cost? Is it that you're worried about the North Atlantic leg or just can't be arsed with that stretch?

I don't know but I'd feel like a cheat to ship my boat. I think she'd feel very upset and Neptune might come back to bite me.

Shipping has halved in price in the last 5 years as more and more ships are doing it.A 23k quote for 12.5m boat with mast up became 12k this year and may be less next.

Reasons for shipping are economical as we can reduce a 9-12 month work break to 4-6, but also can enjoy Carib without spending time fixing every recently last broken thing before crossing back. And wherever it’s delivered most cheaply in the Med can be our starting point for the next years local cruise.

 

[Tim Good]

Shipping has halved in price in the last 5 years as more and more ships are doing it.A 23k quote for 12.5m boat with mast up became 12k this year and may be less next.

Reasons for shipping are economical as we can reduce a 9-12 month work break to 4-6, but also can enjoy Carib without spending time fixing every recently last broken thing before crossing back. And wherever it’s delivered most cheaply in the Med can be our starting point for the next years local cruise.

Fair points. Hadn't appreciated they go to the med. I suppose some companies might be shipping charter fleets perhaps.

 

[capnsensible]

It is really not that difficult to sail back from the West Indies... Shipping is not a cheap option and
you will probably still end up with the boat he
a few weeks away from where you really want her to be.

Indeed. Plus you can take some time in cruising mode to explore the Azores. I like doing that!