2026-8 | ISBJORN | GGR START - Bergen
(Note that we offer a % discount if you pay by cash/bank transfer.)
Welcome to Les Sables-d’Olonne, France, and the spectacle of the Golden Globe Race! The race starts on September 6th, and the Race village will be bustling with sailing excitement in the weeks leading up to the start. No better way to get pumped for a sailing trip! Check out the boats, listen to seminars, and line the famous breakwater to give the fleet a proper send-off as they leave to circumnavigate the globe! When the last competitor has left, most spectators will no doubt feel a bit empty and numb inside, as they return home to their everyday lives, wishing they could follow the adventurers over the horizon. But not you. You will be joining ISBJØRN, and sail out through that same harbor entrance just a few days later! Our trip will take us north and east, en route for Bergen, ISBJØRN's homeport and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We may choose to run through the English Channel, or go north through the Irish Sea and around the north of Scotland before crossing the North Sea and making landfall in Bergen.
SAILING STAFF
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The Passage
Rough itinerary
All 59º North passages are very much subject to weather. We pick our routes based on the "correct" time of year to be sailing in the different regions we visit, and we always build-in enough time to give us some margin for weather windows. The skipper has final say on departure dates and weather windows, but generally speaking, the intinerary for this passage will look like this:
September 8, 2026
Crew arrive to ISBJØRN at 13.00 in Les Sables d'Olonne, France. ISBJØRN orientation followed by crew dinner. All crew stay onboard ISBJØRN.
Prep Days
Between the joining and departure dates, all pre-passage preparation, provisioning, and safety briefings will be completed. The specific pre-departure schedule will be outlined and posted onboard ISBJØRN by the skipper.
September 10, 2026
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
September 23, 2026
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart ISBJØRN from Bergen, Norway.
PASSAGE DETAILS
Welcome to Les Sables-d’Olonne, France, and the excitement of the Golden Globe Race! The GGR race starts on September 6. We recommend that you grab a hotel or airbnb and arrive a few days early to experience the excitement around the race start. A few days after the race start, we'll sail out but head north towards Bergen. We find the best weather window for our long passage, but may stop along the route, flexibility is the key on this kind of passage!
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
Les Sables d'Olonne
Bergen
Weather conditions
Expect a cool, lively passage with the Bay of Biscay throwing some unsettled, blustery weather your way before things settle into proper North Sea sailing—dress warm, stay nimble, and enjoy the brisk autumn ride north.
In-depth analysis, by WRI
WHY 59º NORTH?
ambitious sailing schedule
The best boats
WOMEN BUNKS GUARANTEED
Professional, well-paid staff
knowledge & community
Why it costs what it costs...
"I can’t say enough good things about the camp, August, and ISBJØRN. The format is perfect for someone like me—I’ve done some sailing, but not enough to feel comfortable on a passage. August is an amazing teacher and so patient! I learned an incredible amount and feel ready to take on a passage with 59º North."
"59º North made my dream come true to cross an ocean via sailboat. Andy and Vilma taught me little lessons and big lessons of the sea, pushing me out of my comfort zone, which is exactly what I was hoping for. Thank you Andy and Mia for letting me, a rookie ocean sailor, live the experience of a lifetime and fueling future dreams. I hope to be crew on FALKEN once again and to keep learning."
"It was such an experience! Meeting all the people and being part of the crew is something very special. We were so lucky to spend the passage on FALKEN; the nature and weather gave us the best, and I really wish it could have lasted longer."
"Mark and I signed up for a multi-night sailing adventure and ended up with a life-altering week of utter delight. Alex and Mia created an atmosphere of trusting, loving community the second we boarded FALKEN, and we still can’t believe how they trusted us with their beautiful boat and the crew’s lives. We learned about sailing, charting, trimming sails, and working in teams with strangers, and experienced everything from flat calm to huge swells, dolphins, and whales. We’ve been off the boat for four days and are already obsessed with going on another leg—what a week, 59º North!"
"If you are thinking about reefing—reef! The same logic applies to sailing with Andy and Mia: if you are thinking about sailing with them, stop thinking and GO! Andy and Mia are great sailors, leaders, teachers, cooks, and warm, intelligent, accepting people. No matter how many blue water miles you have under your keel, you will be a better sailor after your trip on ISBJØRN."
"I had an unbelievable sailing experience aboard ISBJØRN with Naxo as skipper and David as apprentice. They took special care to accommodate everyone's wants and needs, and we sailed every point of sail, practiced MOB drills, docking, navigating, trip planning, and weather forecasting. The food was hot, plentiful, and varied, even during our cold offshore passage. I plan on doing this trip again and recommend that you do too. Thanks to 59º North, Naxo, and David."
"I had always wanted to do an ocean crossing but never felt comfortable doing it myself. Experiencing a bucket list item with 59º North was deeply special and has me considering how I can design my life for more adventures like this. Thank you for creating 59º North and allowing others to experience the magic of the seven seas!"
THE BOAT
S&S Swan 48
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ISBJØRN
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🇳🇴
ISBJØRN is the "OG" 59º North boat, the classic S&S Swan 48 that we started the business with back in 2015. She's considered an all-time great ocean cruising boat - built like a tank in Finland to the highest standards and with a modern but conservative hull shape making for fast & comfortable passages offshore in any weather. ISBJØRN sails with 5 crew plus a Skipper, and each person has their own dedicated sea berth & storage locker.
packing lists & notes
Packing Notes
Start here when planning your packing for sailing with 59º North. This list includes the general basics for all of our passages. The passage-specific packing lists offer more details.
Cold | Warm Packing List
This will be a "transitional" passage, either starting in warmer climes and increasing in latitude until it's significantly cooler, or vice versa. Another one of those trips where you'll need to pack one of everything for changing conditions. See the packing list for specifics.