Lagos – Porto Santo
15/06/2024 – 19/06/2024 – 507 nautical miles
My first time sailing offshore. I’ve more than tripled my logged miles in this passage alone and gained crucial experience taking night watches.
The feeling of a small sailing yacht being your whole world even just for a few days is surreal. Mere feet lie between you and the danger that is the wild Atlantic throughout day and night.
Our passage had not been a smooth introduction into offshore sailing. Large swells and strong winds started us off with the Algarvian coastline still in sight, resulting in a few vomiting sessions and a general manky feeling within the crew. I don’t think a lot of people realise just how difficult it is to complete basic daily tasks whilst on a rocking/heeled over boat.
Sea sickness is indeed a real thing.

Problems continued with a blackout of the onboard instruments. This led us to only using a compass to navigate just like in the good old days. To make it more challenging, this seemed to only be occurring at night. Initial thoughts are that the alternator is faulty, but we will have to confirm once we reach Madeira. All part of the experience.


Without getting into too much detail, holding your business in for 4 days had proven to be another challenge. With the head being awfully too small and dysfunctional, each of us 3 crew were terrified of having to dismantle the pipes in the eventuality that they clogged. I was glad to find out that I wasn’t the only one going through this mental and physical conundrum. The real treat in Porto Santo was being able to use the facilities.
From what I’ve so far seen of Porto Santo, it’s a small underrated island that lives in the shadow of its much better known neighbour, Madeira.
The landscape is extreme, with high peaks and beaches, but lacks that subtropical feeling Madeira gives. You could compare it to one of the Canary Islands or “the Lake District” as I heard someone say. I’ve never been to the Lake District and so I can’t confirm. Friendly people and a small town line the south of the island and there is a small tourism industry running here. Forgive me for sounding a bit naive, but I never even knew Porto Santo existed before this trip was being planned.
I miss home already. The summer season back in Lagos is one of my favourite times where I see friends and family members.
However, I keep reminding myself that this is important for my future and career. 3 months of adventure and new experiences is a fantastic way to spend the summer.
We will stay here for 3 nights and then set sail south westward for 25 nautical miles to Madeira. I can’t wait to explore one of the destinations on my bucket list.

