Experience the ocean aboard a classic schooner
This is Seamanship
Our Voyages
New England Adventures
Early June-Late September
We sail out of Fairhaven, MA during the world-class New England summer sailing season. Our voyages mostly focus on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket with longer voyages potentially including Provincetown, Newport, or Block Island.
Week Voyage
Departing on Monday and returning on Friday, we aim to circumnavigate Cape Cod with a port stop in Nantucket and Provincetown. We will also sail through Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary which is considered to be one of the best whale watching sites in the world. While other boats create engine noise, we can enter this area silently under sail.
Weekend Voyage
We will anchor off of Martha’s Vineyard and spend an afternoon on Nantucket. This short-format voyage features sailing through the night on Saturday to give the full sense of watch standing.
Key West Adventures
Late November-Early April
We sail out of Key West, FL in the winter, enjoying consistent easterly breezes and the only tropical weather conditions in the continental US. Our voyages explore the many islands of the Florida Keys including Dry Tortugas National Park on our longer voyages.
Week Voyage
Departing on Monday and returning on Friday, we aim to sail out and around Dry Tortugas National Park, covering more distance than if we sailed to Cuba. We will also sail through Key West National Wildlife Refuge, stopping to observe lemon sharks, swim to a protected beach, and snorkel on the historic Sand Key Lighthouse.
Weekend Voyage
We will anchor off of Marquesas Key to observe lemon sharks and snorkel on reefs. Our weekend voyages feature sailing through the night on Saturday to give the full sense of watch standing.
Long Distance Adventures
October and May
Each fall and spring we do a long distance voyage between our winter and summer ports of Key West, FL and Fairhaven, MA. We open up all or part of these voyages to interested guest crew. If you are interested in sailing the entire transit, we suggest coming on a shorter voyage first but that is not a hard requirement.
Variable Length
Our long distance adventures are usually 3-4 weeks in length, though we sometimes offer shorter sections of these voyages (e.g. New York City to Fairhaven or Ft. Lauderdale to Key West) that Guest Crew can join. Long distance voyages are as close as you can get to the “semester-at-sea” experience and allow to to immerse fully in shiplife and the ocean. We stop in several ports along the way and usually duck into the Intracoastal Waterway for part of the voyage. You will be part of the voyage planning process and will arrive in our destination with an enormous sense of accomplishment from sailing the entire US East Coast.
Brass Tacks
Do I need sailing experience?
Absolutely not. In fact, that is kind of the point. Most of the students on our semester-at-sea programs have never set foot on a sailboat and this voyage is designed to mimic that experience.
We will teach you the skills you need to stand watch and, from there, you will have the opportunity to go as deep as you like on a number of topics. Standing watch is where much of the learning happens. We also teach hands-on classes throughout the voyage. As we go through the routines of setting/striking sails, navigating, and steering, you will get ample opportunities to practice new skills alongside a knowledgeable crew member.
And don’t worry, there is ample time to relax and take it all in.
Will I get sea sick?
Probably not. Our ships are large and heavy and cut through small waves effortlessly. Our ships are also not racing yachts, so the intense leaning that sailboats do (called “heeling”) is minimized. Most of our itineraries stay in areas that are protected from major ocean swells, which are what usually cause motion sickness. We will also be pausing to anchor at intervals that give the body a chance to recover.
If you are prone to motion sickness, we recommend bringing Meclizine (we also stock this aboard). We have ginger, crackers, tea, and other remedies that we stock for our longer multi-week voyages. We have heard mixed reviews of pressure point bracelets: some people swear by them, others throw them away.
Read more details about voyage rules, what’s included, and other common questions on our “FAQ and Brass Tacks” page.