The Skippers

People you trust with the sea.

Skipper & Founder

A Calling Beyond the Horizon

For Nuno Micaelo, the ocean is not a destination — it is a calling. As skipper of SY MICA, he leads each passage with deep respect for the sea and a disciplined commitment to safety. Calm under pressure and meticulous in preparation, Nuno combines technical competence with instinct shaped by experience offshore.
He does not simply sail a yacht; he guides people through the raw, transformative reality of life at sea. Nights under open skies, long miles offshore, shifting winds and quiet horizons — each voyage is intentional, authentic, and grounded in trust. Sailing with Nuno is not tourism. It is seamanship lived fully and shared honestly.

Philosophy of Seamanship

How Nuno thinks about the sea.

These are not maxims or motivational lines. They are the operating principles behind every Noland passage — written from 25 years of practice, not aspiration.

Preparation is the passage

The work that happens before departure defines what is possible at sea. A properly prepared boat, a properly briefed crew, and a properly planned route are not optional steps — they are the foundation.

The skipper serves the crew

Leadership at sea is not authority for its own sake. The skipper's job is to keep everyone safe, to teach without condescension, and to make decisions that the crew can understand and trust.

Respect, not fear

The sea is not an enemy. It is an environment with its own logic. Understanding that logic — studying weather, reading sea state, knowing your boat — is the only honest response to offshore conditions.

Honesty about limits

Every skipper has limits. Every boat has limits. Every crew member has limits. Recognising those limits clearly, and communicating them openly, is not weakness — it is the foundation of every safe passage.

Safety & Leadership

Authority is earned at sea.

Offshore leadership is not management. It is the capacity to make clear decisions under pressure, explain those decisions to the crew, and maintain the confidence of everyone aboard — especially when conditions deteriorate.

Nuno’s authority as skipper is absolute and non-negotiable in safety-critical situations. Outside of those moments, the boat runs on communication, shared understanding, and mutual respect.

“The skipper’s job is to make hard decisions easy to understand.”

Before Every Departure

Full safety briefing for all crew. Equipment location, life jacket fitting and tether protocol, emergency procedures, man-overboard drill discussion, flare demonstration, communication plan with shore contact.

At Sea

Continuous weather monitoring. Routing decisions explained to crew at every briefing. Watch assignments adjusted for fatigue. No solo on-deck activity without harness and tether in force. Skipper retains final authority on all routing and safety decisions.

Heavy Weather Protocol

SY Mica is equipped with a Jordan series drogue and sea anchor. Heavy weather procedures are discussed before departure and reviewed if conditions deteriorate. Crew are never surprised by what is asked of them.

Medical Preparedness

Offshore medical kit aboard. Satellite communicator for shore-based medical consultation. Skipper holds offshore first aid certification. Sofia Carvalho joins passages as medical officer when crew size permits.

Communication

Daily position reports during passages. Shore contact maintained via satellite. Crew families receive a live position link before departure. Communication protocols are set and tested before offshore departure.

The Team

Small team. Long trust.

Three skippers. Each with a different path to the sea. Each with the experience to lead a crew offshore. Each known to the others for years.

Nuno Micaelo

Skipper & Founder

“The sea does not care about your ambitions. It only responds to what you actually know and what you actually do.”

Nuno leads every Noland passage personally. He built this project around one premise — that genuine offshore sailing is still possible and worth seeking out. Over 25 years at sea, 40,000+ nm offshore.

Alexandre Cosmelli "Alex"

Skipper & Sailing Instructor

“I’m connected to the ocean since childhood, as an unconditional part of my life — son of a sailor, who built his own boat.”

Alex has been in and on the water his entire life. From Optimist racing and windsurf to a 52-day passage from the Netherlands to Portugal aboard his 26ft Tizi n Test. Founder of Born to Sail sailing academy in 2016, coastal skipper, and someone who has taught sailing to children, adults, and people with cognitive disabilities. A career built on the sea — not around it.

João Pedro "Jota"

Offshore Skipper

“Great sailor with two Atlantic passages under his belt and thousands of nautical miles

Jota brings deep offshore experience to Noland passages. Holder of the full skipper progression — Local, Coastal, and Offshore — with two Atlantic crossings completed. Founder of SaltyPlanet, a project that shares the same belief in serious, committed sailing.