Sailing Yacht Charter on the White Isle
A day cruise in the Balearics is good for one's soul. Find out about the island's best-kept secrets.
November 11, 2025
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There’s a special kind of freedom that comes from slipping Ibiza’s mooring lines at dawn. The island’s hedonistic pulse still hums faintly in the distance as our bow turns eastward, the wind rising with the sun. Ahead lies Illa de Tagomago, just a speck on the Balearic chart.
Above: Behind the helm on a day cruiser. Image via Emma Coady.
The Helmsman Club
When I arrive at The Helmsman Club, the office is a hub abuzz with sailors studying at an official RYA training centre in Marina Santa Eulalia. Students were concentrating so hard on their Yachtmaster's exam that they barely noticed who walked in and out of the classroom.
My boys, Austin and Atticus, are toddlers and cannot yet swim; therefore, I didn’t feel comfortable with them going on a sailing charter. But I had planned to get them on board the boat once we returned to the marina as a safe and gentle way of introducing them to sailing.
Setting Sail on an Oceanworthy Dufour 260
Our day begins with stepping aboard an Oceanworthy Dufour 260 in the glassy calm of Marina Santa Eulalia, where the water is a mirror for the first blush of light over the shallows. Our seasoned skipper, Matias, a sun-browned local with an easy way about him, greets me on a Dufour 260. He assures me that this model is an exceptionally stable and comfortable vessel, making it a perfect companion for both long and short sailing trips. Founded in the 1960s by Michel Dufour, a young French engineer and seasoned sailor, it strikes an ideal balance between functionality and elegance. You can pick one up second-hand for €70,000. It is a modest boat that sits in the lower-cost segment. They suit day or overnight cruisers, and they make popular charter yachts for this reason.
Browse for new and used Dufour yachts for sale.
Above: Matias hoisting the sails. Image via Emma Coady.
Some purist sailors might tut as we motored in and out of the marina, but to reach Tagomago Island and return by noon, we needed a little help with power. Once we were out in the open water, we had enough wind to power the boat by sail at speed. Matias teaches me to steer from behind the helm, on the starboard side, since this is where our Raymarine reader is located.
Above: The best place to hang out on a yacht is on the windswept bow. Image via Emma Coady.
My experience in sailing is limited to freshwater lakes, and it came as a surprise when I discovered that, in many ways, offshore sailing is easier. Behind the wheel, I found that the response time was considerably longer compared with a dinghy on a freshwater lake. I had become accustomed to ducking and diving every few minutes due to the sudden onset of spirited gusts. Wave periods are much longer, which makes it much easier on the boat and the body. I had long restful periods where I could put my feet up. Also, one needs to tack far less frequently.
But truth be told, I relied heavily on Matias’ local knowledge of the tides and currents. Having lived on Ibiza for ten years, he can read the sea confidently even at night. In fact, he tells me that his favourite time to cruise is under a full moon rising over the ocean.
On the outbound leg, once the sails are up, there is nothing to do but look into the horizon and share stories. Something that sailors are well-practiced in.
Matias tells me that the diversity in the landscape amazes him, even after ten years of living here. “The coast changes so drastically within short distances. The Sa Caleta beach has striking red sand and terracotta-coloured cliffs in the south of Ibiza.” Mattius continues… “but to the right of the beach, the sand is green.” His favourite local activities are swimming in the ocean at night, and scuba diving with Manta rays; he knows where they hide and seeks them out in the north of Formentera.
Ibiza’s beaches are blissfully empty this time of year. From the beginning of October, the crowds begin to peter out. There are over 80 beaches in Ibiza, and if you count coves that you can only access via boat, there are 120 beaches. Many of which are inaccessible via buggy, I experienced this firsthand last year, and even broke the wheels on our pram trying to cart the baby down craggy, sandy slopes.
Above: Ibiza boasts over 120 beaches and coves, many of which are hidden gems. Image via Unsplash/Karol Chomka.
Hoisting the Sails
Once we reached the open water, we stopped the yacht and hoisted the sails. With the engine silenced, the world transforms. The yacht, a sleek 45-footer built for comfort and pace, leans gently into a steady 12 knots of easterly wind.
Above: Our Raymarine reader. Image via Emma Coady.
Illa de Tagomago
Tagomago isn’t a destination for those who crave amenities. It is a rocky crescent fringed by crystalline shallows. Admittedly, at first, I was underwhelmed. But that is the mindset of somebody who lives an overstimulated lifestyle on land. There were no cafes, no shops, no markets. The island is privately owned, featuring only a preserved lighthouse and one villa. But that is the whole point of sailing, to travel into remote areas to appreciate nature. We drop anchor in ten meters of gin-clear water, the seabed visible enough from below that you can trace miniature fish emerging from the sand.
Above: Tagomago Island. Image via Emma Coady.
Our tender is a modest paddleboard. Keen to see more, I gently swish my oar carving through calm water. Matias explains that the island is popular for scuba diving due to its abundance of rich marine life. Paddleboarding to land instead of using a motorized tender is preferable, firstly for the exercise, but also for the silence, heightening the senses.
Time for a dip, as the temperature is north of 25 degrees. I lower myself into the water and spy tropical fish, an octopus, jellyfish, and starfish.
Illa de Tagomago, Lighthouse
Latitude N: 39º 01.952'
Longitude E: 001º 38.939'
Nominal range: 21 nm.
Height above sea level: 86 m.
Perched on the rugged prominences of Tagomago Islet, the white octagonal lighthouse rises 23 meters above the Mediterranean Sea. This timeless sentinel is steeped in maritime heritage. Erected in the late 19th century, this storied beacon has long guided sailors navigating these historic waters, its silent watch timeless in its vigilance.
Reaching the lighthouse requires a spirited ascent through wild, untouched terrain that is only accessible to the island's private owner and their guests. From the top of the lighthouse, there are panoramic vistas of the channel between Illa de Tagomago and Ibiza, an expanse of open sea, and, on clear days, a glimpse of Formentera on the horizon. “Formentera is a must for a day trip or overnight stay at this time of year,” Matias recommends.
The ramshackle lighthouse is an elegant structure surrounded by untouched nature, with the ceaseless chorus of wind and circling gulls, far from the Ibizian buzz of tourism. Only the sea’s whisper and the lighthouse keepers’ legacy of manual illumination remind those who visit of a bygone era.
Designed by Pere Garau, Tagomago’s lighthouse was inaugurated with a 25 cm focal length catadioptric lens, a 35 mm Chance lamp, and a measured flash sequence, just two flashes every 20 seconds, making it the slowest in the Balearic archipelago. In 1948, red lenses were introduced to mark the Santa Eulària shoal, a guidance feature that remained in place until 2013, when the red sector was decommissioned.
Today, the lighthouse remains an enduring symbol of seafaring tradition, serving as an unwavering guardian of the Majorcan waters.
Above: Austin behind the helm. Introducing him to boats at Marina Santa Eulalia. Image via Emma Coady.
Above: Atticus behind the helm. It's a good job there are two wheels on this boat. Image via Emma Coady.
The Helmsman Club
Other popular cruising routes for the Helmsman Club in the area include:
Cala Jondal-Es Vedra-Ses Illetes
Portinax-Es Canaret-Benirras
Ses Salinas-Ses Illetes
Contact the Helmsman Club for further details on charters or booking a place on their RYA sailing academy.
Stay tuned to find out about my next Balearic adventure next summer.
Editor's note: Emma Coady went on a sailing trip as a guest courtesy of The Helmsman Club.
