SAIL AWAY

Image: Rock Sailing

If you are planning to learn to sail this year why not combine your training with a holiday in the Med.

With Nautilus Yachting, courses are offered through the RYA Recognised Training centre Rock Sailing in Gibraltar, which offers a full range of RYA practical, liveaboard courses from the Marina Bay Complex. The courses are suitable for those aged 12 and above, and individuals, couples and groups are welcome.

Year round sailing at the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Gibraltar offers exciting opportunities to cruise the Spanish Costa del Sol and to visit Morocco. Nautilus Yachting also offer training in both Greece and Turkey. www.nautilusyachting.com

Image: Shutterstock / Thornova Photography

From Kraken Travel comes a new two-week sailing trip featuring some of the secret gems of Croatia from Split to Dubrovnik. On this Croatian adventure you will sail around some of the beautiful islands of Croatia on board a skippered Hanse 455 meaning no sailing experience is needed. However you will be fully involved in all aspects of sailing under the guidance of the skipper. There will be stops at villages and marinas in the evenings, with time to explore ashore if desired. They take six guests with both single and double cabins are available. 13 – 26 August From £3,500pp kraken.travel

If you are planning a trip of a lifetime this year the Caribbean might well be on your list.

The sailing paradise that is the British Virgin Islands is one of the most popular sailing destinations in the Caribbean thanks to their incredible beauty, easygoing seas, plentiful sunshine, reliable trade winds and vast array of anchorages and ports to overnight.

Consisting of more than 60 idyllic islands with white beaches and clear turquoise seas, the sailing season runs from October to June, with peak season being December to early March.

PlainSailing.com have a great range of yachts and catamarans available for charter from their Charter Partners, all available bareboat or skippered. They can also arrange a hostess, personal chef and other crew.

PlainSailing’s six-day itinerary from Tortola, for example, takes in all the key islands and covers 99nm, which means sailing for around three to four hours each day leaving plenty of time to relax, snorkel and explore. plainsailing.com

Whilst it is clear that the surge in popularity of staycations is a trend that is going nowhere, after two years of travel uncertainty the pentup demand for holidays abroad is palpable, with many Brits already setting their sights on sun, sand and sea a little further afi eld this summer.

Matt Ovenden, at Borrow A Boat, believes a boating holiday that can be tailored to your exact needs is the perfect option for summer 2022 because…

You are the navigator: Choosing a boating holiday gives you the freedom to choose where, when and how quickly you get there. So, whether you are island hopping around the Greek islands or sailing across the Med, you get to tailor your holiday to your exacting needs and desires.

No experience needed: Depending on your experience you can choose to hire a boat with or without a skipper. The key thing is to hire a boat through a reputable charter company or peer-to-peer marketplace, so that you can be safe in the knowledge that the boat meets the stringent safety and insurance codes, standards and regulations for chartering in its respective location.

The blue mind: If it is time spent relaxing and de-stressing in the sunshine that you are after, a boating holiday is ideal as you will reap the rewards of the ‘blue mind’, the meditative state we fall into when near, in or on water, increasing our brain’s ability to be mindful, whilst boosting imagination and creativity. Combine this with a healthy hit of Vitamin D, fresh sea air and afternoons spent sailing or swimming in the sea, and you will come away from your boating holiday feeling revitalised.

You do not need to travel far: Even if you are not planning on travelling abroad, there are plenty of places to enjoy a boating holiday in the UK – from exploring the Norfolk Broads to navigating the 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales or enjoying a coastal jaunt to the Isle of Wight. www.borrowaboat.com

Image: BVI Tourism

International travel was made cheaper and easier for passengers with the new rules, which came into force on 11 February.

 Since 11 February all testing requirements were removed for eligible fully vaccinated arrivals and only a simplifi ed passenger locator form confi rming vaccination status, travel history and contact details is needed.

 Children aged 12 to 15 in England can prove their vaccination status or proof of prior infection for outbound travel with the digital NHS COVID Pass.

 Arrivals who do not qualify as fully vaccinated will need to take a predeparture test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after they arrive in the UK. These passengers will not need to self-isolate on arrival and will only need to do so if they test positive.

 With more people travelling overseas, the government is continuing to remind everyone that travelling abroad is still different and countries may change their own rules at short notice. All travellers are encouraged to check FCDO travel advice (www.gov.uk/ foreign-travel-advice) for the latest entry requirements and Covid-19 rules for their destination beforehand.

 Covid passes issued in the UK can be used throughout the EU to show proof of vaccination - either digitally or as a printed download (as long as it is dated later than 1 November 2021).

*Correct at the time of writing.

FURTHER INFORMATION ■ Nautilus Yachting: www.nautilusyachting.com ■ Nisos Yacht Charter: www.nisosyachtcharter.com ■ Seafarer: www.seafarersailing.co.uk ■ BVI Charters: www.bviyachtcharters.com ■ Ocean Elements: www.ocean-elements.co.uk ■ The Moorings: www.moorings.co.uk ■ Mauri Pro: www.mauripro.com ■ Dream Yacht Charter: www.dreamyachtcharter.co.uk ■ Sunsail: www.sunsail.co.uk ■ Mallorca Yacht Charter: www. mallorcayachtcharter.eu ■ Tall Ships Adventures: tallships.org ■ Naleia Yachting:www.naleiayachting.com

• 50+ Stunning sailing grounds to explore • World’s largest, most diverse sailing fleet • Latest models from the leading brands • Bareboat, skippered, crewed or by the cabin • Excellent customer service

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