Sailing Trips: FAQs
WHAT IS THE TIMING OF THE SAILING TRIPS?
The sailing trips are carried out from 9 AM to 5 PM, which means that you could stay on the sea for 8 hours during which the weather and sea conditions may vary. The time at we return to the harbour will vary according to the nature of the sightings and/or due to weather conditions. Cetàcea reserves the right to cancel the sailing trip and return earlier to the harbour if the meteorological conditions don’t allow a safe navigation.
WHERE DO THE SAILING TRIPS START?
The sailing trips are usually carried out from the Garraf harbour. However, we might carry out some of the trips from the Vilanova i la Geltrú harbour.
WHAT IS THE SAILING TRIPS SCHEDULE?
Sailing trips usually take place on Sundays, and they are carried out in spring and autumn. We will upload this seasons’ sailing trips schedule soon.
CAN WE GUARANTEE THAT WE WILL SEE CETACEANS?
The sightings ratio in our study area is rather high, however we can’t guarantee that we will see cetaceans. Please note that cetaceans are free animals living in their natural environment and as such they choose if they want to interact with our vessel or not. In the event of not seeing any cetacean, we can’t refund the donation, because this is a financial contribution to the project and this will be carry out independently of whether we see cetaceans or not.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE WHALES?
The fin whale, which is the only resident whale species of the Mediterranean, can be seen off the Catalan coast in springtime, during its annual migration. Thus the best period to see whales is between March and May, both included.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE DOLPHINS?
Dolphins can be seen all year round.
CAN WE SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS?
Absolutely NOT. Dolphins and whales are wild animals, thus we will approach them following the guidelines developed by the Government:
We will try to enjoy their company disturbing them as less as possible.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AGE TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER AND JOIN ONE OF THE SAILING TRIPS?
The minimum age to join us in our projects is 14 years.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS BAD WEATHER?
The sailing trip can be cancelled in the event of adverse meteorological conditions. In this case, we will inform you two days in advance and we will find an alternative day to carry out the sailing trip.
¿WHAT HAPPENS IF I CAN ATTEND THE SAILING TRIP DUE TO AN UNEXPECTED EVEN ONCE I HAVE ALREADY CONFIRMED MY ATTENDANCE?
In the event that you can’t attend the sailing trip at the reserved date, we will NOT refund your donation. However, if you let us know a week in advance, we will try to find an alternative date for you.
DO I HAVE TO BRING FOOD AND DRINKS?
Yes, enough food and drinks to stay one day at sea. As a general rule, alcoholic drinks are not allowed, as they may worsen the seasickness symptoms. We recommend that you bring enough water to spend one day at sea, specially is the warmest months. You should preferably bring sandwiches or food that does not require any kind of preparation. We also recommend to bring some snacks to eat during the sailing trip such as fruit, crisps, dried fruits, biscuits…
WHAT CAN I DO TO AVOID SEASICKNESS DURING THE SAILING TRIP?
Have a light breakfast one hour before departure. Avoid dairy products. If possible, include a piece of fruit in your breakfast. Apples are very helpful to avoid seasickness. Take seasickness tablets 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after departure, and the next one 4 hours later (follow manufacturer’s recommendations). We recommend to avoid going to the cabins, except in cases of necessity (toilet, take some food, take warm clothes). If you feel seasickness symptoms, look at the horizon, if possible with front wind and take a seasickness tablet.
WHAT CLOTHES SHOULD I WEAR?
We recommend to wear several layers of clothes, especially in winter time, early spring and late autumn. Cold is always more intense at the sea due to the wind and the humidity.
We recommend to wear a fleece, thermal shirt and leggings, windbreak jacket, comfortable shoes (if possible with white soles), gloves, hat, cap, buff, sunglasses, sunscreen, comfortable pants and waterproof jacket (in the event of rain) and spare clothes.
During the summer months it is not necessary to bring that many warm cloths, but we recommend to bring a jacket, pants and shorts, as temperature may change during the sailing trip.
