…or for that matter, sailing in dozens of other places. We can recommend most of them as terrific coming-of-age experiences for young adults. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find any other activity that instills as much self-confidence, pride in accomplishment, and personal agency as team sailing. Plus, standing on the deck of a yacht at full sail is an adrenaline rush no teen will ever forget.
Still, there are some differences that geography and floating collateral can make.
Summer daytime temperatures in the Caribbean Islands (their low season) tend to be hot (highs around 90°F/32°C) and the humidity high. It’s also hurricane season. In the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay the weather in the summer months is unpredictable—it can be hot or cool, sunny or overcast. Typically though, it’s comfortable, often beautiful, weather for sailing. Unfortunately, weather is the one variable nobody can control.
Caribbean islands are famous for their ubiquitous Insta-worthy white beaches and palm trees, but many of the most compelling sites are underwater. Accordingly, most of the Caribbean program(me)s feature SCUBA diving as a popular activity. In Brittany and the Channel Isles, much of the action is above water, on the boats and ashore. While the Breton coast also boasts some idyllic islands just offshore—some with fabulous beaches, all with crystal-blue water—our neighborhood has the additional bonus of charming medieval towns, ancient megaliths, remarkable cultural festivals, amazing food, dramatic coastlines, and abundant—even unexpected—wildlife. Because the summer months are “high season” in our sailing area, there are countless enrichment opportunities to choose from. So many things, in fact, that we let our crews help decide what they’d like to see and do. As a result, every QBE expedition is as much cultural feast as it is sailing course. We don’t, however, offer SCUBA lessons.
And then there are the boats. Most of the Caribbean sailing outfits use fairly modern charter sloops outfitted with electric wenches to raise and lower sails. They are roomy, nicely appointed, assembly-line boats. Each typically sleeps 10–12 campers.
QBE’s signature pilot cutters were authentically constructed in a small atelier by an artisan boatwright, based on a 19th-century design. Our student crew members have to raise and lower sails with elbow grease and are expected to learn all the nuts and bolts of traditional sailing. Each of our boats sleeps six (seven in a pinch), so our crews are always small, allowing more opportunity for hands-on learning and fast, robust team-building.
At the end of the day, it’s a matter of taste and priorities. Do you like modern or classic? Vibrant reefs or charming old-word discoveries? A Jimmy Buffett vibe or a challenging European outdoor adventure? Whichever you choose, “fair winds and following seas!”