With the striking backdrop of the Rock in Gibraltar, our sailing adventure began in La Linea de la Conception, Spain. Danny, Go West’s Lead Skipper, has been leading the ten-day sailing expedition onboard the Global Surveyor, the 70ft ocean going cutter.
On our first day sailing towards the Strait of Gibraltar, we hoisted the Moroccan flag as we sailed the 30 nautical miles to Tangier. Tangier boasts a 1000 year old market locally known as the souks and is one of the most popular places for shopping. The next stop was El Jadida, which is well known as a UNESCO historic site. It has some of the most beautiful historic towns and fortresses on the African coast. In addition to sightseeing we visited local hamman and got a traditional spa treatment.
As we sailed south, we stopped in Essaouira, a vibrant and lively town that functioned as Morocco’s main port, exporting caravan goods to the rest the globe. It was worthwhile to go through the ancient town on a guided tour and find out more about its history.
Our final port of call before departing for Lanzarote was Agadir, a popular vacation location with golf courses, a big crescent beach, and a beachfront promenade dotted with cafés, restaurants, and bars. Our skipper arranged a day visit to Paradise Valley, a section of the Tamraght River valley in the High Atlas mountains. On the way we stopped for a tour to an argan oil manufacture where local women produce top quality organic oil. Paradise Valley is a beautiful oasis known for its natural beauty, with palm trees, waterfalls, and crystal-clear natural pools. Ideal place for a lunch cooked with local ingredients and an afternoon swim before returning back to Global Surveyor.
We combined day and overnight sailing to make the most of our time ashore on our voyage down the Moroccan coast to Agadir before we set off to Canary Islands. What a great sailing adventure – we got to discover the Moroccan towns, markets, culture, and cuisine in addition to sailing the stunning Global Surveyor.
Lisbon (Cascais) – Porto – La Coruña
