What port means on board
Port is the left-hand side of the yacht when you face forward. It is a fixed word. It makes no difference whether you are sitting facing ahead, facing backwards or lying on the sun deck: port always points to the same side of the boat.
This is more useful than it sounds. On land, “to the left” depends on which way you are looking. At sea that causes confusion. That is why seafaring people agreed on proper names for each side. This way a single instruction means the same thing to everyone.
Where you hear it on our outings
During the crossing, the skipper and the guide use these words all the time. They help steer everyone’s gaze without wasting a moment. If someone says “look to port”, the whole group turns to the same spot at once.
This matters a great deal when wildlife appears. The sea is not a stage and we never promise a show. But when we sail under canvas, in silence, the animals draw near with trust. In that moment, a clear word makes the difference between seeing something and staring at the wrong side.
We do not sell an excursion, we share an experience. And learning these two words, port and starboard, makes you feel part of the crew from the very first minute.
Something worth remembering
Boats carry navigation lights at night. The port light is red and the starboard light is green. This code is the same all over the world. It helps two vessels work out which way the other is heading in the dark.
Although our outings run by day, that detail shows how old and practical the system is. Red on the left, green on the right: a shared language of the sea that has worked for centuries. Aboard Aemón or Ayla, all you have to do is keep the essentials in mind and enjoy the wind.
