This year, we once again spent a long time discussing over where we want to sail La Ola next year. Even though we really like Portugal and the Algarve, the area is not very attractive for sailing at the moment. Sure, the landscape is great, the water is clear, and there is a lot to discover. But there are also orcas, which prevent us from sailing in deep water, and countless fishing nets and traps, which make it difficult to navigate in shallow water or even sail in a relaxed manner without constantly keeping an eye on the water. We are still ruling out the Mediterranean. Of course, the pictures we have seen from other sailors are very tempting. Beautiful anchorages, crystal-clear water, nice places, and delicious food. But the beautiful anchorages are often crowded, the marinas are still expensive, and the weather has been too unpredictable this year, which we don’t want to expose ourselves to. In the end, we decided that the rest of our journey will take us west!
If everything goes according to plan – but when does it ever? – we will head north along the Portuguese coast in April/May and on to the southern rias of Spain. We will stay there for a while and then probably set off from Porto or Lisbon in June/July towards Madeira and the small neighboring island of Porto Santo. Once again, this will be a somewhat longer sea crossing of about 500 nautical miles and 3 to 4 days at sea. We will stay in Madeira and Porto Santo for about 4 to 6 weeks. Then we will head back out to sea and sail for 2 to 3 days, covering about 275 nautical miles, towards the Canary Islands. We want to sail to all of them between August and November if possible. We will start in Lanzarote, then head to Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Gomera, La Palma, and finally El Hierro.
Outlook for 2027 and beyond
From the Canary Islands, we will then most likely sail about 750 nautical miles to the Cape Verde Islands in December or January, taking 5 to 7 days. We will decide on the way whether we will visit several of the islands, such as Sal and São Nicolau. In any case, we will head for Mindelo on São Vicente, as it is a good place to stock up on provisions for the next long leg of the journey. From there, we will continue across the Atlantic when the weather conditions are right. We are still discussing whether to head for Brazil or the Caribbean.
When we reach Brazil, we plan to first head for the islands of Fernando da Noronha. The 1,450 nautical miles will take us around 10-12 days. After a few days, we will continue on to Recife or Jacaré on the South American mainland. We estimate another 2-3 days at sea for the nearly 300 nautical miles and will arrive in time for the Samba Carnival in Brazil in February 2027.
In Brazil, we would first sail south to Salvador and Bahia de Todos Santos. From there, we would then make our way back north along the Brazilian coast to somewhere in the direction of French Guiana. After Kourou and the opportunity to witness a rocket launch, we would then stop in Suriname and Guyana before heading back towards the Caribbean. The exact route has not yet been finalized, but we would like to visit as many islands as possible between Anguilla and Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean between December 2027 and June 2028. Then we will need to find a location for the hurricane season between June and December.
If we go to the Caribbean instead of Brazil, the route is slightly longer, at around 2,100 to 2,300 nautical miles, depending on the destination island. We estimate that this will take around 16-18 days at sea. In the Caribbean, we would then sail around the islands a year earlier than described above, between January 2027 and June 2027.
No matter where we go, we hope to become true blue water sailors again starting next year and are already looking forward to many beautiful islands, new countries, and wonderful trade wind sailing.
But, as we all know, plans are written in the sand at low tide and sometimes change faster than you think. We have learned to see this not as a disadvantage, but as an opportunity, and we would not be upset if, for whatever reason, we do not make it across the pond in 2027 as planned. We are open to anything!
Visit on board
We are looking forward to welcoming relatives and friends on board again in 2026! Several guests have already announced their visit to Vilamoura, and we only have a few days left with „berths available“ for visitors. So please get in touch as soon as possible if you would like to visit us in Vilamoura!
We will be back on the road from April/May. Getting there will be a little more complicated, but of course not impossible. It simply requires more flexibility on the part of our guests. But hopefully we will be sailing! Suitable airports are Faro, Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, or one of the Canary Islands. The „final leg“ to our respective mooring or anchorage will then usually have to be done by train, bus, rental car, or taxi/Uber/Bolt. Please understand that we cannot just pick you up anywhere and cannot guarantee that we will be at a specific meeting point on time as agreed. We are always dependent on the weather and usually only travel at a speed of approx. 15 km/h. Please let us know as early as possible when you plan to visit us, as we still only want to occupy one cabin for a maximum of 2 people.
For your stay on board, please also budget €50 per person per day for the board cash box. This covers full board and drinks on board, so you don’t have to worry about shopping etc. You only need to pay for the occasional restaurant visit and, of course, your arrival and departure. Please also take a look at the following blog post.
Last year, we also met up with some friends who were simply traveling in our area or staying in a hotel instead of on board with us. We enjoyed every visit, and of course it also gives those who are not so keen on boats the opportunity to see us again. So when planning your vacation, take a look at the following page to see if we might be somewhere nearby!