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Sailing Expeditions With Impact, Adventure & Community
With multiple sailing boats, we'll facilitate the connection between a beautiful mix of purpose-driven salty souls and between you and nature. We'll share ideas, skills, knowledge, support, connections, and above all: fun ocean adventure time!
11 Days / 10 Nights
4 Vessels
30 Ocean Nomads
Route: One Way- Lefkada to Nea Peramos, Greece
Active Adventure Sailing Trip
Healthy Eco Vibes & Values
We will share the Ocean Nomads ‘slow sailing’ philosophy. The focus is on simplicity, health, local food and community connection, active, adventure and sustainability mindset.
Ocean Nomads is a tribe of young... at heart, adventurous ocean lovers who want an active outdoor lifestyle. We will share fun ideas and projects on mindful, self-sufficient, positive-impact ways to live and travel sustainably at sea at any age and budget. This is an action-adventure where everyone participates in creating the vibe and value for a memorable 10 days at sea.
We have a smoke and alcohol-free onboard policy for maximum superpowers and nature connection.
Take the images of the Greek islands from other people's photos and turn it into YOUR memories! The islands are blessed with stunning landscapes, history, culture, and beautiful, uncrowded anchorages after summer.
A bucket list journey!
We start this trip in Lefkada in the Ionian Sea and end this trip in Athens.
The Ionian Sea
The water between Italy and Greece. The Ionian islands have some of the Mediterranean's most beautiful beaches and clearest turquoise waters. Some famous islands include Kefalonia, Ithaca, Skorpios – formerly owned by Aristotle Onassis-, Meganissi, and Zakynthos. With ancient Greek sites, secluded anchorages, beautiful nature & wildlife, Greek tavernas, local markets and de-li-cious Mediterranean cuisine, the exploration potential is enormous. Most of the yachts and crowds of the summer have left, and the Greek vibe dominates towns, and we have all the space for sailing, riding and enjoying it all. It’s easy to hop from island to island. With many islands around there is little swell and the sailing is most likely to be smooth.
The nearest airport is Preveza. There is a good bus connection with Athens from Lefkada.
Athens
Athens eats and breathes culture. And if that’s not enough, there are enough hills to climb for epic city views. A visit to the Akropolis in the centre is a must. It's easy and affordable to fly out of Greece.
We highly encourage you to add a few days before and/or after the sailing trip to visit Athens and/or Lefkada. These are truly unique places and lovely in autumn.
On this trip, we’ll sail ONE WAY from Lefkada to Athens in Greece.
ON PURPOSE, we don’t plan the route in detail until we all meet and create the plan together. This will be based on the current weather, whether or not the Corinth Canal will be open (It's most likely but not guaranteed), and your preferences. We aim to go via the Corinth Canal, which is quite a sight. May this not be possible, we will sail around the Peloponnese and eat lots of Kalamata olives. Either way, prepare for a memorable experience.
Depending on the weather and accessibility at the time, there are two route possibilities. Make sure you are enthusiastic about both:
- A. The Short Route (+/- 200 Nautical Miles). Before we sail the canal, we explore the beautiful Ionian Sea. To reach Athens we navigate through the Corinth Canal, a man-made canal connecting the Saronic Gulf with the Gulf of Corinth. 700 years BC, the first humans attempted to create this canal. Finally, at the end of the 19th century, the canal was a fact. It's on the bucket list for many to go through this canal. The canal is currently being maintained, and though it's planned to be open in spring 2024, there's no guarentee whether it remains open.
That doesn't matter because the other option is as, if not more exciting!
- B. The Long Route (+/-450 Nautical Miles) We sail around the Peloponnese, home to the Kalamata olive, the ancient site of Olympia, and so much beauty, culture, and nature to explore. Its diverse coastline offers lots of secluded coves and sandy beaches to choose from. This route is a longer distance, which allows us to take our routing and sailing skills to the next level. Note that this is quite a long distance to be sailed! You got to be up for some serious sailing. It's also very likely that this route would take longer than 10 days. There would be the option to disembark in Kalamata half-way (easy bus access with Athens) or to stay longer on board until we reach Athens (at no extra costs besides shared costs for food & fuel).
Part of sailing is planning and dealing with the many variables that come with it. You must be flexible with the location and time to join this trip. Bus and ferry connections are along the way for those with other obligations.
Imagine jumping into the sea just seconds after you wake up. Eating a freshly made breakfast with your fellow crew members and new friends. Then we will all see what the day will bring. A 100 memorable moments!
This is an adventure experience aimed at making the dream lifestyle reality, not just for the time with us but beyond all that.
We incorporate the Ocean Nomads values of community, exploration, and positive impact into the elements of the trip. We always encourage hands-on trips, where everyone helps with the running of the ship.
Wherever we go, we leave the places cleaner than we found them. Beach clean-ups and conscious actions are part of the routine, not ‘just’ an event.
Travelling by sea is a life experience, and some aspects can be challenging. This is not a prepacked holiday. We create the adventure together, and everything runs rather spontaneously—on purpose. Of course, we do what we can to minimize risk and hire professional skippers to be part of the team. Still, with sailing, things rarely go as planned, and this is the beauty of it.
All on board duties are shared together. We sail together. We cook together. We adventure together. We get ourselves into and out of situations together.
This is a multi-adventure trip. But of course, you’re always welcome to chill and read a book... after your chores, of course ;)
We select capable and qualified skipper to make sure you're in the best hands possible.
We’ll be sailing early autumn, towards the end of the sailing season. Generally, the weather conditions are lovely at this time of the year. For many liveaboards in Greece, October is their favourite month. The summer crowds have left, but the weather is still sunny and 20+ degrees.
However, the weather is beyond our control. Be prepared for adventure :)
Given that it's the season's last charter, we can extend the trip. If we can't reach Athens in 11 days due to unfavourable weather circumstances, you can stay on board longer to complete the route. If you are not available, we will find a solution so you can disembark elsewhere.
This time, we will rent boats to make ours 100% our own. We will have Ocean Nomads as qualified skippers. We only rented monohulls as they sail much better than the charter catamarans, in our opinion :)
Do you share the ocean nomads values, have your own vessel and would like to raft-up with us and join the happenings? Join the Member network to get connected and involved.
It’s the people who make the adventure. We curate a diverse, multi-skilled crew with a similar mindset to create a powerful team mix. It makes ALL the difference.
We live beyond the status quo or desire to do so. We care for the planet. Minimize, simplify and cut down on our environmental footprint where we can. We lift each other up and support each other when in need. Some of us are new to sailing, some of us are boatowners and join to share the fun together.
Professional Crew & Instruction
Each vessel will have an Ocean Nomads skipper as a qualified captain. You’ll be in safe, qualified and experienced hands. This doesn’t mean you only sit back and relax. ON voyages are hands-on voyages involving everyone in sailing and operation of our little floating village.
The skippers
Tyler
You?
Adventurer & explorer
Alternative lifestyle seeker
Striving to do good
Excited to share skills and stories
Eager to learn, share and care
Hands-on mindset
Ambitious
Saying Hell Yeah, that’s me when reading more about the Ocean Nomads community
Are you interested in joining?
We'd love to learn a bit more about you. Getting a like-minded but varied crew group for maximum fun and impact is super important. Therefore we require you to apply.
Ocean Nomads members (100€ Discount) Ocean Nomads course students (150€ Discount).
Not a member yet? Welcome to join (65 euro / year) and enjoy the member discount, pre-trip connecting, and lots more goodies.
If the weather prevents us from reaching Athens in time, there'll be an opportunity to stay longer on board. Keep your schedule open if you can. If you can't, we make sure you can disembark elsewhere.
Explore the Ocean Nomads website to explore vibes and values
Priority Application and discount for Ocean Nomads Members (100€ Discount)and Ocean Nomads Crew Course Students (150€ Discount). The longer you are an Ocean Nomads member, the higher priority we give your application.
Is this trip out of your budget, but would you like to join? Apply for a Scholarship form. One of our ways to give back is to create scholarship opportunities for small-budget, determined ocean changemakers. Convince us why we should fund your trip. We would love to hear your thoughts via the Scholarship form.
Check out our membership community for pure skill sharing and trading, where more than 300 nomads and more than 70 vessel members meet and team up for ocean impact and adventure.
Stories, Testimonials & Transformations
Join the Ocean Nomads Network
Follow us on Instagram & Youtube for the vibes.
Our adventures fill up quickly! If you're considering joining and the spots are full, get on the waitlist today.
"It’s amazing how many awesome friends you can make, and how much just one week on an ON trip can change your life" - Marcin from Poland
“The most unforgettable week. The trip preparation and the crew members turned what would otherwise be an adventure into something a special. I took part in two ocean nomads trips so far. To say it was life changing sounds dramatic but it really was. Being able to share time and experiences with people with different backgrounds but of a similar mindset was incredible. I like to think that I can have and help contribute to a similar experience for myself and others as a member of the Flotilla crew.” – Ben Clipstone from Australia
“In my opinion Ocean Nomads sailing adventure are: 1. A reward for the senses by discovering incredibly beautiful places and breathtaking sceneries. 2. An unbeatable way to get introduced into the world of a sailing lifestyle 3. An open window to learn watching our world and the people from another more conscious perspective. I see Suzanne as an inspirational person who, with her example, inspire others with ideas and proposals to define or redefine life projects and use inner energy for more noble purposes. Our oceans need strong committed people like her to advocate for our natural resources and leave them intact for the generations to come.” – Jose Perez from Spain
"My lifelong dream has been to spend time outside of the US, explore different places, meet new people and just live somewhere different than what I grew up with. If you told me this time last year that I would have spent the better part the last 365 days sailing around The Canary Islands, surfing in Ireland, sleeping in a van ALONE in England and writing this newsletter on an island in the Adriatic Sea, I would have rolled my eyes at you. But after joining Ocean Nomads on SV Twister a little over a year ago my life has done a complete 180° ( in the best way possible) and I have the network and so many of you to thank for that! – Brianna SV Twister '21
"The experience on twister with other Ocean Nomads was just really beautiful and I felt connected for the first time in decades, I felt part of a community and had companionship. I was so happy that it’s so all inclusive of gender race religion nationality and most importantly age. It has connected me with like-minded people of all ages and being very transformational personally because my life has been incredibly isolated as a single parent Who works from home. I can honestly say October and November I felt happy and free for the first time in maybe 22 years. It gave me everything I was looking for. It has opened up so many possibilities to meet new people with similar vibes, including connection, companionship, purpose and being one with nature." - Cay, SV Twister '21
Check our more Stories, Testimonials & Transformations
on our website or on our Facebook page. Or Youtube Channel
Nature Exploration by Sail
Adventure sail the Greek Islands & Coastlines
Professional Qualified Skipper
Being taught hands-on sailing skills
A unique mix of adventurous & impact-driven salty souls
Eco elements, chats, and inspiration
If we decide on that route
Transport to and from the boat destination
Vegetarian - We share cooking on board (+/- 10-15 euros/day)
To be shared amongst participants (+/- 15-10 euro/day)
Personal travel insurance
Receive a 100 € discount code + many more Member Perks
We will be making T-Shirts, Tote bags and sweatshirts. Let us know your size and we will make one for you!
We will meet in Lefkada, Greece. Exact time and location to be decided. This day is all about settling in, making your self at home, getting to know each other. We will create a plan for the following day to set sail based on the weather!
We'll be sailing in and out of different anchorages and islands. We have lot of ideas where to go. We let the route also depend on your individual wishes and preferences. Together we will make it legendary!
ADVENTURE | This trip will allow us to sail one way from Lefkada to Athens, Greece to get in more miles, sailing time and to make sure we all build our skills and experience. We will include a mix of sailing, jumping in the sea, snorkeling, exploring islands, cooking, cultural interaction, freediving, hiking and relaxing. We try to avoid marinas, so we can be closer to nature.
SPONTANEITY | We run our trips rather spontaneously on purpose. We’re dependent on the weather. We go with the flow, and we may change course to explore what we find on the way. We embrace the art of getting lost. We don’t plan out our routes into detail (except for the departure and arrival destination). On purpose.
SAILING | You don’t need sailing experience. The Skippers that we are working with are professionally qualified and teach you the basics (and much more if you want), helping you become a competent crew member – or building upon any existing skills you do have. We can sign off miles and give you a reference if you need one. We take care of onboard duties as a group.
VESSELS | We are chartering 2-5 sailboats with Ocean Nomad Members so we can enjoy similar vibes, values and have a great vacation away from it all.
IMPACT | We share adventure and relaxation time, as well as thoughts, tips and ideas about how we can live more simply and sustainably, whilst exploring the natural world. No one of us has the answer, but together we do have. Connection and conversation at sea go deeper in one day than months on land.
LOCAL | We aim to team up with locals as much as possible to learn the best we can about the local situation. Working with a local partner involves different habits, customs, awareness levels, and cultural backgrounds. We stay open and look beyond our ‘eco-bubble’ to plot better routes for positive change.
GETTING THERE | We are aware that many need to fly to join one of our trips, and we encourage transport options such as train, bus, ferry, and car sharing. Both Lefkada and Athens can we reached overland. We’re actively looking for the best ways to maximize our positive impact and minimize our negative impact.
ENVIRONMENT | We do what we can to minimize our environmental impact. We sail as much as possible and use the motor as little as possible. Preparation and doing your part is key. And we encourage and welcome your ideas, tools and tricks on improving our positive footprint.
PROVISIONING | Collectively, we take care of the provisioning and cooking. It’s part of the fun! We don’t organize luxury cruises. We aim to provision as locally as possible, and minimize plastic use. Our trips are vegetarian (fish and meat-free), with occasional opportunities to eat ashore if you struggle with this. We use less freshwater and power than the average sailboat charter. We share thoughts, ideas, and knowledge on no-fridge food preservation, eco-friendly sailboat maintenance, and other positive solutions.
OCEAN PROTECTION Our drive: Protecting our playground!
PEOPLE | We make our gathering big enough to guarantee a wonderful mix of inspiring souls, but small enough to drop anchor in the middle of nature. Participants usually don’t know each other, but after days of shared adventure and collaboration, new friendships are made. Many of our previous nomads come back again and again. Ocean Nomads come from all walks of life; we put a lot of effort in creating a diverse mix of people, so that we can learn from each other and pass on inspiration & ideas. Many trip alumni and members have since teamed up for more adventure and impact projects. All ages are welcome and encouraged to join. Reasons for joining are often the desire to live a nomadic lifestyle, buy a boat, share experience, and learn with safety, sustainability and accessibility aspects being taking care of.
TEAMWORK | Sailing is an active way of travel that requires teamwork. We share the tasks, operation, and sailing of the boat. We provision, cook, sail, and fix things (if necessary) together as a team. Our trips are not a laid-back luxury experience.
Hands-on participation creates the adventure, and helps you learn to be a better sailor. That said, for all our Caribbean trips we already have enough hands on board so you are welcome to sit back and relax if that's what you're after!
HEALTH | We can only do good if we feel good. Our trips include yoga, breathwork / freedive clinics, healthy and local food provisioning, and lots of outdoor action and adventure. They are powered by YOU, our members and crew.
PEACE | Our trips are not a party experience. We value the mornings and like to maximize daylight for exploring and connecting to nature. Drinking a lot of alcohol ruins this experience and has no place on our trips. We operate a strict no-alcohol-on board and non smoking on board policy. This trip will also differ to make sure everyone feels comfortable and so we can all connect. There will be no alcohol on board the boats, but of course, on shore, there is no problem if you would like to enjoy a cocktail responsibly with dinner or cocktail hour.
ADAPTATION | Boats rock and make noise. They are small. People snore. Weather rules. We have limited resources. Adaptability is key. That said, these are charter boats that are certified and checked for safety according to local laws.
ACCESSIBILITY | Any age, gender, and experience level is welcome. We know a trip like this is not within everyone's financial reach. It costs considerable money to make this expedition real, in most safe way. But where resources allow, we facilitate scholarship opportunities to make an adventure like this accessible for the driven on a budget one.
Learning by doing, that’s what we strive for. Here are some of the skills you develop on our trips:
SAILING | You’ll learn hands-on everything to become a competent crew member. By the end of the journey, you can sail the ship. Our skippers and often also fellow crew members are happy to share and show what to know.
SEAMANSHIP | A Huge part of happy, safe and meaningful ocean nomadic living depends on your seamanship skills. You can have the biggest bank account but once you’re at sea nothing can be googled or bought. And no person can be hired to fix something. You have to be inventive as situations arise and you’ll learn from experiences along the way. You learn about the wind, the weather, geography, stars, navigation, sea life, boats, yourself, people, and much more.
CONSCIOUS LIVING | Experience resourcefulness. And how you can implement it all into your life. As sailors, we are intricately connected to the ocean on a daily basis. Experiencing sea time daily provides a deep and lasting respect for nature. You’re dependent on it. You experience the power of the wind and the waves, and realise how precious our resources are, such as water, fresh air, power, and fresh vegetables. You will become aware that what might be considered normal ‘back home’, is not so normal on a boat.
NATURE AWARENESS | 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, news, pollution, or 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.
By being disconnected from everything but nature, you’ll learn a great deal about the ocean. When you see the good, bad and ugly with your own eyes, talk face-to-face with people living on and for the ocean, and experience its value, it makes you eager to learn more, do more, be more, and likely Live more: At sea.
You’ll become very aware of the natural world around you. This inspires. And it’s eye-opening. You come to realise how disconnected from nature we are in our daily lives. In the middle of nature, far away from civilisation, you will see human impact. Usually we’re far away. It’s hard to make it tangible. It doesn’t really affect us. Or so we think. But by being out there, you literally broaden your horizon. Experience will make you think, gain fresh perspectives, and may inspire you to act to turn the tide of the ocean challenges.
Ocean Nomad, Adventurer, Captain & Freedive Instructor
Hi! My name is Suzanne and I’m super excited to again organize and ocean nomads fleet with Ocean Nomads.
Half my time on this planet, I’ve been living a nomadic ocean minded lifestyle, navigating ocean and coastlines by sail, van, (kite)surf and mermaid fins. I hitchhiked 40.000 miles on sailboats and now slow travel coastlines living in my van. I wrote the Atlantic ocean travel guide Ocean Nomad and founder of the Ocean Nomads community. The mission: Connecting you to ocean, and to cultivate and encourage a simple, natural, conscious way of life. I’ve spent some winters in the Caribbean before, and I can’t wait to share this magic with you!
Check out my blog Oceanpreneur & Say hi to me on the Ocean Nomads network or Insta @oceanpreneur
From zero to hero in ocean nomad Lifestyle design
According to my mom, I swam before I could walk… I will take her word for it. I just spent my first winter outside the USA surfing, sailing, RVing, hiking/hitchhiking, and connecting with other Nomads along the way and I AM NEVER LOOKING BACK.
My main goal as Community Co-Captain is to connect fellow nomads and help facilitate opportunities in sailing, environmental awareness, ocean sports and adventure the way others have helped me.
My lifelong dream has been to spend time outside of the US, explore different places, meet , new people and just live somewhere different than what I grew up with. If you told me this time last year that I would have spent the better part the last 365 days sailing around The Canary Islands, surfing in Ireland, sleeping in a van ALONE in England and writing this newsletter on an island in the Adriatic Sea, I would have rolled my eyes at you. But after joining Ocean Nomads two years ago now, my life has done a complete 180° ( in the best way possible), and I have the network and so many of you to thank for that!
Advanced Hitchhiker, Long Distance Hiker, Full time Vanlifer, Videographer, Banana Pancake Professional & IKO Kite Instructor
Hello fellow nature vagabonds! I couldn’t be more excited to partake in such a great adventure and life experience on a sailboat with a great bunch of you ON.
My name is Jonatan and I’m from an island in Sweden. Travelling and being on the road without knowing what tomorrow brings has been in my DNA most likely since birth. Things like cultural exchange, hitchhiking, vanlife, hiking, diving, skiing, kitesurfing, freedive, surfing to name a few has brought me to the most wonderful places and meetings in my life. And it’s just the meetings and the sharing of life stories that have been the most memorable thing.. I’m a fanatic kitesurfer and now also IKO Instructor. I'll be the videographer on board.
Say hi to me on the Ocean Nomads network or Insta.
We share tips & tools, helping accelerate personal journeys to alternative adventurous conscious life on or near the sea. Ocean nomads adventures are not just a one time thing you join for a week or two and that’s it. These are experiences that change the way you approach life, nature and the ocean. We believe our trips are just the beginning for plotting the next course in your life. By jumping on board this, you also join our expanding global network of impact-driven travellers, ocean entrepreneurs, sailors, (free)divers, surfers, and active salty souls passionate about the ocean and eager to do good.
On our community HUB we continue the conversation, action, team-ups and meet-ups beyond our events and expeditions to maximize the impact, fun, and ripple effects for ocean adventure and action. We got your back before and after the trip and make the personal connections and introductions to accelerate your dreams.
We used to have an image in our head that sailing is only for rich people, that it’s about showing off boats and boat toys, and that as crew you’re just meant to scrub the deck. Not true. Sailors are free spirits and ocean-minded people. Most of us share the same dream to live a simple life on a sailboat, set off to explore the world, and live life on their own terms. We unite and exchanges ideas to make this dream happen! We connect with fellow nomads that are on the same mission. Who knows who you may meet during these adventures and what opportunities may come from it?
This is not just an expedition you join for 11 days and that’s it. This is an experience that will change the way you approach life, nature and the ocean. We believe our ON expeditions are just the beginning for plotting the next course in your life. By jumping on board this voyage, you will also join our expanding global network of impact-driven travelers, ocean entrepreneurs, sailors, (free)divers, surfers, and active salty souls passionate about the ocean and eager to do good. On our community platform we continue the conversation, action, team-ups and meet-ups beyond our events and expeditions to maximize the impact, fun, and ripple effects for ocean adventure and action. We got your back on this expedition and the journey after.
