A yacht under reefed sail approaching a distant inhabited island through dark water, with shafts of light breaking beneath a squall

Sailing Routes

Let the crossing shape the trip

Passages are more than distances between harbours. Tide, light and landmarks turn them into the moments a voyage is remembered for.

Why the passage matters

On a quieter cruise, the day's sail is rarely just transit. The approach to an island — its silhouette rising, a lighthouse blinking at dusk, a village slowly resolving into houses and a church — is often the most vivid part of the visit. Planning routes around that experience, rather than around the shortest line, is one of the pleasures of slower sailing.

Scenic passages also tend to be demanding. Narrow sounds concentrate tide; headlands accelerate wind; open crossings expose a boat to swell that the forecast may underplay. The beauty and the difficulty usually come from the same geography.

That is why we describe passages by character and consideration, not by courses and waypoints. Use the comparisons below to decide which waters suit your crew, then plan in detail with official charts, tidal atlases and current pilot books.

A lighthouse on a dark rocky point in the Sound of Mull at dusk, with a yacht passing under sail and Duart Castle in the distance — Dusk in the Sound of Mull, a channel of castles, ferries and changing wind.

Passage comparison rows

A qualitative comparison to support early planning. It does not replace pilotage sources.

Passage	Character	Main consideration	Best season	Suits
Sound of Mull, Scotland	Sheltered channel between Mull and Morvern, leading to Tobermory and Ardnamurchan Point	Wind funnelling, tidal streams, ferry traffic	May–September	Experienced coastal crews
Gulf of Corryvreckan, Scotland	Notorious tidal race between Jura and Scarba	Considered very dangerous; most crews route around it entirely	Only with expert local knowledge	Viewing from a distance
Pentland Firth, Scotland	Gateway between mainland Scotland and Orkney	Among the strongest tidal streams in UK waters; overfalls	Settled summer weather	Highly experienced crews
Chenal du Four & Raz de Sein, France	Rocky inshore routes around western Brittany	Strict tidal gates; fog; commercial shipping nearby	June–September	Confident tidal navigators
Vestfjorden to Lofoten, Norway	Open crossing towards a wall of granite peaks	Exposure, sudden wind shifts; Moskstraumen near the southern tip	June–August	Offshore-ready crews
Faial–Pico channel, Azores	Short crossing beneath Portugal's highest mountain	Acceleration zones and Atlantic swell	May–September	Offshore-ready crews
Stockholm archipelago inner routes, Sweden	Winding, island-studded channels	Rocks close to marked routes; ferry wash	June–August	Careful coastal navigators
Kornati islands, Croatia	Bare, stark limestone archipelago	National park fees and zones; bora winds	May–June, September	Intermediate crews

Planning a crossing with care

Good passage planning on remote coasts begins well before departure. Tidal gates — the windows when a sound or headland can be passed safely — often dictate when you leave far more than wind. Missing a gate can mean hours of foul tide, or wind against tide conditions that turn a pleasant channel into breaking seas.

Weather windows matter just as much. On exposed routes, look for a period of settled conditions longer than the passage itself, with a safe alternative if conditions deteriorate. Remote islands rarely offer rescue services or repairs within easy reach.

Above all, accept that some passages wait for another year. Turning back is part of seamanship, and the island will still be there.

Swirling tidal water around dark rocks and a stone beacon in the Chenal du Four off Brittany, under a heavy grey sky — Tidal water around the rocks of western Brittany: beauty and difficulty from the same geography.

Editorial guide only. Nothing on this page is pilotage information or a recommendation to undertake any passage. Always plan with current official charts, almanacs, pilot books and local advice.