Ship’s Log Week One
Location: Gibraltar, 36.158518, -5.355265
The plan to sail around the world was hatched ten years ago... it started with a map of the world pinned to the wall of the studio in Rouses Farm. A red line marked a route to circumnavigate the world by sail, following the trade winds from east to west.
Five years later, Walrus (the means to achieve the dream) was purchased. Walrus is a Hallberg Rassy 39 yacht designed for blue water sailing (crossing oceans). She was built in Sweden in 2001, number 179 of 209. Her keel, weighing four tons, helps her plough her way through choppy seas, of which she has navigated a few, crossing to and from Europe over the past few years. Her wooden interior is surprisingly capacious and is organised for maximum storage, which is fortuitous, given she will be home to three, sometimes four of us over the next 18 months.
The adventure ahead far exceeds anything any of us have tackled so far - three oceans, the Atlantic (three times), the Pacific and the Indian ocean. The plans have been laid and preparations made over the past year with additions made to the boat so that she can generate enough electricity by wind, solar, and water to serve our need to run the navigation system; convert saltwater to fresh; heat hot water (if we‘re lucky) and run the other systems that we will depend on for weeks at a time as we head from one shore to another.
We have variably been heading our way to the moment when we set off on the first leg of the adventure from Gibraltar to the Canaries and from there across the Atlantic.
Dicky, skipper and co-owner, has, since retirement been delivering yachts of varying sizes around Europe, adding to his many years of sailing experience. Yacht delivery has provided a wealth of opportunity, including battling with Orcas off the shores of Portugal, navigating the Caledonian canal and Loch Ness over the course of a gorgeous Scottish summer and being rescued by coastguards off the coast of Ireland when the steering and electrics failed on an ancient and not well cared for yacht that was ambitiously being delivered from Wales to Portugal.
Alison (me), crew and co-owner of Walrus, has been working towards retirement (Friday 8th November) and preparing my and Dicky’s home in Sandwich for letting. I joined Walrus for two weeks sailing round Corsica in the summer. I bring humour and a good repertoire of dishes made from leftovers or next to nothing – even when sailing at an angle of 45 degrees.
Gerald, fellow crew member and semi-retired vet, is skilled in many things, from sorting out the Wi-Fi and the water maker to untangling the fishing lines in preparation for provisioning at sea. Gerald’s preparations for the trip included joining Dicky and Lydia (the fourth crew member crossing the Atlantic) in sailing Walrus from Ramsgate, her home port, to Corsica and, importantly, getting married to Marla.
Lydia, experienced sailor, and coastguard in Falmouth, the youngest of the crew by some forty years, sailed with Dicky and Gerald from Ramsgate to Barcelona in the summer. Lydia joins the crew for the Atlantic crossing, she brings a wealth of practical experience and an amazing can-do attitude.
Best laid plans – Dicky, Gerald and I are on board Walrus in Gibraltar. Meanwhile Walrus foresail (made in a sail loft in Ramsgate by Simon Northrop) sits in customs in Gibraltar awaiting clearance, the water-maker is in Seville in the custody of DHL and the pulpit and other items from Hallberg Rassy are also in Seville. Many conversations have been had with Spanish customs and delivery companies over the past few days, which, we are hoping, results in the release of these items and the start to the sail to the Canaries.
Dicky has a saying, we’ll have an ‘O‘ group... meaning we’ll get together and decide how to proceed. The ’O‘ group is scheduled for tomorrow (Monday 18th November) evening... by which time we hope to have a better idea about when/whether and/or how the all-important items will be delivered or collected. This will determine whether we proceed with sailing to the Canaries or whether a Plan B has to be hatched... meanwhile we watch the weather forecasts like hawks...
What to expect next... we will be posting regular updates:
Menu Monday... what’s cooking in the galley
Technical Tuesday... prepare for a nerdy Tuesday
Thursday - 30 seconds of zen
Friday - the captain's log
Weekend - a weekly newsletter round up...