The opinions about what the best route to sail around the world is, vary a lot. But after a lot of research we think we’ve come up with a realistic route, that will bring us to some of the most remote and pristine places on the planet. The sailing route in this post describes our ultimate sailing route from the Netherlands to French Polynesia, and maybe even further…
Denmark
This is home for Rasmus and Trine, and before we depart, we’ll sail to Copenhagen. There we can load all the gear into the boat, and throw a first farewell party for Danish family and friends.
The Netherlands
We then slowly make our way towards the Netherlands. Where our dreams of exploring the world by sail all started. Here we’ll host another farewell party, this time for our Dutch friends.
Sailing the English Channel
The real voyage begins with a passage through the English Channel, a historic waterway connecting the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The Channel is known for its variable weather and strong currents, which will definitely be challenging us.
Along North-West Spain and Portugal
After navigating the Channel, we follow the European coastline along North-West Spain towards Portugal. These coastlines offer beautiful anchorages and the opportunity to experience the rich maritime culture and history of these countries. We also intend to sail up the Douro river into Porto, and stock up on port wine!
Madeira and the Canary Islands
Next, we set sail for Madeira and the Canary Islands. These islands are popular stopovers for sailors making the Atlantic crossing, thanks to their favorable location and pleasant climate. Which is also why the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) departs from Las Palmas (Canary islands), towards Saint Lucia, in the Caribbean. We don’t cross from here however, we continue to mainland Africa.
The Gambia River
What makes this African country very special is that the country is located along the Gambia River. Which is one of the major rivers in West Africa running 1,120 kilometers and is navigable for about half that length. This makes Gambia a great country to explore by (sailing) boat. We hope to spot hippo’s and crocodiles in the river, and see chimpanzees jumping around in the trees next to it. Gambia offers sights that we won’t see anywhere else on our entire journey around the world, making it a unique place to visit for us.
Cape Verde Islands and the Atlantic Crossing
Cape Verde, a group of 10 volcanic islands, is a melting pot of cultures and an ideal place to prepare for the Atlantic crossing. Here we will stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables and of course plenty of water! Although we have a watermaker, you never want to run low on your water supplies during the crossing.
The Atlantic Crossing to French Guiana and Suriname
From Cape Verde, we make the grand leap across the Atlantic Ocean to South America, where we first explore French Guiana and then Suriname. Both countries offer unique insights into rich biodiversity and cultural melting pots. The Suriname River, which is 480 km long, gives us the perfect opportunity to explore it from our own sailing boat. Here we hope to see many tropical birds, such as toucans and parrots.
What are the best sailing destinations in the Caribbean?
In the Caribbean there are plenty of beautiful islands. But what are the best sailing destinations in the Caribbean? For us Trinidad and Tobago is high on the list. Because it does not only offer some truly stunning wildlife and white sand beaches, it also has beautiful moorings spots!
The ABC Islands
Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao are great for diving and snorkelling. Furthermore, they have great supermarkets and people speak Dutch, which will be fun for Coen and Femke. Furthermore the islands offer us a chance to rest and resupply. However, it will be a quite touristic spot and all four of us have been here before, so we will probably not rest here for too long. Fun fact: Femke’s mom was born in Curacao.
Through Panama and to the Galapagos Islands
The Panama Canal is our gateway to the Pacific Ocean. Did you know crossing the Panama Canal takes a few days by sailboat? Hopefully, there will be enough fresh water in the Canal to cross it by the time we are there, because last year there were very long queues due to water levels being too low in the canal. After crossing the Panama Canal, we enter the pacific ocean, and we’ll set sail toward the famous Galapagos Islands. Where we will hope to see the Blue-footed gent, swim with iguanas (marine lizard species), play with sea lions and check out Galapagos tortoises which can get over 200 years old. After the Galapagos an ocean crossing of over 4 weeks awaits us..
French Polynesia and Beyond
After the long crossing we hope to set foot in French Polynesia, a paradise of turquoise waters and atolls. From here, we will have the vast Pacific to explore, with possibilities extending westward towards New Zealand and beyond.
Flexibility
The route we described in this article is just a rough idea we have now. It’s not fixed in any sense and we are looking forward to seeing where the adventures and the wind will take us 😉
Curious about where we will end up? Follow us on Instagram or stay tuned by listening to our Sailing Adventurers Podcast.