A Typical Day
We are frequently asked, especially by newcomers
to flotilla sailing, what a typical day is like. This is a hard
question to answer, as no two days are ever the same. However, this
only adds to the attraction of flotilla holidays as every harbour or
anchorage has its own characteristics. Every evening will have a
different feel and as every sailor in the world can tell you, you never
get two day's sailing conditions the same.
All we can do is
point out the main componenets of a day on flotilla. The order in which
they arrive depends on many things, not least of all your energy levels!
Morning Briefing
This
is your chance to gain the knowledge and experience developed by our
lead crews over many years. They will recommended places to shop,
places to swim, idyllic lunch stops, places to avoid, shallow hard
places and places to meet and eat that evening. It's also a great
chance to get help with navigation for the day, be it a new
co-ordinate to head for, or a simple description of the third island
on the left.
Provisioning
This may sound arduous and a
chore, but
provisioning is in fact one of the joys of immersing yourself in a
foreign country. We're not talking popping down to Tescos more like
debating if this one giant tomato will feed the family, waiting for the
bread to cool down after emerging from the oven, or selecting a
watermelon that will last you and all of the boats on flotilla for a
fortnight. Your lead crew will give you first hand guidance on what is
available where and help you plan accordingly. Most harbours and
villages have cafés and restaurants that will see a flotilla arriving
and miraculously be open and fully stocked for breakfast, lunches and
evening meals.
Leaving Harbour
Every
sailor has stories of the worst harbor ever and nightmares of anchors
around propellors and furious fishermen. Frankly we don't go along with
this nonsense. Our lead crew won't let you get into trouble and will
always use their skill and expertise to extract tangled anchors,
un-knit mooring lines and help you on your way. Armed with a full
fridge of fresh ice, your lunch and a fully briefed route for the day
you can enjoy looking forward to another exciting day afloat.
Lunchtime
You
may wish to keep sailing with a sandwich in one hand, the wheel or
tiller in the other and a drink propped safely in the corner.
Alternatively, anchor in a secluded sheltered bay, enjoy a pre-lunch
swim and the range of fresh produce purchased that morning. Follow this
with a long siesta; knowing that the only sound you will hear is the
whisper of the wind and the gentle lapping of the water against your
boat
Arriving at your new destination
The anticipation of
sailing into a harbour for the first time is always exciting - How much
space will there be? Will we be able to find good shelter? What's the
holding like? This is all made so much easier when you see a familiar
face from our lead crew guiding you in and ready to take your lines.
Sundown
After
a days sailing you always get a deeply relaxing and satisfying feeling
when you are safely tied up. It's a great time to recap on the day's
adventures, to try and get to the last chapter of your book or have a
late siesta before the nights revelry. There's always something special
about seeing the sun go down after a days sailing. Perhaps it's a
respect for the sea, or perhaps it's the first gin and tonic with fresh
pistacios nuts of the evening.
A quick shower, either on board or
ashore washes the days salt away and leaves you refreshed and ready for
the evening. Don't forget to run the engine for a while if you want to
take advantage of your pressurised hot water
Evening
On
several nights a week our lead crew will organise a group meal or throw
a party. You'll be amazed at the excuses they can come up with for yet
another party. These events are a great mixer and help you get to know
other sailors on your flotilla but remember, if you want to do your own
thing a quiet candellit meal under the stars, an early night with the
children on the boat, or a trip to another nearby town you can. It's
entirely up to you.