“Do I need experience to join one of your trips?”
It is a question we get frequently. The short answer is simple:
No. You do not need sailing experience to join our voyages.
You do not need to know how to trim a sail, steer a course or stand a watch before stepping aboard Saeftinghe. We will introduce you to life on board along the way, and how actively you take part can grow naturally during the voyage.
The more important question is not whether you are experienced enough.
It is which kind of adventure fits you best.
Not every voyage has the same rhythm. A week exploring fjords and anchorages is very different from spending several days at sea on an offshore passage. The weather, distances, time spent sailing and daily routine on board can all change considerably.
To make those differences clear, we use our iceberg system. Every voyage is classified with 1, 2 or 3 icebergs, giving you an indication of what you can expect from the journey.
1 Iceberg — Ease Into Life at Sea
If you want to discover sailing while still having plenty of time to explore ashore, a 1-iceberg voyage may be the perfect place to start.
These trips combine sailing with discovering the places we visit. We normally sail during the day, anchor or moor for the night, and make time to go ashore. There is room to hike, explore a small settlement, take the dinghy ashore or simply enjoy being somewhere far away from the usual routes.
There is no watch system on a 1-iceberg voyage and guests are not expected to stand night watches.
That does not make these trips any less adventurous. Weather still influences our plans, destinations can change and life aboard a sailing vessel is always different from travelling ashore. But the rhythm is accessible and gives you time to get comfortable with the ship and with being at sea.
A 1-iceberg voyage can therefore be a great choice for someone stepping aboard a sailing vessel for the first time. But it is certainly not only for beginners. Experienced sailors also join these trips because they enjoy the combination of sailing, nature and having more time to explore.
2 Icebergs — Your First Taste of Expedition Sailing
With 2 icebergs, the voyage moves a step closer to true expedition sailing.
Distances can be longer and an itinerary may require us to continue sailing through the night. Instead of always arriving somewhere before evening, part of the experience can be simply being at sea while Saeftinghe continues towards the next destination.
When a night passage is part of the voyage, we may introduce a watch system. Guests can then take part in night watches together with the crew.
Standing on deck in the middle of the night can become one of the moments you remember most: the ship moving through the darkness, perhaps the sun still hovering above the horizon in the Arctic summer, and only the sound of water passing along the hull.
A 2-iceberg voyage asks for a little more flexibility and resilience. You may sleep at different times, weather can change the programme and a crossing sometimes simply takes as long as it takes.
But again, previous sailing experience is not required.
We teach you what you need to know on board. What matters more is that you are curious, willing to participate and comfortable with the fact that an expedition does not always follow a perfect timetable.
3 Icebergs — Full Expedition
A 3-iceberg voyage takes things further.
These are the journeys where the passage itself becomes a significant part of the adventure. They can involve multi-day crossings, longer periods offshore and exposure to more demanding northern or Arctic conditions.
On these voyages, a watch system is part of life on board during night sailing.
The ship keeps moving 24 hours a day, which means the people aboard work in watches. You may find yourself taking the helm in the middle of the night, helping to keep lookout or watching the next weather system approach while most of the ship is asleep.
These voyages can be physically and mentally more demanding. Plans can change because of weather, sea conditions or ice. You may spend several days without going ashore and sleep can be interrupted.
Even here, however, we do not expect you to arrive as an experienced sailor.
You do not need formal sailing experience. You do need the right mindset.
You should be prepared for uncertainty, willing to adapt, ready to contribute to life aboard and comfortable with the idea that sometimes the most memorable part of an expedition is precisely the part that could never have been planned.
So, Which Voyage Is for You?
Choose 1 iceberg if you want to ease into life at sea and combine sailing with plenty of time ashore.
Choose 2 icebergs if you are ready for a little more adventure, possibly including a night passage and watch system.
Choose 3 icebergs if longer crossings, night watches and true expedition conditions are exactly what you are looking for.
You do not need to work your way up from 1 to 3 icebergs. The system simply helps you understand the character of each voyage.
The real question is not “Am I experienced enough?”
It is:
“How far out of the ordinary do I want to go?”