Sailing the Bay of Biscay to Gran Canaria

An Atlantic Passage: Portsmouth to Gran Canaria

Portsmouth, England → Bay of Biscay → North Atlantic → Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

This is offshore sailing in its truest form. Leaving Portsmouth behind, Sea Dragon heads out into the English Channel before turning south to meet the Bay of Biscay – one of the world’s most respected stretches of open water. Sailing the Bay of Biscay demands focus and seamanship, where you take part in a rolling watch system, sharing responsibility for navigation, sail management, and safety with the crew. 

Once clear of the Bay, the Atlantic opens up ahead of you, the skies grow wider, and the wind fills the sails as Sea Dragon heads south. This is the passage-making many sailors dream of with long days at sea, a rhythm built around watches, the movement of the boat, and the quiet pleasure of covering serious ocean miles. Wildlife is never far away as dolphins ride the bow wave, seabirds wheel overhead, and flying fish scatter at dawn. By the time the volcanic peaks of Gran Canaria appear on the horizon, you’ll understand why sailors keep coming back to the open ocean.

Sailing Across the Bay of Biscay — Skills, Watches & Open Water

The Bay of Biscay has a well-earned reputation, and sailing across it is a genuine test of sailors. Stretching roughly 400 miles from north to south, it can serve up anything from flat calms to short, steep swells. For those seeking to develop their offshore sailing skills, there is no better place than under the guidance of an experienced skipper and crew.

• Watch-keeping and sharing responsibility for the boat day and night
• Navigation – understanding passage planning and position-keeping offshore
• Sail handling, setting, trimming and reefing sail in open water conditions
• Meteorology – reading weather forecasts and understanding how conditions evolve
• Teamwork: living and working together as a crew on a long offshore leg

This section of the voyage is where offshore sailors are made. The Bay has no shortcuts, so you simply sail through it, adapt to what it gives you, and grow in confidence with every watch.

Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – Journey’s End

The passage south through the North Atlantic brings its own rewards. As the latitude drops and the air warms, the character of the voyage changes entirely. Trade winds fill the sails, the sea turns a deep Atlantic blue, and the pace of life aboard settles into something approaching contentment. This is long-distance sailing at its most satisfying – purposeful, unhurried, and connected to the natural world.

Las Palmas is a welcoming city with a long sailing heritage and serves as a natural gathering point for ocean voyagers heading south and west. The marina sits at the heart of the old town, with markets, seafood, and the warmth of the Canarian sun waiting after weeks at sea. For many guests, stepping ashore in Gran Canaria is a defining moment: the end of a real ocean passage, completed under sail.

Life Aboard SV Sea Dragon

SV Sea Dragon is a capable and comfortable offshore ocean-going boat, well-suited to this kind of voyage. Life aboard on a long ocean leg has its own rhythm: watches, meals, sleep, and the ever-changing sea. The boat is fully equipped for extended offshore sailing, with everything the crew needs for a safe and rewarding passage across the Atlantic.

• All meals are prepared and shared by guests and crew, provisioned before departure
• Hands-on sailing: participate in watches, navigation & sail handling
• Safety briefing and offshore passage equipment provided
• Experienced skipper with thorough knowledge of Atlantic passage-making

ITINERARY

Please note: This is a weather-dependent voyage. Stopovers, timing, and the exact route will always be at the skipper’s discretion to ensure safety and the best possible experience.

Days 1–3: Join Sea Dragon in Portsmouth. Safety briefing, provisioning, crew introductions and departure across the Bay of Biscay.

Days 4–17: Offshore passage south through the North Atlantic. Everyone participates fully in watches, sail handling, and navigation throughout.

Days 18–21: Arrival in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Clean down, debrief, and disembark by late morning on the final day.

Things to note

Sailing vs Shore Time:

Night Watches?

Fitness & Health:

Travel insurance notes

As this is an active adventure holiday, we advise that everyone has the appropriate personal accident travel insurance whilst onboard, in addition to standard travel insurance, which would cover you in the time between making your booking and departing for your adventure. These policies can sometimes be combined so please check with your travel insurance provider.

Please read more information on our Insurance guidelines page.

This voyage will be more than 12 miles offshore.