The Atlantic Crossing Guide: Canary Islands to the Caribbean

SEO Title: Atlantic Crossing Canary Islands to Caribbean — Complete Passage Planning Guide
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Meta Description: Everything you need to know about crossing the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean — timing, route, weather, provisioning, communication, and what to expect.
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Introduction

The Atlantic crossing from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean is the passage that defines bluewater cruising. It's the dream that pulls sailors from moorings around the world — a 2,800-nautical-mile bluewater passage that, done right, is one of the most rewarding experiences in sailing.

Done wrong, it's 14 to 21 days of miserable.

The difference is in the planning. This guide covers everything you need to know to cross the Atlantic intelligently: when to go, how to plan the route, what weather to look for, how to provision, what communication and safety gear you actually need, and what to expect once you're out there.

This is the guide I wish I'd had before my first ocean crossing.

Why the Canary Islands to the Caribbean?

The route: Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) → Cape Verde → Caribbean (anywhere from the Virgin Islands south to Trinidad)

The Atlantic crossing from Europe to the Caribbean is the most traveled bluewater route in the world, and for good reason:

• Predictable wind: The NE trade winds are reliable 90% of the time from November through March. You're not gambling on weather windows the way you are in other ocean crossings.
• Legitimate stops: Madeira, the Azores, and Cape Verde give you real options if you need to duck out. The Cape Verde leg is particularly useful as a mid-passage rest stop.
• Distance: 2,800 nautical miles is long enough to be a real passage, short enough that most well-found cruising boats can handle it without major modifications.
• Infrastructure: The ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) has been running this route for 40 years — there's a well-established network of cruisers, support services, and knowledge along the way.

The alternative — crossing from Europe via the Azores to Bermuda, then south to the Caribbean — is a legitimate option but adds significant distance and typically requires timing that doesn't sync as well with the trade wind window.

When to Go: Timing the Crossing

Timing is everything on this passage. The Atlantic crossers who get into trouble are usually the ones who pushed off too early or waited too long.

The window: November through December is the classic departure window. Some boats also leave in January and February, but the weather systems coming off the Atlantic in January and February are more active and more dangerous.

The short version:

• Best departure: Late November to early December
• Acceptable departure: Mid-November, late December
• Don't depart: January through March (active winter systems)

Why late November? The hurricane season in the Caribbean has officially ended by November 1st, and the risk of a late-season storm drops significantly after mid-October. The trade winds are fully established by late November, and you're赶在 the Christmas winds that can push you down to the Caribbean faster — but also harder.

What about January? January crossings are possible, but you're sailing through the most active part of the Atlantic winter. The low-pressure systems that come through are deeper and more frequent. If you're going to do January, leave from the Azores, not from the Canaries — you want the shortest possible open-ocean leg.

The Route: Step by Step

Leg 1: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Most boats departing from Europe clear out of Las Palmas. The ARC rally typically departs from Las Palmas in late November.

What to do in Las Palmas:

• Complete your provisioning — this is your last major port before the Caribbean. Prices are reasonable, and there's a well-stocked marine supply scene.
• Check into the Port of Las Palmas — you'll need to clear Spanish customs and immigration.
• Get a weather forecast window of at least 5 days of stable NE winds before you leave.
• Top off fuel, water, and check your engine hours — you'll want everything serviced before you go.

Clearance: You'll need a zarpe (clearance document) from Spanish port authorities. Most cruisers handle this through the marina office. Allow a day.

Leg 2: Gran Canaria to Cape Verde (Optional Stop) — ~850 nm

Cape Verde is a critical waypoint for most Atlantic crossers — not because you need it, but because it's the last chance to rest, reprovision, and check your boat before the long leg to the Caribbean.

Key stops in Cape Verde:

• Mindelo, São Vicente — the most cruiser-friendly port in Cape Verde. Good marina, excellent provisioning, and a proper boatyard if you need work done.
• Praia, Santiago — less cruiser-friendly but workable. Don't come here for provisioning.

Why stop? The leg from Cape Verde to the Caribbean is the longest single leg — about 1,900 nautical miles. A stop in Cape Verde lets you:

1. Reprovision with fresh food (Cape Verde is significantly cheaper than the Caribbean)
2. Check your boat — did anything shift? Did anything work loose?
3. Get a proper weather window for the long leg

How long to stay: 3 to 5 days is enough. Any longer and you start burning cruising budget without advancing your passage.

Weather check before leaving Cape Verde: This is critical. You want a stable NE wind pattern — no active low pressure in the mid-Atlantic. Run PredictWind GRIB files for the full route before you leave Mindelo.

Leg 3: Cape Verde to the Caribbean — ~1,900 nm

This is the main event. 10 to 18 days depending on conditions and your boat's speed.

Typical conditions:

• NE trade winds, 15 to 25 knots
• Wind direction shifts more easterly as you approach the Caribbean latitude
• Building seas — expect 2 to 4 meter swells once you're in the trades

What to expect day by day:

• Days 1-3: Establishing in the trades. Usually unsettled as you transition from the Canaries/Madeira weather patterns into the trade wind regime.
• Days 4-10: Solid NE winds, sailing well. This is the passage at its best.
• Days 11-onward: Wind shifts more easterly as you approach the Caribbean. Depending on your destination, you may need to sail off the wind more.

Destination options:

• Virgin Islands (Tortola, St. Thomas): Most common destination for US and European cruisers. Good infrastructure, well-serviced.
• St. Martin / Sint Maarten: Major cruiser hub. Excellent services, haulout facilities.
• Antigua: Classic Caribbean cruiser destination. Good provisioning.
• Trinidad: Southernmost option. Cheaper, less touristy, but further from the traditional Caribbean anchorages.

Weather Planning: What You Need to Know

The Atlantic weather pattern for this crossing:

November-December Atlantic crossings are governed by the Azores High. When it's strong and settled, you get classic NE trades — 15 to 25 knots, consistent, manageable. When the Azores High breaks down or shifts, you get lows pushing through the mid-Atlantic, which means unsettled weather, shifting winds, and uncomfortable seas.

What to look for before departing:

• Stable Azores High — a well-established high pressure system west of the Azores
• No active low pressure in the mid-Atlantic (between 30°W and 50°W)
• Wind forecasts of 15-25 knots from the NE for the next 10+ days
• No tropical cyclone activity in the Caribbean (officially hurricane season ends November 1st, but watch for late-season systems)

Tools:

• PredictWind — run GRIB files for the full route before departing. This is the industry standard for offshore weather routing. [PredictWind Affiliate Link]
• Weatherfax — still used by some ocean cruisers as a backup
• NOAA GRIB files — free, accessible via PredictWind or Sailgrib. Use as backup.
• Wind尼's (Windy.com) — good for overall pattern recognition, not ideal for offshore passage routing

Before departing Gran Canaria: Minimum 5-day stable wind forecast from NE at 15-25 knots.
Before departing Cape Verde: Minimum 10-day stable forecast for the full route to your Caribbean destination.

Safety Gear: What You Actually Need

For a 2,800-nautical-mile ocean passage, here's the safety minimum:

Required

• Life raft — 6-person minimum, recent service date, mounted in cockpit
• EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) — PLB-300 or equivalent. Register with your national authority before departure.
• Satellite communication device — Iridium GO Exec or Garmin inReach for emergency communication and position tracking. [See our full satellite communicator comparison]
• AIS transponder — Class B or Class A. Must be transmitting to be seen by commercial shipping.
• Radar reflector — mounted at masthead height
• Flares — current, stored in cockpit
• Jack lines and harnesses — running backstay or dedicated jack lines on both sides
• Heavy weather jib or storm trisail — should be ready to deploy
• MOB (Man Overboard) gear — recovery sling, dan buoys, dye marker

Strongly Recommended

• SSB radio (Single Sideband) — still the most reliable long-range communication offshore. Pair with a Pactor modem for email.
• Second EPIRB or PLB — redundancy
• Drogue or sea anchor — for storm conditions
• Emergency tiller — if your boat has wheel steering, you need a backup

Communication Stack

The modern offshore communication stack:

• Iridium GO Exec — email, voice, data. The current gold standard for offshore cruisers.
• Garmin inReach — tracking and SOS. Lower data speed but reliable and less expensive.
• PredictWind — weather GRIB files and route planning. Non-negotiable for serious passage planning.

[Full satellite communicator comparison: Iridium vs Garmin inReach vs Zoleo]

Provisioning: How to Feed a Crew for 3 Weeks

Provisioning for an Atlantic crossing is part art, part science. The rule: bring more than you think you'll need, and bring things that are calorie-dense, keep well, and don't require refrigeration.

Calories per pound matters. A pound of olive oil has 4,000 calories. A pound of pasta has 1,500. Your locker volume is fixed — maximize calories per cubic foot.

The basics:

• Carbohydrates: Pasta, rice, couscous, oats, bread (hard bread keeps), flour
• Protein: Canned tuna, canned chicken, chorizo, hard cheeses (keep), dried beans
• Fats: Olive oil, butter (keep in airtight container), nuts, peanut butter
• Fresh (last 2-3 days before departure): Potatoes, onions, garlic, citrus (keeps well), eggs
• Breakfast: Oats, granola, powdered milk, powdered eggs
• Snacks: Nuts, chocolate, energy bars, dried fruit
• Drinks: Water (minimum 3 liters per person per day), juice, coffee, tea
• Cocktails: This is a passage, not a punishment. Bring something nice for sunset on day 3.

What to skip: Fresh milk (powdered is fine), fresh bread after day 3 (hardtack or crackers instead), anything that requires refrigeration.

Water: Minimum 3 liters per person per day for drinking. Add 1-2 liters per person per day for cooking and basic hygiene. For a 3-week passage with 2 people, plan for 150+ liters. Most cruising boats have water makers — run it every 2-3 days.

Provisioning cost: Expect to spend $1,500 to $2,500 in Las Palmas for a 3-week passage for 2 crew. Less if you're disciplined and less if you're eating simply.

Communication Offshore

Out of cell range, communication becomes satellite-dependent. Here's the real talk:

Email: Iridium GO Exec or a Pactor modem + SSB. PredictWind's email service through Iridium is the standard setup for offshore cruisers. Monthly airtime plans start around $100 for the Iridium service.

Weather downloads: PredictWind via satellite is the fastest, most reliable method. GRIB files download in minutes on Iridium's data connection.

Position tracking: Garmin inReach's tracking is simple and reliable. Share your passage map with family and followers — they can watch you cross in real time.

Emergency communication: EPIRB + Iridium GO Exec. The EPIRB alerts rescue services. The Iridium lets you talk to family, your insurance company, and get help coordinating if you need a medevac.

VOIP calls: Iridium GO Exec supports voice calls. Quality is satellite-phone quality — not great, but functional. Calls to the US run about $1.50/minute.

What It Actually Feels Like

The crossing itself — the day-to-day reality:

Days 1-3 are the hardest. You're establishing in the trades, the sea state is confused, and everyone's adjusting to watch schedules and offshore routines. Seasickness hits most people at this stage.

By day 4, you've found your rhythm. The watches are set, the boat is set up for offshore sailing, and the NE trades are pulling you west. This is the sweet spot of the passage.

By day 10, you're tired. Offshore sailing is fatiguing in a way that's hard to explain to people who haven't done it. The watches wear on you. You start looking at the horizon more than usual.

By day 14-18, you're scanning the horizon for land. The wind has shifted more easterly. You're counting down.

And then you see the islands.

That's the moment that makes every tired watch, every wet passage, every 3am sail change worth it. You're in the Caribbean. You're a bluewater cruiser now.

Final Checklist Before Departure

• [ ] Weather window confirmed — 5+ days of stable NE winds
• [ ] EPIRB registered — NOAA or relevant national authority
• [ ] Life raft serviced — within 2 years
• [ ] Engine serviced — fuel filters, oil changed, impeller checked
• [ ] Standing rigging inspection — check all fittings, turnbuckles, chainplates
• [ ] Running rigging inspection — especially halyards and sheets
• [ ] Safety gear in cockpit — jack lines, life raft, dan buoy, flares, MOB recovery gear
• [ ] Communication gear tested — Iridium or inReach, PredictWind GRIBs loading
• [ ] Water maker serviced — if you have one
• [ ] Provisions aboard — 3 weeks plus 20% contingency
• [ ] Zarpe (clearance) from Spanish authorities
• [ ] Crew briefed — watch schedule, emergency procedures, heavy weather protocol
• [ ] Insurance notified — most policies require advance notice of ocean passages
• [ ] EPIRB armed and mounted
• [ ] AIS transmitting

Conclusion

The Atlantic crossing from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean is the classic bluewater passage for good reason. Done with proper preparation, it's a passage that will define your cruising life.

Done without it, it can be something else entirely.

The good news: you don't need a perfect boat. You don't need unlimited budget. You need a well-found boat, a solid weather window, and the discipline to prepare properly.

The Canaries to the Caribbean is waiting.

Fair winds and clear horizons — Navigator Bluewater

Affiliate Links Embedded:

• PredictWind — weather routing software
• Iridium GO Exec — satellite communication
• Garmin inReach — satellite tracking and SOS

Related Articles:

• Best Satellite Communicators for Bluewater Cruising: Iridium vs Garmin inReach vs Zoleo
• Weather Routing Software for Ocean Passages: PredictWind vs Windy vs NOAA GRIB Files
• Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) — What You Need to Know

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