Join Tall Ship Morgenster to sail from Fowey, UK to A Coruña, Spain!
Centuries ago pilgrims from the UK and Ireland wanting to reach Santiago de Compostela would make part of their journey by sea. For pilgrims from Great Britain, it is probable that many would have sailed from a port on the south coast of England to the coast of Galicia in north-west Spain.
Three members of the Confraternity of St James, Simon Jenkins, Ned Spencer and Peter Hore, proposed this trip, to enable people to reenact the journey of pilgrims from the past by sailing to A Coruña and walking the Camino Inglés from there.
We board the ship in Fowey which is at the end of The Saints Way. This camino goes from Padstow on the north coast of Cornwall to Fowey on the south coast.
When all pilgrims are on board and have installed themselves, the crew gives a safety briefing, after which we sail down the beautiful Fowey Estuary to the open sea.
Once at sea, we raise our sails and let the ship find her rhythm. Morgenster is a sail training ship, everyone is involved in sailing as much as possible, together we sail to our destination. No sailing experience? No problem! We teach you everything you need to know along the way, from navigating to steering the ship, daredevils can climb the masts and you disembark as an old sea dog.
“Centuries ago pilgrims from the UK and Ireland wanting to reach Santiago de Compostela would make part of their journey by sea.”
Crossing the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay is a challenge, which is exactly what the Morgenster was made for! The Bay of Biscay is stunningly beautiful. The deep ocean meets the European continental shelf and the long Atlantic waves hit the shallow waters, which can cause quite a stir. Sailing can be quite spectacular, but the experienced crew of Morgenster will have no trouble leading across the high seas. Riding the waves on a Tall Ship gives you a deep understanding of the beauty and magnitude of the ocean.
This trip is made on the “Morgenster”, a two-master with a lenght of nearly 50 meters and one of the Dutch fleet’s most beautiful ships. Her rigging makes this thoroughbred tall ship highly suitable for sailing in deep water. On board, there is accommodation for 36 passengers: 24 in 2- and 4-person cabins and 12 in hammocks. Below deck is a large lounge that double functions as dining room. Meals are prepared by a professional chef in her fully equiped galley.
Sailing is virtually emission-free. By organising this trip, we are offering an alternative to air travel and and are making a first step towards truly sustainable passenger transport.
We sail into the night and all aboard are assigned watches. In this manner, we can continue sailing and everybody on the ship has enough time to rest, eat and sleep besides sailing. It is, however, not mandatory to stand all of your watches. Naturally, there is also plenty of time to relax, read a book and have stimulating conversations with your fellow travellers. The nights at sea are magical, though. Because of a complete lack of light pollution, you are not just stargazing; you can see the whole milkyway laid out before you.
Arriving at A Coruna after a sea voyage is an unparalleled experience; try walking straight on those newly acquired sea legs!
