Sailing Holidays in Tenerife and La Gomera

SAILING HOLIDAYS IN TENERIFE

On arrival into Tenerife South Airport, take the short ten-minute taxi ride to San Miguel Marina where your boat will be moored, ready to welcome guests on their sailing holiday around the Canary Islands. After meeting the crew, who will show guests to their cabins, there will be a safety briefing and familiarisation session to learn the ropes before we set sail along to coast.

IS WHALE WATCHING GOOD IN TENERIFE?

The azure blue waters that lie between Tenerife and La Gomera have been officially designated as a Whale Heritage Site and offer up plentiful opportunities for whale watching. We take our time sailing here, keeping eyes peeled for the resident Pilot whales along with a range of other whale and dolphins species. Many whale watching boat trips run from San Miguel to take tourists to see these amazing mammals and the experience is truly one of the best parts of sailing in the Canary Islands. In keeping with the nature of the Heritage Site, we operate a ‘Whales come to us’ policy to try and not interrupt their natural habitat and behaviour. As the boat is under sail, she is able to move slowly and peacefully through the water in order to get the best view – have your cameras ready as you will be able to whale watch in close quarters and if you are lucky, delight in Bottlenose dolphins as they ride the bowsprit alongside us.

However, Pilot whales are not the only whale species to frequent the waters around Tenerife, in recent years we have been lucky enough to spot the deep-diving Sperm whale along with the lesser-known Brydes whale, energetic Spinner dolphins and even turtles. Whale watching in Tenerife is completely breath-taking, offering magical moments that you will remember for a lifetime.

THE BEST WAY TO SEE LA GOMERA

It is not just the incredible wildlife that makes a sailing holiday in Tenerife so special. With the reliable trade winds, we sail from Tenerife over to La Gomera, one of the smallest Canary Islands and often referred to as the ‘land that time forgot’. This island might be smaller in size, but its more traditional way of life have seen La Gomera become one of the more desirable Canary Islands to visit and it’s certainly best reached by boat. Rebelling mass-tourism, this peaceful little island offers outstanding walking, a fascinating history, lush rainforests and laid-back, traditional Spanish fishing villages.

The marine life surrounding La Gomera is rich and varied with coral reefs, manta rays and barracudas all calling this craggy, volcanic coastline home. And whilst it might be smaller and lesser-known, holidays here are at a premium so for those looking to visit and explore La Gomera, the best way to do this is under sail on a Tenerife yacht charter. Approaching the island from the sea is truly impressive, watching the sheer, dark volcanic cliffs rise high above the ocean, admiring the jade-green mountainsides before calling into one of the small fishing harbours where we will moor or anchor each evening and dine underneath the stars with new friends. With very little light pollution, star formations are very clear, along with the magical phosphoresce in the waters below the boat.

DO I NEED EXPERIENCE TO JOIN A TENERIFE SAILING HOLIDAY?

A sailing holiday in the Canary Islands is one of the nicest ways to explore this archipelago. Our boats are run by very competent crew and experienced skippers. Whether you’re a novice sailor or experienced sea-farer, the year-round warm weather and trade-winds offer fantastic sailing opportunities for those seeking hands-on Tenerife sailing experience. However, there is no pressure to get stuck in, you are welcome to just spend time on deck, keeping binoculars at hand to spot wildlife.

ARE YOU TRAVELING SOLO?

Our sailing holidays from Tenerife are ideal for the solo traveller; in fact over 50% of our guests are on holiday by themselves. If you are a beginner looking for a new type of adventure holiday or intermediate sailor looking to increase your sea miles or explore a new sail area, our skippered charters are just the ticket! Meet like-minded people, and become part of the crew and in just a few days you’ll be pulling ropes and setting sails while enjoying some winter sun sailing. Like most of the Spanish Canary Islands, Tenerife has some of the best sailing conditions, so you can be sure of warm trade winds each day and plenty of places to anchor up away from the crowds.

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