A Journey from France to the Bahamas

By Jack Karger – Vagabonde Adventures

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean under sail is the dream of many sailors, and my recent voyage from France to the Bahamas was an adventure filled with challenges, camaraderie, and the sheer beauty of open water sailing. It was my fifth ocean crossing, but my first as captain, and I didn’t take it lightly. Loads of my sailing friends have said I should simply fake it until I make it, but I never respected this attitude, and therefore waited until I felt totally comfortable to take on a crossing as captain. Additionally, this crossing was particularly meaningful, as I was at the helm of the new Outremer catamaran we’re running charters on this season with Vagabonde Adventures. Ensuring it arrived safely and in prime condition was a top priority, not only for the journey but for the many incredible sailing experiences we’d be offering in the coming months. Being a new boat, we took our time to triple-check systems before setting off.

Setting Sail: From France to the Canary Islands

Our adventure began at the Outremer factory in La Grande Motte, near Montpellier, where we were getting some extra upgrades to the sleek, performance cruising catamaran. The weather was chilly, and we definitely got our step count in heading back and forth from the nearby ship chandlers getting all of our gear sorted. 

From France, we charted our course south, passing close to the Balearic Islands. We made the most of the calm weather to make water, do laundry, organize the boat, and cook up feasts for the crew, with our photographer Emile and first mate Rob making some incredible focaccias to keep the crew satisfied. Another shout-out to Rob, who jumped in at sunset to clear a fishing line from the rudders, which we were lucky to notice. This leg was fairly uneventful and quite slow, until we finally had some midnight blasts at 18+ knots boat speed under gennaker for the final approach to Gibraltar. There, we made a quick stop to pick up more crew before heading off towards the Canaries. A low-pressure system that looked particularly nasty forced us to divert to Lagos, Portugal. We loved it there and spent 4 days exploring the beautiful town and preparing the boat some more. 

The waters off Portugal, particularly through the Gibraltar Strait, which some now call ‘Orca Alley,’ had gained a notorious reputation for orca encounters. Though we passed through without incident, I couldn’t help but remain on edge, fully aware of the recent reports of interactions between orcas and sailboats in the area. Our shallow water alarm would occasionally sound, and we would quickly scan the water for the telltale dorsal fins. Once the weather calmed, Emile jumped in for a swim and to assess whether we had any bite marks out of the rudders – thankfully, we were still in one piece.

Arriving in Las Palmas, we had just two days to prepare for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), a transatlantic rally that attracts sailors from around the world. The ARC isn’t just about speed – it’s about community, seamanship, and the shared challenge of an ocean crossing. But a fixed departure date meant we left in a less-than-optimal weather window. The first five days were slow, plagued by light winds, only to be followed by confused seas once the wind filled in. It turned out to be my roughest crossing yet, a true test of endurance, both for myself and the crew.

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