Ocean Sailing - Crossing from Aegina to Lanzarote (or vice versa)

Our biggest adventure yet!
Next winter, from November 2024 to March 2025, we are going on a unique winter trip.
And YOU can come along! Namely, we are going to take an unforgettable trip from Greece to the Canary Islands.

On the page below, we will explain more about the outward journey and the return journey. Which means you can join us as crew!

Roughly speaking, we are going to divide this winter trip into 3 pieces:
  • 1. The outward journey: late November – late December 2024
  • 2. A period around the Canary Islands: Christmas 2024 to February 2025
  • 3. The way back: February 2025

So on this page mostly information about the crossing between Aegina and Lanzarote, but should you prefer “just” a week of sailing around the Canary Islands, you’ll find that on this page! Anyway, we will be sailing this adventure with Pepe, our own 2021 Beneteau Oceanis 46.1, with 5 cabins and 3 bathrooms.

Winterzon zeilvakantie Canarische eilanden

The way out: Aegina to Lanzarote

If you’re talking about a “once in a lifetime – adventure,” then you can definitely count this trip among them! For the crossing from Aegina to Lanzarote, we have planned a 4-week trip. We will cast off on November 20 and plan to arrive in Lanzarote on December 18. For this crossing we want to put together a crew that will sail the entire 4 weeks together. We are doing this for several reasons. The first is that everything on a trip like this obviously depends on the wind and weather. We do not want to have to stop on certain dates at certain places to change crew. In addition, it is very nice for the entire crew to have a fixed team that you trust and know what to do with each other. It is not desirable to change this a lot and end up in situations where one is still breaking in at the beginning of his trip and the other has been sailing for a few weeks.

Fixed crew for the entire crossing

For this reason, we have chosen to gather one crew, who will sail the entire trip. This way it really is an adventure that you enter into together, as one team with the same goal: Lanzarote. A very special journey, which few people ever get to make. You will see that it also creates a very special bond on board. You really go on an adventure together and get away from the normal, familiar world. No coverage on the open sea, days without seeing land, endless starry skies and all the time for good conversations, without any distractions. Something that is very rare these days, but which you will experience in abundance here.

In brief

What & When?

  • A real ‘once in a lifetime – sailing adventure’, 2500-3000 NM
  • Nov. 20 unloading at Aegina (present Nov. 18 to help prepare)
  • December 18 arrival in Lanzarote
  • 1 permanent crew, for the entire trip
  • Return: Jan. 25 – Feb. 22 (also 4 weeks)

 

In practice: how does such a trip work?

On board are at least two people from Portokali. Olivier van Holthoon will be the skipper, you can read more about him at the bottom of the page. There will also be an experienced co-skipper from Portokali present and one of these two people will always be awake. So you are in good hands, but you will definitely have to do it yourself!

Life on board during a crossing

After all, a crossing is not just any old thing. You sail 24/7 and you will be underway for many consecutive days – including at night. So that means the whole crew will be working shifts and keeping a tight sleep/wake schedule. There will be a lot of sailing, of course, but there will be many more tasks. Food has to be eaten of course (so also cooking and washing dishes), navigation is important, check rounds around the boat (and note everything in the logbook), weather checked, keeping supplies, keeping the boat tidy, communication via satellite phone and planning for the rest of the trip for example. Thus, everyone on board is expected to actively participate in all tasks, contributing their part to the team.

Several stops


We will stop several times along the way, but we do not know in advance where, when and how long this will be. This depends largely on the weather and the (contents of the) boat. We expect to stop 2-3 times, to do some shopping, to do some maintenance on the boat, and also just to take a break.

Who is this sailing trip suitable for?

Actually, we can be very brief about that: for anyone who feels like taking on this sailing adventure.

Conversation beforehand

However, we do expect everyone who comes along to be active and also in good health. Both physically and mentally. In addition, we will meet with everyone who wants to come along in advance to see if the expectations on both sides match and to discuss further details before accepting the booking.

Maximum Experience

Although we are sailing a 10-person yacht, we would eventually like to have a crew of 6 on board. This is because of the watch schedule, but also because of the space on board along the way. Because although Pepe is one of the most comfortable boats you could wish for, it’s really quite different when you’re once sailing on the wind all night and then have to try to sleep. Hence, we choose not to fill all the cabins to the maximum, but instead want to create the maximum experience for everyone. So this means that there will be 4 spots to book on board, in addition to the two skippers who will be joining us from us. Furthermore, this trip will be available to both Portokali and our sailing school branch: the Aegean Sailing School. So there is a chance that it will be an international company, since we have guests from all over the world from the sailing school. Of course, we will also have a good discussion with them in advance so that we can put together a nice, friendly and knowledgeable crew!

Cost of sailing adventure

The price to join us on this crossing is €900 per week. This then includes a shared cabin on board, all costs of the boat (diesel, parts, harbor fees, etc.), groceries for all food and drinks along the way and two experienced skippers on board. Only the costs for dinners and shore excursions are for yourself, but otherwise this is a true “all-inclusive trip. Just a little more adventurous than most…. 😉

Which skipper will I step aboard with next?

By Olivier van Holthoon! This guy has been sailing with us for about 5 years now, 3 of them full time. You might have come across Olivier at our base on Aegina, or the sailing area around it. He sails there every year from February to November, with a nice winter trip in between!

Instructor, cook and mechanic in one

In addition to being a very good and sociable skipper, Olivier is also our highest qualified instructor at the sailing school. He is officially an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor. This means that he can teach all courses up to Yachtmaster level. So you will certainly learn a lot from him during this trip. Besides sailing and teaching, Olivier is also a star in the kitchen and knows how to conjure up the most delicious creations from the most random ingredients (very handy during a crossing). Don’t be surprised if Olivier suddenly shows up in the middle of the night with falafel wraps, with freshly made baba ganoush. Believe me, that will make you very happy. And even if something unexpectedly breaks down on the road, Olivier has a lot of technical knowledge to deal with this. Because he always sails from our own base, he is often involved in the maintenance and repairs of our yachts during the weekends. In short, you are in good hands! Besides Olivier, there will be another co-skipper from Portokali.

 

I want in!

Would you like to join this adventure?
If so, please send us an email and we will be happy to schedule a time to talk with you!

Go on a sailing holiday with us!
Boundless enjoyment, without worries.

I want that!