Sail away on a low-carbon holiday

It’s hardly a new innovation, but in a world where we count the cost of our flights in carbon credits, and #flygskam is trending to make people take the train, it’s perhaps little surprise that there’s more attention than ever being paid to the power of the wind.

And I don’t mean wind turbines – like Denmark’s ambitious plan to run the entire country on just one massive offshore farm – but rather letting the ocean breeze power up your holiday travels.

Greta Thunberg made the headlines for travelling by sail when she crossed the Atlantic to attend the UN Climate Action Summit, but your sail-powered escapes don’t have to be quite so dramatic.

Sailing has even come to the realms of commuter travel, with SailLink offering commuter journeys across the English Channel. Connecting Dover with Boulogne-sur-Mer this innovative new service is a carbon-friendly option to the larger ferries that ply the route to Calais.

Instead, you’ll step aboard a custom-built catamaran in Dover and enjoy the four-hour journey, give or take depending on the wind, over to France. From Boulogne-sur-Mer it’s little more than two hours by train to Paris, and there are ambitious plans to expand the service to two more routes between England and France.

Sailing holidays come with built-in adventure, but what if you don’t know your mizzen from your main sheet? No problem at all, with skippered sailing holidays available in destinations ranging from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean.

Companies like The Moorings and Sunsail – which operate more than 800 yachts in 25 locations worldwide – take care of the boat, qualified crew, and the itinerary while you kick back and enjoy life at sea. The closest escape from South Africa is Seychelles, with island hopping itineraries exploring the coral coves and beaches of Mahé and Praslin.

Even closer is the gin-clear seas of northern Madagascar, where a sailing holiday is the best way to bounce between the islands around northern Nosy Be, or Ile aux Nattes in the east. MadagasCaT Charters & Travel have been the experts here for more than a decade, and offer a range of sailing, fishing and dive charters.

Want a step up in comfort? In the waters of the Aegean Sea on the southern coast of Turkey, traditional gulets offer a floating boutique hotel with a full crew to take care of you. Gulets range in size, typically from three to 10 cabins, running from merely comfortable to outrageously luxurious. Let your budget dictate which you opt for, but also remember that smaller gulets can moor up in tiny coves that larger vessels may not be able to access. Gulets are ideal for exclusive charters, but you may also be able to book a cabin on scheduled itineraries.

Last, but certainly not least, are the wind-powered luxury cruise ships that combine the romance of sail with thoroughly modern luxuries.

Alongside the likes of Sea Cloud and Wind Star Cruises, the Star Clippers fleet wins my vote for sheer nautical romance. The passion project of Swedish-born industrialist Mikael Krafft, the trio of Star Clippers sailing vessels appear transported from the 19th century, and the Royal Clipper was in 2001 recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's largest square-rigger in service.

At 134-metres, with 42 sails above and three swimming pools on deck, in full sail she is a remarkable sight for the 227 guests lucky enough to grab a berth on board. For something more intimate, the three-masted Le Ponant, the namesake yacht in the storied Ponant cruise line, is sure to grab your imagination. With just 32 guests aboard, and a distinctly Francophone influence in style and cuisine, Le Ponant’s voyages across the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean offer a more sustainable way to run away to sea.