Choosing which season to set sail in the Balearics

SEASONED sailors from all around the world choose the Balearics over other venues as it has so much to offer the sailing enthusiast. The islands have particularly good weather conditions for sailing because of their location in the Mediterranean and the temperate climate which attracts so many to the shores of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

The question is, when is the best time to go? Generally, weather conditions between May and October are ideal for sailors and make navigation of sailboats, motor boats and catamarans much easier to handle.

Summers are usually warm, rising to an average maximum of 27.5 degrees in August, but not unbearable, and winters are usually fairly mild, dropping to a minimum of 11 degrees.

Visitors, either experienced or unexperienced in sailing, choose sailing holidays in summer and sailing conditions are often ideal, especially on the southern side of the Balearics. There can be as many as 300 good sunny days every year.

Venues such as Palma, Puerto Portals and Can Pastilla therefore draw in the luxury yachts to their docks, making them busy with traffic in summer.

Winds are usually favour-able in the region and are generally stable, making it a safer and easier sailing experience, and even in winter, weather conditions do not vary much. However, seasonal changes can create western winds blowing in a northern direction and can cause problems. Anyone caught in such a scenario should seek a safe harbour for their boat as soon as possible.

In these conditions, the seas around northern Menorca and Majorca and between islands can be tricky for sailors, although, being protected, the bay of Palma is fairly safe.

High sailing season begins in April to May and finishes in September. The low season runs from late September to April when there is less sailing traffic and better deals for sailing holidays and rentals.

Whenever you sail, you can find a range of services and support for sailors and their boats on the islands and you enjoy some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the Med.