Watch: Welcome to Ocean Nomads
Skill, Mile & Ocean Lifestyle Build Training Canaries to CapeVerde
1 Scholarship Opportunity for our next offshore skill & mile building adventure.
One of the most exciting elements of sailing is travelling to a new country! Join us for a real Offshore skill-building adventure trip sailing from the Canary Islands to Cape Verde. Led by seasoned skipper and boat owner Thomas, this hands-on experience is for those eager to refine their offshore sailing and seamanship skills, get ready for liveaboard life, while experiencing travelling into a new country.
Why Join?
✔ 14 Days of Adventure: A combination of real multi-day offshore sailing & exploring Cape Verde Island vibes.
✔ Learn from the real deal: Guided by expert skipper and boat owner Thomas, who embodies the ocean nomads lifestyle, with 40,000+ nautical miles of offshore experience, including an Atlantic Ocean circle on his own vessel.
✔ Skill Development: Learn and hands-on practice all about ocean sailing and seamanship, including night sailing.
✔ Freedom Lifestyle Design: Learn from and with those designing an ocean lifestyle with purpose. Thomas has been a live aboard since 7 years.
✔ Personalized Coaching: Small crew size for tailored training and mentorship.
✔ Adventure Meets Education: Skill-building blended with exploration.
✔ Community: Share the adventure and learn together with other ocean nomads sharing values and vibes to live conscious with nature.
✔ Impact: Together we make efforts to shine in the sustainability element + part of your contribution goes to an Ocean Nomads Impact Project, which you vote for on the trip.
✔ The Ripple Effects Connections and insights made on Ocean Nomads trips often open up new paths, opportunities, and life-changing pivots.
What You'll Learn & Experience
Skills we'll go through:
Chart plotting, electronic systems, and night navigation
Interpreting weather data and adjusting sails for changing conditions
Advanced sail trim
Docking, maneuvering, and engine troubleshooting
Watch systems, night sailing, and long-distance passage prep and experiencing it!
Emergency equipment use, drills, and heavy weather sailing
Decision-making, crew coordination, and conflict resolution
Eco minded cruising, maintenance, and provisioning
Insights in boat ownership and what it takes
+ Personalized attention for skills you'd like to learn and practice.
All while being on a real offshore ocean adventure. Are the waves really as high as in the movies? What would it feel like to see land after a week on the water? There is only one way to find out: to go for it!
Build confidence and master the skills needed for offshore sailing and developing the ocean nomads lifestyle more resourceful, skillful and sustainable.
Who is this for?
For Ocean Nomads who:
✅ Have basic sailing experience (crew or skipper in coastal waters).
✅ Want to build confidence in offshore passages and long-distance navigation.
✅ Value teamwork, sustainability, and adventure.
Ocean Nomads trips focus on hands-on learning and experience surrounding adventure, impact & community rather than formal certifications which we are not able to issue. This trip is ideal if you're eager to level up your sailing and seamanship skills and build confidence as crew or skipper in a real-world setting. Perfect to get you ready for confidently sailing your own vessel or for example, the Yachtmaster Offshore certificate.
It's not for:
❌ Complete beginners with no sailing experience (see our beginner-friendly trips).
❌ Those seeking a laid back luxury cruise—this is an active, hands-on adventure.
It’s the people who make the adventure. We curate a diverse, multi-skilled crew with a similar mindset to create a powerful team mix. It makes ALL the difference. We live beyond the status quo or desire to do so. We care for the planet. Minimize, simplify and cut down on our environmental footprint where we can. We lift each other up and support each other when in need.
About you:
Adventurer & explorer
Competent crew or Dayskipper
Alternative lifestyle seeker
Striving to do good
Excited to share skills and stories
Eager to learn, share and care
Hands-on mindset
Ambitious
Saying Hell Yeah, that’s me when reading more about the Ocean Nomads community
Please ensure you meet the following criteria before applying
✅ You have prior sailing experience (as crew or skipper).
✅ You are physically fit and able to handle the demands of offshore sailing.
✅ You are comfortable living in close quarters with others for an extended period.
✅ You are ready to participate in watch-keeping and night shifts.
✅ You understand the basics of navigation, safety, and seamanship.
✅ You have a positive and adaptable attitude towards teamwork and problem-solving.
✅ You are eager to contribute to onboard tasks (e.g., cooking, cleaning, provisioning).
✅ You are willing to adhere to eco-friendly and sustainable practices onboard.
✅ You are happy with vegetarian food, and a smoke and alcohol free environment
Trip Vibes & Values
We share the Ocean Nomads ‘slow sailing’ philosophy. The focus is on simplicity, health, local food, skill sharing, community connection, active, adventure and sustainability mindset.
Ocean Nomads is a tribe of young... at heart, adventurous ocean lovers who want an active outdoor lifestyle. We will share fun ideas and projects on mindful, self-sufficient, positive-impact ways to live and travel sustainably at sea at any age and budget. This is an action-adventure where everyone participates in creating the vibe and value for a memorable 10 days at sea.
We have a smoke and alcohol-free onboard policy, as well a vegetarian diet, for maximum superpowers and nature connection.
Route: Canaries & Cape Verde
The Atlantic Ocean is the destination of this trip! But arriving in Cape Verde after 850 Miles at sea is quite legendary, too.
This trip offers exceptional conditions for building offshore sailing expertise:
Trade Winds: Northeast trade winds provide reliable and dynamic wind conditions for sail handling practice and sailing to Cape Verde
Acceleration Zones: These areas around the Canary islands create stronger winds, offering real-world experience in handling gusts and varying conditions.
Varied Sea States: From sheltered waters to Atlantic swells, you'll face diverse conditions ideal for skill-building.
Breathtaking Landscapes: Sail against the backdrop of volcanic peaks, rugged coasts, and crystal-clear waters, and if we're lucky: Whales & dolphins!
January and February offers ideal conditions for offshore sailing:
Mild Temperatures: Expect daytime highs of 20-25°C (68-77°F) and cooler nights
Trade Winds: Northeasterly winds range from 10-20 knots, providing excellent opportunities to practice sail trimming and navigation.
Low Rainfall: Generally dry with occasional light showers, so you can enjoy plenty of sunny days on the water.
Atlantic Swells: Manageable sea states, great for building offshore experience without overwhelming challenges.
A challenging yet supportive environment for mastering offshore sailing that is easy to reach from many other destinations.
Together we will plan the passage. This is part of the skill development and fun. This will be based on the current weather, and your preferences. We have a 2 week window to sail 850 Nautical Miles. Before or after sailing offshore we can explore the Canary Islands and/or more of Cape Verde, depending on the weather and everyone's wishes and exploration spirit.
One of our ways to give back is to create scholarship opportunities for small-budget, determined ocean changemakers. Convince us why we should fund your trip.
"I have been a member of Ocean Nomads for over 5 years. The community have been incredible over that time, very supportive and helpful. I have gone from working on an environmental awareness yacht skipper, to sailing school instructor, running trips with ocean nomads members and now having my own yacht that is a part of the fleet." - Andy South Africa
"We joined the ocean nomads meet-up this November in Greece. And even more than over the virtual network we found a great community live on board exploring the Greek islands. 11 days full of inspiration, ocean or nomad life related workshops held by members for members, hikes, workouts, vegan/vegetarian cooking sessions and lots of laughter together. 5 star recommendation for the organisation of the trip with nomads from all over the world (Australia to Austria and everything in between including Hawaii, South Africa, Ireland, and many more.). And 5 star recommendation for the spirit of learning from each other and helping each other to connect to make a positive impact this platform facilitates." Maxx & Sigrid
"It’s amazing how many awesome friends you can make, and how much just one week on an ON trip can change your life" - Marcin from Poland
“The most unforgettable week. The trip preparation and the crew members turned what would otherwise be an adventure into something a special. I took part in two ocean nomads trips so far. To say it was life changing sounds dramatic but it really was. Being able to share time and experiences with people with different backgrounds but of a similar mindset was incredible. I like to think that I can have and help contribute to a similar experience for myself and others as a member of the Flotilla crew.” – Ben Clipstone from Australia
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