This is a story with three main characters.
On one hand, there’s Celia, from Madrid. She graduated with a degree in Economics and International Relations, hoping to find a job that would allow her to travel and see the world, something she’s as passionate about as the ocean, which has fascinated her for as long as she can remember.
On the other hand, there’s Álvaro, also from Madrid, who has been involved with sailing since childhood, thanks to his parents, with whom he sailed for extended periods. He graduated with a degree in Economics and Finance and, like Celia, began working in the banking sector.
Soon, Celia and Álvaro realized they weren’t entirely satisfied, so little by little, they began to shape the project that has ultimately led them to a full and happy life today.
This project is called “Nomads of the Sea” and in order to carry it out, they had to radically change the conventional lives they led in the city and find the third protagonist of this story, the sailboat, a Bavaria 46 Cruiser that they have turned into their home and which they have named, as it could not be otherwise, “Nomads of the Sea”.
When you made the decision to go live on a sailboat and start traveling the world, what previous experience did you have?
We had just enough experience. Although Álvaro had sailed quite a bit with his parents, he had never been captain. Celia had only sailed once during a sailing holiday in the Balearic Islands. We dedicated a lot of time to preparing for this new stage, both practically and theoretically. Looking back, we think we did everything too quickly, and that’s why we recommend that anyone wanting to undertake a project like this do it little by little, enjoying the process.
Besides the experience of living sailing on a sailboat, what does your “Sea Nomads” project consist of ?
Sea Nomads (Nómadas Del Mar) is a project centered around an alternative and sustainable lifestyle, living aboard a sailboat. We seek a simpler way of life in close contact with nature, allowing us to continue exploring the world while sharing our experiences at sea.
Through our social media, we showcase our daily life on board: our voyages, challenges, and also the good times, with the aim of introducing sailing to those who are curious about it.
In addition, we offer experiences so that others can discover unique places at sea in an authentic way and through responsible tourism.
When buying the sailboat, what conditions did it have to meet and what features were essential for you? Was it a long process or did you find it quickly?
That depends a lot on the individual and their circumstances. We were looking for a sturdy, ocean-going boat that was easy to handle, given our limited experience, with good space utilization and in good condition so we could also charter it.
We were lucky enough to find one very quickly.
You advocate a responsible way of sailing with minimal environmental impact, how have you achieved this?
We try to make the most of the wind. We have solar panels that provide us with energy without needing a generator, and a 12V water purifier that allows us to be self-sufficient.
We pay close attention to the products we use and, whenever there are more eco-friendly or biodegradable options, we choose them. We are also very conscious of the waste we generate and try to minimize our use of plastics.
How do you manage on long voyages, just the two of you?
How have you equipped the boat to feel safer?
We organize ourselves according to how tired we are. Álvaro is more of a day person, so he usually does the dawn and dusk watches, while Celia, more of a night owl, takes the night watches.
Whenever we sail at night, we wear our life jackets and have our lifelines ready. We have a personal AIS attached to each life jacket, and the radar is very helpful for detecting squalls or clouds. We also closely monitor the weather and always sail with an up-to-date forecast. And, just in case, we have a good EPIRB and a life raft.
What journeys have you made so far? Have you experienced any critical moments where you were scared?
And any particularly good ones?
We’ve sailed the Mediterranean, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to Madeira and then the Canary Islands, sailed down to Cape Verde, crossed the Atlantic, sailed north through the Antilles, traversed the Caribbean Sea, spent two seasons in Panama, and sailed around its hundreds of islands.
This past year, we crossed the Panama Canal and sailed along the entire coast of Central America until we reached the Gulf of California in Mexico.
We’ve never felt fear, because in moments of tension there’s no time to think, only to act (thankfully). We have, however, experienced intense situations, like a fierce storm between Menorca and Ibiza, naturally, at night. We always say that the boat is the best place to test Murphy’s Law.
And the good times… are countless. Hundreds of dolphins leaping around the sailboat, bioluminescence so intense it illuminated the fish beneath the hull, or waking up to the song of whales and seeing them breathe just a few meters from the boat are just some of the breathtaking experiences.
In your experience, what is something you should always bring on board and something you should never bring?
Always: a way to check the weather forecast.
Never: firearms.
During the seasons you spend in port, you dedicate yourselves to work; among other things, you give people the opportunity to learn about the world of sailing. What experiences do you offer?
We don’t spend extended periods in port; this also allows us to reduce costs significantly. They say a well-lived boat is a well-maintained boat.
We offer people the opportunity to experience sailing and explore different parts of the world with us, through responsible tourism, both on our sailboat and on other sailboats in various destinations we’ve already visited.
This way of life forces you to forget about material things and prioritize what you truly need. What is this bringing you on a personal level??
It’s teaching us to value the simple things and to live more in the present. To adapt to circumstances, depend less on material possessions, and appreciate nature. Life at sea tests you, but it also gives you a feeling of freedom and fulfillment that’s hard to explain.
Finally, what are your next voyages?
How do you envision your future?
We want to continue exploring the Gulf of California next year, and after that…we’ll see. Plans are meant to be broken; we’re always adapting.
Our next big dream is to cross the Pacific and explore French Polynesia.
You can follow the Sea Nomads on social media:
From “Navegantes Oceánicos” we thank Celia and Álvaro for their collaboration in this interesting interview, which will surely be an example to follow for many, and we wish them fair winds on their next voyages and much luck in their project “Sea Nomads (Nómadas del Mar)”
