Sailing to Iceland from Scotland: Ullapool to Reykjavik

Sailing aboard the expedition vessel Tecla is a truly authentic adventure, where every voyage promises to create lifelong memories. Join her seafaring family, where guests are welcomed to learn the ropes alongside our knowledgeable crew and share experiences with fellow guests in awe-inspiring destinations.

Getting Involved

Setting the sails on the Tecla is a beautiful challenge. This lady is over 100 years old and has two masts, six sails and some heavy spars that need to go up! The Tecla crew has worked on her rigging for years to perfect her sailing qualities. She can sail close hauled or downwind, she can sail in very light weather, and she handles well in rough weather. 

Guests are encouraged to actively participate in every aspect of Tecla’s sailing journey. From raising all the sails to trying their hand at the helm, participants can fully engage in this adventure by immersing themselves in the elements, revelling in the experience, and creating timeless memories. The ship provides a warm and humbling atmosphere, allowing guests to embrace life aboard a traditionally rigged vessel while exploring some of the world’s most breathtaking destinations. 

Typically operated by a dedicated crew of 3-4 members, Tecla accommodates a maximum of 12 guests. The deliberately small group size fosters an intimate experience, enabling genuine connections to form between the crew and guests.

Sailing the Tecla means sailing a real classic beauty, but she is dressed for her time and game. The masts are made of wood, which gives it the real classic feel, but her sails are made of Dacron to withstand all the elements and still sail as fast as possible. The lines are no longer hemp; most of the lines now are Dynema, as strong as steel cable but easier on the hands!

Keeping Watch

It is not always necessary to start a voyage with watches. On many voyages, Tecla sets sail in the morning to be at anchor or moored somewhere new every evening. This way, all can be part of the sailing and the anchor watches are done by the professional crew.

It only becomes necessary to ‘do’ watches as soon as one or more nights are to be sailed through, and more than 24 hours are spent out at sea. This way, there are always enough people on the deck to handle the sails and keep a lookout.

Tecla works a three-watch schedule, which means you will be on watch for 4 hours, have 8 hours of rest and then again you will be on watch for 4 hours. So within 24 hours, you will be on watch for 8 hours.

The watches are divided into the Red, White and Blue watches.

Red: 00:00 – 04:00 and 12:00 – 16:00 hours
White: 04:00 – 08:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 hours
Blue: 08:00 – 12:00 and 20:00 – 24:00 hours

Each watch has a watch leader, one of the permanent crew. The crew will give you instructions during your watch. For example, your first watch might be filled with instructions on what watchkeeping is. You will be told what is expected, and you will be informed about the navigational equipment on board. 

Watch keeping means being out on deck, awake and helping out where necessary. You will sit on the aft relaxing, being on the lookout or with bad visibility, you will be on the front of the Tecla on the lookout. You will be steering the vessel in turns. Three watches means that the watches are never bigger than six people. 

For the comfort of all those on board, a schedule will be decided with everyone, and we will try to stick to it. While watches are in progress, breakfast will be at 08:00h, lunch will be at 12:00h and dinner at 18:00h. 

Eating aboard

An important part of the day on Tecla is that the food is always influenced by her surroundings. The dynamic menu remains flexible, adapting to the unique flavours of each locale. Whenever possible, food is sourced locally, so you could be eating tapas, peppers and plantain in the Canary Islands and fresh fruit, beef and rice in Brazil. 

For colder climates and around the North Sea, you will find a Dutch speciality of “stamppot” – mashed potatoes and smoked sausages! Our cooks have a passion for food and make sure that their meals look and taste amazing. Our favourites are lasagne, Lamb curries and fresh fish on the BBQ or from our smoker.

During a longer stay on board, you will hardly ever see the same dish come by. Most of our meals are served with a salad or fruit on the side. During longer trips, we take good care of our vegetables and fruit to ensure that you will enjoy fresh food as long as possible.

A Typical Day

When underway, breakfast is at 08.00 hours. Usually, a buffet where you will find fresh-baked bread, cereals and porridge. When at anchor or in harbour, breakfast time is a little more flexible and can be outside if the weather is nice! Sometimes there will be eggs, or ‘wentelteefjes’ (French toast), or a fresh fruit salad.

Lunch is almost always served with something warm or special, from soup, sausage rolls, fresh fruit or special bread.

Dinner is at 18:00 hours when sailing. When the weather is good and it is still nice and light outside, food is served in buffet style outside. If this is not possible, you will find a buffet downstairs. When not sailing and eating inside, you can find a set table where you can enjoy the meal together.

Sleeping and Relaxation

Recently refurbished, there are six twin-bunk, ensuite cabins on Tecla. Nestled into the mid-ship, they’re spacious, comfortable and steady whilst underway. All beds are at least 80cm wide and over 2meters long, thoughtfully equipped with a dedicated reading light for personalised comfort.. All cabins are ensuite with a wet cell shower and plenty of hot water! Ample storage space for clothes and conveniently located storage beneath the beds caters to the needs of longer voyages and travellers with soft suitcases or rucksacks.

The communal area at the front of the ship has cosy cushioned seating and two tables for meal times and evening entertainment with a warm and inviting atmosphere..There’s a little nook tucked opposite the dining area that’s perfect for some relaxation while reading a book.