Solar eclipse on a boat

At Sailwiz, we've prepared a selection of special trips for August 12, 2026, the day of the total solar eclipse. These trips depart from the Galician Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean Sea, on sailboats and recreational vessels, with a professional skipper included.

Each experience is designed to put you in the right place at the right time, with an unobstructed horizon and the sea as your backdrop. From the deck, with the boat stationary on the water and the horizon open in every direction, it's the perfect spot to witness it all. Check out all the available options and book your spot before they're gone.

The path of totality for the eclipse crosses the Iberian Peninsula. Spain has not been in the path of a total eclipse for decades, and one like this will not return until 2028 (it will pass over Ceuta).

Furthermore, the eclipse occurs at sunset, around 8:30 p.m. The sun will be low on the western horizon when the moon completely covers it, creating a unique visual combination: the colors of sunset mixed with the sudden darkness of the eclipse.

The eclipse can be seen on the Iberian Peninsula from the northwest and crosses from west to east, passing through numerous provincial capitals from A Coruña to Palma. All the coastlines within or very close to this path are ideal spots for boat trips. These are the coastal areas from which you can experience the total eclipse by boat:

Galicia is the Iberian Peninsula's epicenter of the lunar eclipse. The moon's shadow arrives here first, moving from the Atlantic Ocean towards the land. The Rías Altas and Rías Baixas offer sheltered waters perfect for sailing, with eclipses exceeding 99% even in the southernmost parts of the region. Setting sail from A Coruña, Ferrol, Lugo, or the Rías Baixas means witnessing the darkness approach from the open Atlantic horizon.

Asturias and Cantabria lie within the area of complete cruising, with Oviedo and Gijón as key locations. Asturias boasts the longest stretch of complete cruising in Spain. The Cantabrian coast has less of a tradition of nautical tourism than the South Atlantic or the Mediterranean, but its ports and estuaries offer departures with a completely unobstructed northern horizon overlooking the sea.

In the Basque Country , Bilbao barely reaches the maximum time with 31 seconds, while Vitoria-Gasteiz, further inland, takes over a minute. When departing by boat from the Basque Country, it's important to keep this geographical limitation in mind and choose your departure point carefully.

The Valencian Community and Castellón are within this area. The coast of Castellón and Valencia combines sea, accessibility, and services, making it a convenient option with direct views to the west. Sailing from these Mediterranean ports also has the advantage of the weather: August in the Mediterranean is the most stable month of the year, and therefore less likely to be cloudy.

According to astronomical data, the Balearic Islands offer the best position within the Spanish zone for viewing the eclipse: Palma de Mallorca will experience approximately two minutes of totality, the best result in all of Spain. Mallorca, Ibiza, and Menorca are all within the path of totality. Sailing between the islands on the day of the eclipse, with that open Mediterranean horizon, is one of the most complete experiences one can have that day.

Then at Sailwiz we have trips that depart from places like Catalonia and gradually head south towards the eclipse path. The great thing is that you can reach the ideal spot from the sea. Depending on your departure point, it will be a day trip or a longer one.

The partial phase lasts for more than two hours: the moon gradually covers the sun, and the light changes in a strange way, as if someone were adjusting a dimmer switch. There's plenty of time to calmly enjoy it from the deck.

At the moment of totality, several simultaneous phenomena occur: the solar corona appears, stars become visible in broad daylight, the horizon in all directions is bathed in the colors of dawn, and the temperature drops sharply. It lasts only a few minutes. Then the light returns and everything goes back to normal.

The partial phase, from when the moon begins to cover the sun until it completely uncovers it, lasts more than two hours. There's plenty of time to view it calmly from the deck, with the sea all around, and without any rush.

The critical moment is the entirety of it. It is brief and unrepeatable. It is best to be on deck, with your glasses on and without distractions, long before it arrives.

The area of maximum cloud cover stretches across Spain from west to east. On the Galician Atlantic coast, cloud cover is expected to reach nearly 100% at sunset over the waters of the estuary. In the Mediterranean, cloud cover is also very high, with the added advantage that August is the month with the most hours of sunshine of the year on that coast.

Sailwiz has departures in both areas. Each offers a distinct, equally memorable experience on the water.

On land, there's always something in the way: buildings, trees, mountains. The eclipse occurs at sunset, with the sun low on the western horizon. Any obstruction in that direction can ruin the crucial moment.

From the sea, the horizon is flat and unobstructed in a 360-degree view. Furthermore, the ship can move even if there are clouds, something impossible on land. And the water reflects the solar corona and the colors of the eclipse, transforming the sea into a second stage for the phenomenon.

August is the most stable month of the year on both Spanish coasts. In the Mediterranean, the probability of clear skies is very high. In the Galician Atlantic, the variability is somewhat greater, although boat trips have the advantage of being able to reposition themselves according to the day's forecast.

No eclipse observation has an absolute meteorological guarantee, but the sea offers options that do not exist on land.

Eclipse glasses with ISO 12312-2 certification. Warm clothing, even in August: the temperature drop during totality is more noticeable at sea due to the wind. Camera or mobile phone if you want to photograph it, although the visual experience is also worth enjoying without screens.

Boats have limited capacity, and the eclipse falls during the middle of August. These two factors, combined, significantly reduce availability. Sailwiz regularly updates its catalog of available departures for that date, with options from both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The earlier you book, the more options you'll have to choose your destination, boat type, and price.