Morgenster will berthed at Willemsoord, the historic naval dockyard in Den Helder. Should you be brought by friends or family, there will be plenty of time to show them around the ship. Once everyone is on board, the captain will call everyone together to discuss plans for the upcoming voy and safety procedures and rules of life on board. This is a voyage for the seasoned sailor. You will be part of the crew and rotate in the watch system.
Across the North Sea, we will sail through the Dover Strait to the English Channel. During this part of the trip, we may encounter adverse weather,r and this time of year, it can be pretty cold. We relieve each other at the helm regularly, and especially during this part of the trip, there will be frequent hoisting, lowering, or adjusting of the sail. When there is no work on the rig, there is plenty to see for those on watch. These are the busiest waters in the world, and we see ships of all shapes and sizes around us.
Before sailing into the Bay of Biscay, we might stop in a Belgian, F,rench or English coastal town – or on one of the Channel Islands. The Bay of Biscay has a bad name but is exciting. Asng as soon as we leave the continental shelf, the depth under the keel increases to as much as 5 kilometres! How we will cross them depends significantly on the weather and wind direction.
After the crossing, we hope to stop at a Spanish port such as Muros or Vigo. We then sail further south along the Portuguese coast. There is a greater chance of a northerly wind, which makes sailing very pleasant, especially with a square-rigged ship. On Nov. 17, 2024, we will arrive at the Portuguese city of Setúbal.
The next day, we will continue our voyage to Tenerife. It is noticeably warmer here than in the Netherlands, with temperatures around 15 degrees, and as we get further south, the weather gets better and better. Near Cabo São Vicente, the first shorts will come out, and we can expect good weather and a favourable wind for the last five hundred nautical miles to the Canary Islands. Before we start crossing the Canary Islands, we make a stop at Porto Santo, Madeira. Underway, there is plenty to see. Seabirds are in the air around us, and in the clear, dark blue ocean waters, we may encounter dolphins, whales, or a school of flying fish. These are chased by Dorados (Mahi Mahi), and we will catch this green and yellow hunter for dinner with a bit of luck.
Tenerife has the highest mountain in Spain, the volcanic Teide. In clear weather, we can see the island from afar. We will arrive in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife no later than November 24, 2024.
From this Canary Island, we sail directly to the Cape Verde Islands. This part of our trip is always delightful. We are so far south that the temperature is pleasant day and night. The northeast trade wind and the Canary Current give us a welcome boost. With a running wind – as it is called – and with this good weather, we spend much time on deck. There are not as many ships here, but if you pay attention, there is much to see. Seabirds, dolphins, flying fish and the occasional sunfish. If we are lucky, maybe even a sea turtle or whale!
We hope to cover the 700 miles from Tenerife to the island of Sal quickly. So, we may arrive a little earlier, but no later than December 1, we will drop anchor in the bay near Palmeira, Cape Verde. The next day, after breakfast, they say goodbye to each other and the ship. There is plenty of accommodation in Sal, and we recommend you extend your stay in Cape Verde for a few days before flying back home.
