RESPONSIBLE SAILING HOLIDAYS
The deep silence once the sails fill with wind and the boat pushes forward is one of the most intense experiences of a sailing holiday. It’s also just one of the ways in which it’s responsible. Small yachts, gulets and catamarans, powered by the wind and with perhaps just eight people on board, don’t pollute like high-speed, oil-fuelled boats. They’re about as different from the colossal cruise ships that chug down the coasts of Greece, Italy and Croatia as you can imagine.
As the world wakes up to the negative environmental and economic impact mega cruise ships are causing in sensitive destinations such as Dubrovnik and Venice, sailing holidays glide into view as a brilliant alternative.
However, just because a boat has sails, doesn’t mean it is, by default, a responsible holiday. We look into how your sailing trip can be the best it can be.
As the world wakes up to the negative environmental and economic impact mega cruise ships are causing in sensitive destinations such as Dubrovnik and Venice, sailing holidays glide into view as a brilliant alternative.
However, just because a boat has sails, doesn’t mean it is, by default, a responsible holiday. We look into how your sailing trip can be the best it can be.
PEOPLE & CULTURE
Small sailing ships can moor up at all sorts of remote places that huge cruise ships can’t get close to, and their tiny numbers of passengers are welcomed into the nearest tavern or village like old friends. This is an experience that no cruise liner can offer its guests. These marine behemoths can’t get close to most of the coastline they cruise by and when they do dock, disgorge thousands of passengers like a human tidal wave. These visitors may buy a few souvenirs and an ice cream, but typically that’s it in terms of putting money into the community, before getting back onboard in time for dinner.
Sailing holidays, by contrast, give you the chance to explore and understand the islands and coastline, and to support local communities. They tread lightly and put something back. So the message might seem to be ‘cruise ships – bad’, ‘sailing – good’, but of course, it’s never that simple. To have a really responsible sailing holiday, there are a few things to keep in mind, in terms of environment, wildlife and the people who live onshore.
Sailing holidays are about, well, sailing – visiting islands and ports but not staying long. This means there is a risk of being divorced from local people and culture. A responsible sailing holiday, though, will emphasise getting to know the places you stop off at, encouraging contact with local communities and culture, for all round benefit. Experienced skippers can direct passengers to beautiful ruins, churches and squares, and shine a light on the area’s social history. Disembarking to lie on a secluded beach is lovely, but shopping in local stores, enjoying a meal in a family run restaurant or visiting an artisan workshop does more for your understanding of the country you’re sailing past.
A greater level of engagement on land also directly benefits local people by putting money in their pockets. Some of the ports and villages you visit on a sailing holiday are off the tourist trail, making your presence even more welcome. In the Cyclades, for example, you can sail to remote or underdeveloped islands: a unique experience for you, but also spreads the economic benefits of your holiday to those places that are inaccessible without a boat.
In addition, our responsible sailing holidays employ local crew and guides, use local taxis for transfers, and make use of local marinas and boat maintenance specialists. Produce served on board is sourced locally, sometimes from the crew’s family members or even directly from the grower or fisherman, making this a supportive style of travel.
Sailing holidays, by contrast, give you the chance to explore and understand the islands and coastline, and to support local communities. They tread lightly and put something back. So the message might seem to be ‘cruise ships – bad’, ‘sailing – good’, but of course, it’s never that simple. To have a really responsible sailing holiday, there are a few things to keep in mind, in terms of environment, wildlife and the people who live onshore.
Sailing holidays are about, well, sailing – visiting islands and ports but not staying long. This means there is a risk of being divorced from local people and culture. A responsible sailing holiday, though, will emphasise getting to know the places you stop off at, encouraging contact with local communities and culture, for all round benefit. Experienced skippers can direct passengers to beautiful ruins, churches and squares, and shine a light on the area’s social history. Disembarking to lie on a secluded beach is lovely, but shopping in local stores, enjoying a meal in a family run restaurant or visiting an artisan workshop does more for your understanding of the country you’re sailing past.
A greater level of engagement on land also directly benefits local people by putting money in their pockets. Some of the ports and villages you visit on a sailing holiday are off the tourist trail, making your presence even more welcome. In the Cyclades, for example, you can sail to remote or underdeveloped islands: a unique experience for you, but also spreads the economic benefits of your holiday to those places that are inaccessible without a boat.
In addition, our responsible sailing holidays employ local crew and guides, use local taxis for transfers, and make use of local marinas and boat maintenance specialists. Produce served on board is sourced locally, sometimes from the crew’s family members or even directly from the grower or fisherman, making this a supportive style of travel.
WILDLIFE & ENVIRONMENT
Most vessels adopt a ‘leave only a wake’ approach to marine and coast, respecting the delicate ecosystem of sky, sea and shore and leaving it as it was found. Skippers and crew on responsible sailing holidays are passionate about the local marine environment and wildlife and will be eager to share their knowledge, educate about current threats and give guidance on how to behave responsibly while sailing.
Sailing is naturally more eco-friendly than motoring, vastly reducing the carbon used to travel and avoiding the pollution created by a diesel engine, but it’s rare for a sailing holiday to rely solely on the wind. Sails can’t be used all the time and in all conditions, and a motor is often needed to enter and leave port. Some of our partners have competitions between their boats to see who can use their engines the least, to cut down on fuel. Others are looking into using biofuel as a diesel alternative, and electric motors. When it comes to ‘parking’, responsible boats favour permanent moorings, too, as throwing the anchor down can harm meadows of sea grass or the fragile seabed.
The age of the vessel is important, too. Just as a battered old Cortina is going to belch out more exhaust than a brand new hybrid car, so a modern ship with a new engine tends to use less fuel and give off fewer emissions than an older vessel. Ask about the age of the boat. Some modern boats have wind turbines or solar panels to generate power for lighting and water heating, too.
Waste disposal is another important environmental issue on a sailing holiday – no one wants litter or, worse, human waste spilling onto a beach. Responsible vessels bring waste ashore for disposal, and most have a strict recycling policy of all non-organic waste – though some small islands you visit may not have their own waste facilities, so you may need to store rubbish for longer. Space is always tight on a sailing boat, though, so respect any recommendations on baggage amounts, as any additional stuff you bring may jeopardise the skipper’s ability to store recycling and take it back to the mainland.
Sailing is naturally more eco-friendly than motoring, vastly reducing the carbon used to travel and avoiding the pollution created by a diesel engine, but it’s rare for a sailing holiday to rely solely on the wind. Sails can’t be used all the time and in all conditions, and a motor is often needed to enter and leave port. Some of our partners have competitions between their boats to see who can use their engines the least, to cut down on fuel. Others are looking into using biofuel as a diesel alternative, and electric motors. When it comes to ‘parking’, responsible boats favour permanent moorings, too, as throwing the anchor down can harm meadows of sea grass or the fragile seabed.
The age of the vessel is important, too. Just as a battered old Cortina is going to belch out more exhaust than a brand new hybrid car, so a modern ship with a new engine tends to use less fuel and give off fewer emissions than an older vessel. Ask about the age of the boat. Some modern boats have wind turbines or solar panels to generate power for lighting and water heating, too.
Waste disposal is another important environmental issue on a sailing holiday – no one wants litter or, worse, human waste spilling onto a beach. Responsible vessels bring waste ashore for disposal, and most have a strict recycling policy of all non-organic waste – though some small islands you visit may not have their own waste facilities, so you may need to store rubbish for longer. Space is always tight on a sailing boat, though, so respect any recommendations on baggage amounts, as any additional stuff you bring may jeopardise the skipper’s ability to store recycling and take it back to the mainland.
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