Greater Manchester UK
When my sons flew the nest I boarded my first yacht and was hooked! My other big passion is showing that ‘Deaf Can’ (in all areas of life) and I love sailing both with deaf and hearing sailors and working as a team. Best trip to now was the epic Iceland to Greenland voyage on Global Surveyor - the whales and steering through ice.
1,605
NM
Total Distance
55
Days
Time at Sea
Level 2 Powerboat Handling
The RYASmall Craft Basic Sea Survival
The RYAFirst Aid Course
The RYAWe started off on sails but at around noon had to switch to the engine. The scenic anchorage at Eigg was a great lunch spot and on the way to Mull we were treated to the sight of porpoises and guillemots whilst steering away from fish farms, lobster and crab nets and pots.
2
35.5
NM
9h 29m
Mallaig to Tobermory, United Kingdom
Low winds and ripply sea, a total contrast to yesterday. Relaxing - time to recover from yesterday 😂
2
23.8
NM
6h 11m
A'Chill to Mallaig, United Kingdom
Left Tobermory in gorgeous fair conditions and a lovely F4 wind. As we got into open water, the wind picked up and the water got choppy - proper sailing. My first time climbing the mast to bring down the mainsail in those conditions! Moored at a buoy in Canna Harbour - beautiful! Saw grey seals, puffins and oyster catchers. Got a tender to the island and enjoyed the local brew in the sun.
7
33.5
NM
6h 25m
Tobermory to A'Chill, United Kingdom
Great wind most of the way, though it dropped for the last 5 miles or so. As we rounded towards Tobermory the bright colours leaped out, even brighter than expected. Gorgeous.
4
24.9
NM
4h 38m
Oban to Tobermory, United Kingdom
On entering the fjord we were very blessed to see beautiful humpback whales. Two came close to the boat and treated us to a wonderful soul-touching show of bubble rings and synchronised diving. Skipper Ales has done this voyage 20 times and this is the first time the whales came close by Global Surveyor.
4
34.7
NM
11h 0m
Tasiilaq to Tiniteqilaaq, Greenland
Back to Kulusuk to catch our flight back to Iceland. This time I got to helm through the ice - what a great learning experience. And amazing to reflect that what took us 3 days to sail only took just over an hour by plane!
1
13.8
NM
3h 0m
Tasiilaq to Kulusuk, Greenland
Dropped two crew members at Kulusuk and as we motored to Tasilaq, saw a good chunk break off an ice berg - such sheer power. And seals were popping their heads up here and there as we crossed the sea.
4
35.9
NM
14h 0m
Eqi to Tasiilaq, Greenland
Made it through! Anchored at the eerily complete abandoned WW2 US air base - even saw a mop. And went on to the breathtaking glacier snout where my much braver crew mate swam in the icy sea. She said it was really invigorating. Then a long steer back through ice for Skipper Ales.
5
53.5
NM
15h 0m
Eqi, Greenland
Forced to turn back by ice. One of the crew caught a huge cod and we BBQed it by a trapper’s hut after backtracking to a smaller, relatively ice-free fjord.
3
38.1
NM
11h 0m
Kuummiit to Eqi, Greenland