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Nature/Sail, Who are your sailing adventures made for ?
As yet, we got guests from 21 to 72 years old. There is no special restriction. Our sailing trips are accessible to all of those who want to discover the beauty of the Arctic regions and who like to be involved in the trip. The standards of our boat give everyone a good comfort
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Nature/Sail, Do I need to have a previous sailing experience ?
No, beginners are accepted on the majority of our trips. We just ask for a bit of experience for off shore trips like Norway-Spitsbergen. A big sailing boat, gives everyone the possibility to practice whatever the experience. Beginners and confirmed navigators all together give to the crew a good balance.
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Nature/Sail, Do I need to be a great sportive?
No, a good general physical condition is enough. People who like outdoor activities like walking in the nature are very OK to embark.
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What about the boat layout and berths?
There are double cabins, bunbeds or side by side. Each side by side berth can be separated by a plank to makes everyone's room individualised. Each cabin has lockers or drawers. Your luggage can stay in your cabin too, within range.
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Nature/Sail, Will I be cold?
Most of our trips are organized in summer time when temperatures are above zero Celcius and the boat has a good heater. Of course, you will need warm clothes, a good sleeping bag (see our Advices section), etc. Then there is no reason to be cold. Same for others trips, the heater gives to the inside a good deal of confort to get warm when we are coming from the deck. We have a heated locker to dry wet clothes.
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Nature/Sail, What will the weather be like?
Spitsbergen like High Arctic regions is a desert. Its climate is dry. The west coast with the influence of the Gulf Stream is a little bit more rainy (400 mm/year) than the east coast (200 mm/year). Temperatures are more or less steady and move from 5 to 9 degres Celcius in summer time. When the sun shines it can reach 16 degres Celcius. The sea temperature ranges from 4 to 7 degres Celcius and falls when we are approaching or crossing ice fields . At Longyearbyen the sun doesn't set from april 19th to August 23rd.
In continental Norway, the weather is more humid, long period of sun shine exists of course.
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Spitsbergen, What wildlife will we see?
We can see reindeers, arctic foxes, walruses, bearded seals, ringed seals, Humpbacks, bowhead whales, Arctic sterns, fulmars, Eider ducks, black guillemots, Brunnich's guillemots, pink footed geese, barnacle geese, brent geese, glaucous gull and of course the king of the Arctic, the polar bear.
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Nature/Sail, What about the life aboard, how is it organized?
Like a real crew, all together we are building the adventure. Manoeuvring, choosing the route and anchorages, watching the weather forecast and ice conditions, cooking, etc. Of course all maintenance and technical aspect are not your's. We know by experience that our organisation gives everyone long moments to relax, read, or watch the nature.
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What about safety?
Regarding the navigation part, the boat is equiped with first class off shore equipment.
We also provide you with cold-water survival drysuits.
On top of that, because we are visiting remote places, we have an IRIDIUM telephone (Email + telephone), 1 fixed VHF and 2 mobile VHFs to keep contact between the boat and the shore when a team is on trek. For Spitsbergen, we have a gun for polar bears protection. The governor of Svalbard doesn't give a choice. Every group who goes on shore must be equiped with a gun.
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