Route and dates come from the skipper (20.09.2026): “departure Sunday 18/10, arrival Wednesday 04/11 – Friday 06/11, about 1,300–1,500 miles, I’m allowing 2–3 days for weather or repairs”. Ibiza — Cartagena (two nights) — Gibraltar (non-stop, about two days; the marinas on the way are backup ports) — north along the coast to Cádiz because of the orcas — straight to Lanzarote (Madeira doesn’t fit with the wind and the time) — via Gran Canaria or straight to Tenerife.
The solid line follows the coast; the dashed one is five days of open ocean from Cádiz to Lanzarote. Hover over the line to see the miles and time of each leg. Tap a place in the list and the map flies to it.
100 of 100 places on the map
Base map: OpenStreetMap. Buoys, lights and fairways come from the OpenSeaMap layer, visible from zoom 9.
Download GPX track The captain’s v4 route, 89 points — opens in Navionics, OpenCPN and Google Earth.
Where we moor, when, and what is nearby. Dates on the water depend on the weather.
117–18.10
Marina Port Ibiza
219–21.10
Yacht Port Cartagena
323–25.10
Alcaidesa Marina
425–26.10
Puerto América
531.10–02.11
Marina Rubicón (Playa Blanca)
603.11
Puerto de Mogán
704–07.11
Marina San Miguel (Amarilla Golf)
Twelve airports, from the start in Ibiza to the finish in Tenerife. Fly in for your stage or fly out early from any of them.
| Code | Airport | To the boat | When we are nearby |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBZ | IbizaIbiza | 15 min to Marina Port Ibiza | arrive 17.10, check-in at 17:00 |
| ALC | AlicantePassing: Calpe, Alicante, Tabarca | 20 min to the marina | we pass it at night on 18.10 — only if you board in Ibiza |
| RMU | MurciaCartagena | 30 min to Cartagena | in port 19–21.10 |
| LEI | AlmeríaBackup ports along the way (not overnight stops) | ≈ 20 min to Almería port, ≈ 1 h to Garrucha — only if we shelter in a backup port | backup port 21–22.10 (bad weather only) |
| AGP | MálagaBackup ports along the way (not overnight stops) | 15 min to Benalmádena | backup port 22.10; 1 h 20 by car from La Línea 23–25.10 |
| GIB | GibraltarLa Línea · Gibraltar | Right next to Alcaidesa Marina — walk across the border | 23–25.10 — joining point for the ocean leg |
| XRY | JerezCádiz | 40 min to Cádiz | 25–26.10 — last chance to board before the ocean |
| ACE | LanzaroteLanzarote | 35 min to Marina Rubicón | 31.10–02.11 — joining point for the Canary leg |
| FUE | FuerteventuraPassing Fuerteventura | No stop | we sail past on 02.11 without stopping |
| LPA | Gran CanariaGran Canaria | ≈ 50 min to Mogán | in port 03.11 at Mogán (50 min) |
| TFS | Tenerife SouthTenerife | 10 min to Marina San Miguel — the marina is practically at the end of the runway | fly out 08.11 |
| TFN | Tenerife NorthTenerife | 1 h to the marina | backup: plenty of Binter flights, and to mainland Spain |
Trip rule: the night before, watch a film set in the place we reach tomorrow. Everything is downloaded in advance — there is no internet in the Atlantic.
stop
It's All Gone Pete Tong · Kevin & Perry Go Large · More (1969, Pink Floyd)
Club Ibiza across three eras
stop
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
The city’s streets played Mexico City
from the water; a stop only in bad weather
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) · Lawrence of Arabia (1962) · Game of Thrones S6 · Terminator: Dark Fate
Mónsul — gulls and the umbrella; El Algarrobico — Aqaba; Mesa Roldán — Meereen; La Isleta del Moro — the prologue
from the water; a stop only in bad weather
Once Upon a Time in the West · For a Few Dollars More · The Good, the Bad and the Ugly · Wonder Woman 1984 · Exodus: Gods and Kings
Leone’s desert, the Alcazaba — the emir’s palace, Pechina — Egypt
from the water; a stop only in bad weather
Verano Azul (1981)
The boat “La Dorada” — a monument
from the water; a stop only in bad weather
Warrior Nun (2020–22) · Toy Boy
The cathedral and the Aduana — “Rome”
stop
The Living Daylights (1987)
Bond’s pre-title sequence on the Rock
stop
Broken Embraces (Almodóvar) · One Million Years B.C. · Enemy Mine · Doctor Who · In the Heart of the Sea · Clash of the Titans · Eternals · Foundation S2
Timanfaya, El Cuervo, El Golfo, Mirador del Río
passing by, at night from the water
Solo: A Star Wars Story · Exodus · Wonder Woman 1984 · Eternals · Foundation S1
Pecenescal — Savareen; Sotavento — the Red Sea; La Solapa — the Eternals assemble; Corralejo dunes — the chase
stop
The Witcher S1 · Clash of the Titans · Allied · Moby Dick (1956)
Roque Nublo and 14 more “Witcher” locations — separate map
stop
Clash + Wrath of the Titans · Fast & Furious 6 · Jason Bourne · Foundation S1 · Rambo: Last Blood
Teide — the “Titans”; TF-1 — the tank; Santa Cruz — Athens
Volcanoes
All the islands on the route are at green alert level; only La Palma has been at yellow since the 2021 eruption. Teide has been asleep since 1909, and the summit smells of sulphur. The hottest spot is Timanfaya: 100 °C underfoot, water shoots up as a geyser, meat is grilled on the volcano.
Fresh lava — Tajogaite on La Palma, 2.5 hours by ferry from Tenerife. Fits into the 05–06.11 reserve days if we arrive on schedule on 04.11.
Black beaches
Janubio next to white salt pans, El Golfo with its green lagoon and Playa Quemada on Lanzarote; on Tenerife — Playa de la Arena beneath the Los Gigantes cliffs, Playa Jardín, Benijo and El Bollullo.
Wildlife
In the Strait — three species of dolphin, sperm whales and pilot whales; off Tenerife — 300 resident pilot whales in Europe’s first Whale Heritage Site. Orcas — with a caveat: the Iberian population “plays” with sailing boats’ rudders, peak season April–October. We keep to shallow water along the coast and check the GTOA map before departure.
Sky
Full moon on 26.10 — five nights of watches under a bright moon. New moon on 09.11 — the evening of 07.11 on Teide is almost moonless: the best sky of the whole trip. Along the way — the Orionid peak on 21→22.10 and Taurid fireballs over the ocean.
We don’t sail along the African coast: Sailme forbids it — the boat’s insurance doesn’t apply there, it’s outside EU jurisdiction and the fuel is often questionable.
The orcas stay mostly around Gibraltar. In 15–20 m of water along the Spanish coast the risk is minimal, and we head out into the ocean well north of the Strait — from Cádiz.