Sail Around the Atlantic on SV Twister (2026/27) | Overview
Atlantic ocean crossing on a 1902 schooner. Hosted by Ocean Nomads with the SV Twister team. Winter 2026/2027.
What makes this special
- Sailing between countries on an ocean worthy 1902 Classic Schooner
- 8 legs to pick from. Join one, several, or the whole thing
- 9.250 nautical miles from Amsterdam via Madeira, Canaries, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Azores and back
- Selected value and vibe sharing crew. Newbies welcome
Discover what it feels like to wake up on the ocean, breathe the salt air, have the wind in your hair, steer by the stars, live simple and resourceful, and be eye to eye with dolphins. Day in, day out, on a beautiful 1902 schooner, together with a bunch of purpose-driven adventurers sharing values and vibes.
Who this is really for
You’ve been dreaming this dream for a while. You just haven’t found the right people to do it with yet.
Maybe you’ve never sailed before, and every time you thought about applying jumping on board somewhere the doubt won: “they’ll pick someone with more experience.” Half of our previous Atlantic crew had never sailed offshore. You’re not the exception, you’re the norm.
Maybe you’ve done a few things on the water, and what you actually want isn’t more miles. It’s people connections who understand why you keep coming back to it. The ones who talk about the ocean the way you do. And disconnection from the wild noisy world that’s changing fast.
Maybe you’re between chapters. A sabbatical, a remote-work stretch, a break after a big thing ended. You want to invest into something that changes you, with people who won’t be the same again either.
Whoever you are, if the pull is real, you’re in the right place.
The Route
What it feels like
Twister leaves Amsterdam mid November. She sails south, past the Channel and Biscay, down to Madeira. From there she winds through the Macaronesia archipelago to the Canary Islands, then out into the open Atlantic via Cape Verde to Martinique. She spends a month in the Caribbean with two loops through the Windwards and Grenadines, then turns north and east for the return crossing via the Azores back home. Four and a half months, two ocean crossings, eight legs, and a small crew that changes with every port. Few things are more exciting than leaving countries, and arriving in countries, by sail. It’s how we travelled the world back in the days. And today, we still do too.
The 8 legs
Each leg stands on its own. The three Ocean Nomads Expedition legs (⭐) come with curated crew, a discovery call before booking, and Julie onboard as trip host. The other legs are milebuilders and delivery passages with lighter screening, at least at this stage.
| Leg | Route | Dates | Days | NM | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amsterdam to Madeira | 12 Nov to 2 Dec 2026 | 21 | 1.500 | €2.300 |
| 2 ⭐ | Madeira to Tenerife | 5 to 15 Dec 2026 | 11 | 300 | €2.750 |
| 3 ⭐ | Tenerife to Cape Verde | 18 to 29 Dec 2026 | 12 | 850 | €3.250 |
| 4 ⭐ | Cape Verde to Martinique | 31 Dec 2026 to 22 Jan 2027 | 23 | 2.100 | €5.500 |
| 5 | Caribbean loop South | 26 Jan to 6 Feb 2027 | 12 | 350 | €3.900 |
| 6 | Caribbean loop North | 9 to 18 Feb 2027 | 10 | 350 | €3.500 |
| 7 | Martinique to Azores | 23 Feb to 17 Mar 2027 | 23 | 2.300 | €3.000 |
| 8 | Azores to Amsterdam | 19 to 29 Mar 2027 | 11 | 1.500 | €1.650 |
| Full expedition | Amsterdam to Amsterdam | 12 Nov 2026 to 29 Mar 2027 | 123 | 9.250 | €25.250 |
Pick your leg
Full pages with route detail, dates, host bios, and what to expect:
- Leg 1: Amsterdam to Madeira. The pioneer leg south, down the Channel and across Biscay into the Atlantic. A wild delivery passage and first offshore miles. Newbies welcome.
- ⭐ Leg 2: Madeira to Tenerife. First taste of offshore sailing without the full commitment of an ocean crossing. Anchorages on the islands in between where weather and permits allow.
- ⭐ Leg 3: Tenerife to Cape Verde. Christmas at sea, arriving into Mindelo before New Year. First offshore taste before the big crossing.
- ⭐ Leg 4: Cape Verde to Martinique. The real Atlantic crossing. Board 31 December for New Year’s Eve on board in Mindelo. Depart 3 January together with Koen’s Atlantic Ocean Impact Expedition by kite and SV Windfall as support vessel. Possibly the biggest Ocean Nomads gathering ever, uniting crew from both leg 3 and 4 in Cape Verde. 2.100 nautical miles of pure ocean on the trade wind route.
- Leg 5: Caribbean loop South. Warm water and the Grenadines. Island hopping south from Martinique, turquoise anchorages, snorkelling before breakfast.
- Leg 6: Caribbean loop North. North to Dominica and Guadeloupe. Rainforest, waterfalls, hot springs, and Les Saintes.
- Leg 7: Martinique to Azores. The big return crossing east, around 2.300 nautical miles of open Atlantic, possibly via Bermuda.
- Leg 8: Azores to Amsterdam. The final ocean leg home, across the North Atlantic and Biscay. Closes the whole loop.
Experience
Twister carries a small crew, big enough for real community at sea. Strangers stop feeling like strangers faster than you’d expect. Most of us spend more time indoors than outdoors. It’s easy to forget the natural world we’re coming from and living in. On the ocean, you face the wind and water elements and find that connection to nature. Imagine a scene with no traffic, no news, no pollution, no AI, no civilisation. Just wind and water, plenty of that. A scene where you can gaze for hours to the millions of stars above you, enjoy the dozens of dolphins sliding through the water at the bow of the boat, admire the pink-orange-red sunrises and sunsets, without any airplane trails changing the fluffy and cauliflower-like cloud patterns.
You can sail across an ocean with 2, 3, or 5 people. This is fun. We’ve done it. We’ve organized it. Going on an adventure with 15 salty souls all as stoked about ocean sailing as you are is a different kind of magic. Conversations and connections at sea go deeper in one day than weeks on land. You’ll always find a few souls you get along with well. Many deep friendships have been formed on journeys like this.
This is not a luxury charter. It’s a hands-on, team-based way of travelling. We sail, cook, steer, and live together as one crew. This is an adventure and on purpose not planned out into detail. We cannot plan the weather and we adjust the sails as we go.
The Vessel
SV Twister is a schooner built in 1902. Originally a wooden fishing boat, her hull was replaced with steel fifty-five years later so she could keep sailing. She still does. She’s beautiful. She’s fast. She’s solid. She’s big. She’s spacious. She’s super comfortable. She’s got soul. She lasts. Dutch flag, modern offshore comforts, every safety certificate. Last season she sailed 5.000 nautical miles offshore in conditions from champagne sailing to a 9 Beaufort. The only thing that broke were two plates.
- Schooner built 1902, 36 m (118′), 88 tonnes
- 6 sails, 332.5 m² sail area, Mercedes Benz 300 PK engine
- 22 berths in shared cabins, 2 bathrooms
- Dutch flag, full offshore safety certificates
- Home port: Amsterdam, Holland
What stays with you
- The feeling of leaving countries and arriving in countries by sail
- Real offshore sailing miles on a 1902 wooden schooner
- Confidence from being part of the crew, not just watching
- A sense of what it means to travel slowly and live simply
- Deep connections with people who see the world the same way
- You sailed around an ocean!
Save yourself the search
We’ve sailed, worked, and crewed, and captained on 100s of vessels by now. Finding a good ride with the right people, on a safe boat, going where you want to go, at a time that works, is genuinely hard. It’s what Suzanne wrote a whole book about as she met so many people having not so good experiences.
Teaming up with SV Twister saves you that search. Offshore sailing on a legendary vessel, professional crew, all safety certificates in order, and a curated crew of ocean nomads. There are very few ships like her out there taking people offshore between countries, and even fewer at this price.
If you’d rather do the hitchhiking route, some people love it and it’s legit, Suzanne’s book Ocean Nomad walks you through it step by step, or get more guidance with Zero to Ocean Nomad. If you’d rather save the time and land on a good one straight away, come sail with us.
Your TRIP HOST
Julie
Julie joined the original Ocean Nomads Atlantic expedition as a novice and never left. She hitchhiked across the Atlantic herself, made the Caribbean home, and has been building her sailing life ever since. She’ll be onboard for the Ocean Nomads Expedition legs (2, 3, 4) as trip host, welcoming you, helping you find your sea legs, and setting the ON vibes and values at sea.
Your TRIP SUPPORT
Brianna
Brianna joined us sailing from Madeira to the Canaries a few years back and continued ocean nomad life ever since. She’s the steady presence behind the applications, communication, and preparation for every leg of the expedition, making sure you arrive informed and ready.
Your ADMIRAL
Suzanne
Suzanne is the founder of Ocean Nomads, a Yachtmaster Offshore captain, and author of the books Ocean Nomad and Salz auf der Haut. She flippered to SV Twister in an anchorage a few years ago to say hi, and here we are sailing the world all together. If there’s one thing she learned from sailing 50.000+ nautical miles on many different boats, it’s the people who make the trip. And it’s the connection to nature that sets the next course of your life.
Included per leg
- The passage on SV Twister
- Professional crew and skipper
- All food onboard during sailing days
- Marina, mooring, park, and custom fees
- Safety equipment and life jackets
- Crew Space prior to the trip
- Ocean Nomads yearly members get €100 off, lifetime access to the Zero to Ocean Nomad online course, and priority handling of their application
Not included
- Travel to start port and from end port of each leg
- Personal travel insurance
- Personal expenses on shore
- Visa fees if applicable
It’s the people who make the adventure
“This was one of the most epic experiences of my life so far, and I can tell it is just the beginning. The ocean has taught me so many lessons. Weeks without connection to the outside world was absolutely glorious. I feel reset.”
Sael, Atlantic Crossing on Twister
“The things I like the most about trips with Ocean Nomads is the mix of different nationalities, ages and levels of experience. There’s always a general plan but also plenty of opportunity for spontaneity to have a real adventure.”
Louise, Madeira to Canary Islands
“During my discovery call with Suzanne, I immediately knew I wanted to join the Ocean Nomads network and sailing adventure. Her energy and values were exactly what I was looking for. As soon as I hung up the phone I thought, this trip is going to change my life. And it sure did.
I packed my life into a duffle bag a few months later, boarded Twister in Madeira and set sail towards the Canary Islands. I was surrounded by amazing people and had the complete feeling of freedom I’d hoped for.
My lifelong dream has been to spend time outside of the US, explore different places, meet new people, and live somewhere different than what I grew up with. If you told me this time last year I’d have spent the better part of the last 365 days sailing around the Canary Islands, surfing in Ireland, sleeping in a van alone in England, and writing a newsletter on an island in the Adriatic Sea, I would have rolled my eyes at you. But after joining Ocean Nomads a little over a year ago my life has done a complete 180, in the best way possible, and I have this network to thank for that.”
Brianna, joined as crew, now on the Ocean Nomads team
Watch the Film of our previous Atlantic expedition on SV Twister
Ocean Crossings impact the way you approach life,
LivE with nature & LOVE the ocean
Additional Info
Ocean Nomads Vibes & Values
Ocean Nomads is about more than travel. It’s about living closer to nature, connecting with like-minded people, and stepping into a different rhythm. These trips are where it starts.
Trips aligned with a more conscious way of traveling
A community you can tap into along the way
Continue beyond the trip through connection and new opportunities
Adventure
Exploration, new places and experience powered by wind and curiosity
Community
Connection at sea goes deeper in one day than months on land
Lifestyle
Tips, tools, and connections to keep going beyond the trip
Skillbuilding
Seamanship, resilience, conscious living, learn by doing
Impact
Travel consciously and protect what we explore
If not now, when?
Four and a half months around the Atlantic on a 1902 schooner. Join one leg, join several, or come along for the whole thing. Ocean Nomads yearly members get €100 off per leg, priority handling of their application, and lifetime access to the Zero to Ocean Nomad course.
