Our Mission
Our primary objective is to provide a risk-free opportunity for participants to sail the open ocean onboard the MICA yacht with seasoned crew members. Because we believe that life on land can learn all the essential metaphors from the sea, we think that participating in our adventures on the high seas is an excellent way for you to disconnect from life on land, be in direct contact with Nature, and make the most of this time for the beautiful pleasure of yourself.
Your Experience
We want you to have a pleasant time while you’re traveling with us, but we also need to be mindful of the constraints imposed by the nature of the vessel and the route we’re taking. Believe me when I say that although it may be demanding, difficult, tiring, exhausting, nauseating, and stressful to sail on a sailboat out on the open seas, the experience will be one that you will never forget.
On board, you won’t be treated like a tourist in any way. Under the direction of the Skipper, we anticipate the following tasks to be completed successfully by you, to the best of your abilities:
- Do watch shifts
- Take charge of the wheel (rudder, adjust sails, etc…)
- Maintaining the cleanliness of the boat (this includes cleaning up any messes that have been made, assisting with the washing of dishes and utensils, and cleaning your cabin and the common areas).
- Plan and cook navigation
The life on board is far from simple. Even on still days, the boat is perpetually moving forward. Simple activities that may not provide much of a problem on land, like as brushing one’s teeth, drinking, eating, moving along the boat, changing clothing, and going to the restroom, need significantly more physical effort and balance, and may even present some difficulty.
Onboard navigational maneuvers and operations
Participants will take an active part in all of the navigation activities, including the following:
- Both route planning and weather considerations
- Cartography on both paper and digital devices
- AIS and Radar
- Safety and survival on the high seas
- Management of both efforts and shifts
- Communications by satellite out at sea
- The foretelling and preparing for the occurrence of climatic phenomena
- Changing shifts and attending briefings
- Energy management for cooking while at sea on board.
- Comfort, well-being and seasickness on the high seas.
- Man Overboard
Security and Team
On board, we adhere to the preceding sequence of priority hierarchies, which are as follows: Safety, Comfort, then Speed.
Because of this, the first day will be devoted to role-playing various emergency procedures and having discussions on the need of maintaining a safe environment on board. The commander will lead the group as a cohesive unit, delegating responsibilities and roles to members of the group based on his assessment of their individual skills and levels of relevant expertise. Nobody will give you responsibilities that could put you in harm’s way.
You should never place yourself in circumstances that could endanger either you or someone else. If you do not believe that you are able to do a work, you will not be censored in any way. Always wake up the Skipper, even if he appears to be sound asleep.
Banned on board
It is strictly prohibited and you may be kicked off the boat if:
- Inside the boat, smoking is not allowed. On rare occasions, you are permitted to smoke outdoors in the leeward, but only if you take precautions to prevent the smoke from entering the boat or disturbing the other passengers.
- Everything related to drugs that is against the law.
- Yelling, disputing, disrupting, or moaning in an unacceptable manner
- Weapons
You will be kicked off the boat if you engage in behavior that is antisocial, aggressive, or violent; if you consume drugs; if you engage in sexual harassment; if you refuse to collaborate or assist others; if you intentionally damage the boat; or if you engage in any other behavior that is harmful to the boat, the captain, or the community well-being of the crew. After being kicked from the ship, you will be sent to the closest port, where you will be left to fend for yourself. You will lose the right to have it returned, and a complaint against you might be lodged with the relevant authorities.
Your space
On board the MICA sailboat, there is space for a maximum of 4 passengers. There is room for two persons in each of our three resting places, which include two cabins and a saloon. Because you have a reservation for the cabins, you will have your very own sleeping quarters, although ones that are shared with another traveler. The rule “first to pay, first to be served” is used to determine who gets to choose which compartments to use. You are free to change where you rest if the conditions of the navigation get more challenging, and we have designed the shift system to function as a “warm bed.” Also, you have one or two containers set aside specifically for your belongings. Also, there is room for you to store your wet gear in a separate compartment. If you want to keep the cabin clean and free of crumbs and other debris, you should avoid bringing food into it.
Meals
At the very least, we are going to make an effort to prepare one hot meal per day, which will most likely be dinner. Meals that are served hot are planned in advance and always include carbs that are easy to prepare as well as protein in the form of meat, fish, or seafood. Please let us know if you suffer from any allergies. During the journey, we will make sure to preserve a supply of fresh fruit, biscuits, and several other quickly made snacks either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The hot dinner is the only exception; the other meals (breakfast, lunch, and snack) can be had at no cost and are described below. Are you hungry? Make sure you have something for yourself, and it’s polite to ask the other person standing watch if they want anything as well. You are free to help yourself to whatever you discover in the various compartments and the refrigerator. We are going to make an effort to have a thermos filled with hot water at all times so that we may prepare tea or coffee.
You are free to dine anywhere on the boat, with the exception of the cabins and the table used for navigation.
Shifts
A method of watch shifts, typically in pairs, will be conceived and implemented by the commander. Particularly important to remember during night shifts is to strictly adhere to all of the safety standards that have been established by the captain.
Every time a new shift comes in, the previous shift has to get up 15 minutes early so that the new shift may get ready for their turn on time. If it’s required, you should wake up your partner. You are responsible for the safety of everyone, as well as maintaining a disciplined schedule of shifts so that everyone can take breaks. It is the responsibility of the watch shift to ensure that the replacement shift wakes up on time, and if necessary, they must also wake up their fellow employees.
The weather and sea conditions
Within the time frame that has been set aside for our journey, we shall never set sail under less than ideal conditions. In the event that you have never gone sailing on the high seas before, you should be aware that the circumstances on the high seas can often be rather unpleasant. We will never put the boat or the crew in harm’s way or go beyond the boundaries of the skipper’s ability. There is a possibility that you will experience conditions that will leave you feeling frightened, physically weary, queasy, throwing up, not hungry, weak, and completely drained of strength. Believe me, after you’ve gone through this, everything you eat on land will taste better!
What do I need to bring?
List of items that are mandatory to bring:
- Digital clock with alarm to allow you to wake up in time for your shift
- Sleeping bag
- Personal hygiene kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shower gel)
- Bath towel
- Changes of underwear (we recommend 2-3 changes of socks a day to keep your feet dry)
- First layer of clothing in lycra or breathable material. Avoid wearing cotton underwear.
- Second layer of breathable clothing
- Third layer of warm cotton or other material.
- Swim shorts
- bath slippers
- Sea coat
- Sea pants
- Sea boots
- Gloves for wet environment
- Comfortable soft-soled, non-marking shoes
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Plastic laundry bag
- Seasickness pills
- Personal medication
- Passport valid for more than 7 months from the date of departure
- Citizen card valid for more than 1 month from the date of departure
- Head Lamp
Additional prerequisites written in capital letters
Although we are not a sailing school, we will be pleased to teach you everything that we do on board, share our experiences, and answer any questions that you may have.
The date and time of departure is merely a suggestion, and it is entirely dependent on the weather conditions; however, arrivals will be made within the allotted timeframe whenever it is possible to do so.
In the event that severe weather prevents a departure that is considered to be safe, the trip will be called off and a refund will be issued.
If the weather is forecast to be hazardous, it may be necessary to alter not just the path of the journey but also the port at which it will end.
On board, you will have only a limited amount of privacy, but you will have access to a communal cabin and a restroom.
If you decide to leave the trip while it is in progress or if you are kicked off the trip for any reason, your payment will not be refunded.
The cost of the trip will only be refunded in the event that the boat is unable to depart the port of departure due to adverse weather conditions or other technical issues.
You are not considered to be a passenger but rather a member of the crew. At the time of arrival in each port, it will always be declared together with a crew.
Pantaenius provides insurance coverage for the vessel, its crew, and its skippers for commercial maritime tourist activities (MT) in all of the waters in which we operate, with restrictions that are more stringent than those required by Portuguese law for MT activity.
Our MT activity is registered with the RNAAT under the number 90/2022 for when it takes place in national waters.