A single walrus raised its frosted head, eyeing Firebird as we dropped anchor at Tynarebukta on the Isfjorden. Rugged mountains were enveloped by a glacier that spilled out onto the…

If it could float, it was out on the water in Sydney Harbour that day. Ferries, dinghies, powerboats, catamarans, superyachts, naval ships, and everything in between streamed across the famous…

‘Take care sailing Colombia,’ was the general theme of our farewell conversations as we prepared to leave the flat, arid island of Curaçao. There was something unsettling about the string…

A pause for reflection late in the day

The tireless whirring of my coffee machine brought me back to my senses as I stood, lost in thought, in the cockpit of Mirniy Okean, my 40ft Boden South Sea…

It’s that time of year when yachts and crews from northern Europe flock south, migrating to warmer climes. But like all good migration routes there’s an obstacle in the way:…

The three-year time limit for ‘Returned Goods Relief’ (RGR), which saw UK yacht owners potentially facing large VAT bills when they brought their yachts back to the UK after cruising…

Nathan picked up our anchor in Roque Harbour in a light breeze, with a plan to sail to nowhere in particular. We were to spend time cruising Maine and discovering…

Nearly two years of lockdown have left increasing numbers of yachts laid up and unattended around the world. The scramble to return home before travel restrictions started in 2020 meant…

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to join the French crew of the IMOCA 60 Bureau Vallée 3 for the Ocean Race Europe. Their new boat had been launched…