Twister is back. The 1902 schooner you may remember from our 2021 Macaronesia trip and the 2022 to 2023 Atlantic expedition. We are teaming up again for a full circle around the Atlantic. Amsterdam to Madeira to the Canaries to Cape Verde to Martinique and back via the Azores.
Four and a half months around the Atlantic, split into eight legs you can join one or more of. Dates and destinations locked, applications open.
The legs
- Leg 1. Amsterdam to Madeira. 12 November to 2 December 2026. 21 days, 1,500 NM. (Wild trip)
- Leg 2. Madeira to Tenerife. 5 to 15 December 2026. 11 days, 300 NM. ⭐ ON exclusive expedition
- Leg 3. Tenerife to Cape Verde. 18 to 29 December 2026. 12 days, 850 NM. ⭐ ON exclusive expedition (Christmas at sea)
- Leg 4. Cape Verde to Martinique. 31 December 2026 to 22 January 2027. 23 days, 2,100 NM. ⭐ ON exclusive expedition (Atlantic Crossing)
- Leg 5. Caribbean loop South. 26 January to 6 February 2027. 12 days, 350 NM. (Tropical trip)
- Leg 6. Caribbean loop North. 9 to 18 February 2027. 10 days, 350 NM. (Tropical trip)
- Leg 7. Martinique to Azores. 23 February to 17 March 2027. 23 days, 2,300 NM. (Wild trip)
- Leg 8. Azores to Amsterdam. 19 to 29 March 2027. 11 days, 1,500 NM. (Wild trip)
We are super proud to have Ocean Nomads member Julie full on board welcoming you. She joined a trip in 2022 and pretty much never left boat life, and SV Twister in particular 🙂.
3 January 2027: the biggest Ocean Nomads gathering ever?
We synchronise this trip with Koen’s Atlantic Ocean Impact Expedition by kite, and with Thomas on SV Windfall as support vessel before he sets out for his polar mission.
3 January 2027 we all sail and kite out from Mindelo, Cape Verde. Ocean Nomads gathering in Cape Verde over New Year, then three vessels heading west together for the Atlantic crossing. Possibly the biggest Ocean Nomads gathering ever leaving a harbour at the same time.
Community-led ocean synergy. Three ocean expeditions united.
What is different this time
We will be running this trip with the refined onboard experience we’ve been finetuning over time.
The Onboard Manual and the Skipper Playbook. Both refined on our latest trips, so crew and co-skippers step on board and find clarity rather than improvisation.
The Ocean Nomads Map, grown leg by leg. Each port and anchorage along the route is a chance to add and test new spots on the Ocean Nomads Map: marinas, organic provisioning, hidden anchorages, local conservation projects worth supporting. The Map is a member-built resource, and four and a half months around the Atlantic is one of the best ways to grow it. All our local and organic Atlantic provisions spots are already on there.
The Ripple Log, the impact tracker. Crew on each leg gets credit on the Ripple Log, the impact tracker inside the Digital Hub, for the spots they contribute to the Map, the wind miles they sail, the small daily choices (wind over engine, reuse over single-use, local provisioning) that add up across a four and a half month voyage, and the moments of community at sea and on shore. An Atlantic loop like this is one of the most concentrated bursts of Ripple Log activity the platform has seen, and the crew gets to see the collective tally grow as the trip unfolds.
Refined onboard facilitation. The Blueprint for Humans on a Sailing Expedition (developed by Luca Tausel and tested on our autumn 2025 Mallorca to Tenerife voyage) is part of the standard onboard setup now, with tools like Agreements, the Mail System, Non-Violent Communication practices, and structured onboard routines. Four and a half months at sea across eight legs is a real test of how it holds up.
Team-ups along the route. Each port stop is a chance for ocean nomads, members, partners, and local hosts along the route to connect, run meet-ups, share local knowledge, or jump on for a leg. If you live near one of the stops and want to meet the crew, get in touch.
The course as the pre-trip pathway. The updated Zero to Ocean Nomad course is designed exactly for this kind of trip. If you are new to offshore sailing and want to prepare in a structured way before stepping on a big trip, the course is the cleanest starting point. Crew who arrive having done the course will have the foundations for the ON expedition legs already in place, and the trip itself becomes a real-world test of how the course prepared you.
Less guesswork. More focus on the actual sailing and the people aboard.
Curious what it is actually like out there?
Jonte made a beautiful film about our Atlantic Crossing on Twister 2022 to 2023. You can watch it here.
Applications are open
Applications are now open for Ocean Nomads members first. €150 off per leg and priority application until 15 August 2026. If you are already a member, head into the Digital Hub and you will find the application thread waiting for you.
If you are not yet an Ocean Nomads member and four and a half months around the Atlantic on a 1902 schooner speaks to you, our doors are open at oceannomads.co/community. Come join us 💙
