[Misc] Sailing across the ocean....

[Herr Tubthumper]

No, this is not another midlife crisis thread.

I have recently started following a couple on insta who are sailing across the Atlantic in a 40 ft yacht. I mean, WTAF. On the odd occasion, when the weather is nice and the sea calm it looks idilic. More often though, it looks terrifying. Yesterday's post had them hunkering down inside with the hatches closed and being tossed around....let's not forget they are literally a 1000 miles from anywhere. Another day they were in 4m high swells and waves, again 1000 miles from anywhere. They do not look scared at all, allegedly they enjoy it. What is something on the yacht breaks, the radio breaks....who will save you? What if the yacht capsizes? Who will save you?

Are there any lunatics on this sight sailed across the Atlantic, or another ocean?

 

[tstanbur]

A good mate did this, but in a rowing boat with 3 others, 2 of them amputees.

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Absolute lunatics (heroes).

I took the slightly easier option and flew to Antigua to meet them at the finish line!

 

[Commander]

No, this is not another midlife crisis thread.

I have recently started following a couple on insta who are sailing across the Atlantic in a 40 ft yacht. I mean, WTAF. On the odd occasion, when the weather is nice and the sea calm it looks idilic. More often though, it looks terrifying. Yesterday's post had them hunkering down inside with the hatches closed and being tossed around....let's not forget they are literally a 1000 miles from anywhere. Another day they were in 4m high swells and waves, again 1000 miles from anywhere. They do not look scared at all, allegedly they enjoy it. What is something on the yacht breaks, the radio breaks....who will save you? What if the yacht capsizes? Who will save you?

Are there any lunatics on this sight sailed across the Atlantic, or another ocean?

This is quite an Instagram trend at the moment along with things like driving to Australia. I guess social media allows people to be able to fund the adventure if they get enough followers.

There is one guy, Sailing Songbird or something that I follow, he sailed across the Atlantic BY HIMSELF. Can't remember what he's doing at the moment, but it's equally mental. A few weeks ago he was stuck in doldrums in the Pacific, it was the middle of the night and it was so flat he's got his paddleboard out and paddled a couple of hundred metres away from his yacht. He was just sat there on a paddleboard in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the middle of the night, all by himself.

Some people are just built differently. I start to get concerned about sharks if my bath is too deep.

 

[bhafc99]

I've sailed the Atlantic, from Southampton to St Lucia/Martinique via the Canary Islands.

It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

We had a bit of rough weather in Biscay, but the rest was always manageable. We kept sailing 24/7, night and day watches etc, didn't turn the engine on once.

There are safety devices (EPIRB beacons etc) if you capsize or sink, plus radios etc. Yes it's an ocean, but no way near as remote as say, the Southern Ocean.

 

[Commander]

I've sailed the Atlantic, from Southampton to St Lucia/Martinique via the Canary Islands.

It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

We had a bit of rough weather in Biscay, but the rest was always manageable. We kept sailing 24/7, night and day watches etc, didn't turn the engine on once.

There are safety devices (EPIRB beacons etc) if you capsize or sink, plus radios etc. Yes it's an ocean, but no way near as remote as say, the Southern Ocean.

I agree. Sailing the Atlantic is for pussies. Sail a proper ocean FFS

 

[Swegulls]

We have a tv-series here in Sweden "Över Atlanten" (Across the Atlantic) were celebrities do just that. They start at the Canary Islands and finish at St Martens or, like the latest season, in Rio de Janeiro. 2-3 weeks at sea, some throw up after 30 minutes, sails are cut to shreds, the water filtering system breaks down etc.

I like to watch it but would never set my foot on that boat! Skipper is Gunnar "Gurra" Krantz, former Withbread round the world skipper, and Janne Andersson (our former national team manager) is one of the celebs this season. Footballers like Kenneth Andersson, Henrik Larsson, Anders Limpar and Anders Svensson have done it in some earlier seasons.

Edit: I follow colebraueroceanracing on Insta, she's giving her mate a ride back to Australia at the moment. Have just crossed most of the Southern Ocean by now. Scary and crazy!

 

[jackanada]

My cousin did this, though only going from Florida to the Caribbean.
Unfortunately her youthful self and boyfriend didn't question why the small yacht they bought was so cheap and the keel snapped off in the first storm they hit and after a night being battered while clinging to the stub of the keel atop the overturned boat they found themselves in glorious sunshine and calm waters contemplating their very probable demise.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

This is quite an Instagram trend at the moment along with things like driving to Australia. I guess social media allows people to be able to fund the adventure if they get enough followers.

There is one guy, Sailing Songbird or something that I follow, he sailed across the Atlantic BY HIMSELF. Can't remember what he's doing at the moment, but it's equally mental. A few weeks ago he was stuck in doldrums in the Pacific, it was the middle of the night and it was so flat he's got his paddleboard out and paddled a couple of hundred metres away from his yacht. He was just sat there on a paddleboard in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the middle of the night, all by himself.

Some people are just built differently. I start to get concerned about sharks if my bath is too deep.

For all the crap social media throws up I do find these windows into other people's lives interesting, there is a positive to socla media. I'll try and find this Songbird person.

 

[Official Old Man]

I had a couple of these come up on YouTube. Watch one and I got loads as suggestions.
Couples seem to just float around the Med or Caribbean free of charge on the back of being on the net. Seems a trend to go to a premium service to see them naked as well. No thanks.

 

[Brian Fantana]

This is quite an Instagram trend at the moment along with things like driving to Australia. I guess social media allows people to be able to fund the adventure if they get enough followers.

There is one guy, Sailing Songbird or something that I follow, he sailed across the Atlantic BY HIMSELF. Can't remember what he's doing at the moment, but it's equally mental. A few weeks ago he was stuck in doldrums in the Pacific, it was the middle of the night and it was so flat he's got his paddleboard out and paddled a couple of hundred metres away from his yacht. He was just sat there on a paddleboard in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the middle of the night, all by himself.

Some people are just built differently. I start to get concerned about sharks if my bath is too deep.

Even reading that made my toes curl in anxiety.

 

[knocky1]

1997 St Lucia to Dartmouth via the Azores. 5 weeks averaging 5-6 knots. Small, tired yacht, nice wooden interior, leak in water tank, navigation system broken, left day before hurricane season started
Highlights; whale surfacing next to us and having a 2 minute stare, dolphins daily, turtles all alone, drinking for 48 hours in the Azores, catching dog sized tuna on a line, having to dive under the boat with a knife to cut a trapped fishing net off the hull. The biggest adrenaline fix was swimming in the middle of the Atlantic ,when in the doldrums, with 5,000m of sea beneath me. The fear from leaving the boat made me shake like f#@£.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Agree, it's a different kind of person that embraces solitude to that degree.

I have tried to imagine the thoughts of Neal Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin. Landing on the moon in the lunar module, never been done for real EVER before, no chance of rescue if anything went wrong. The mind-strength to deal with that must be immense.

Such things could be seen as brave or foolish but I believe there is something in-between that not many have been gifted with.

#respect

 

[Commander]

1997 St Lucia to Dartmouth via the Azores. 5 weeks averaging 5-6 knots. Small, tired yacht, nice wooden interior, leak in water tank, navigation system broken, left day before hurricane season started
Highlights; whale surfacing next to us and having a 2 minute stare, dolphins daily, turtles all alone, drinking for 48 hours in the Azores, catching dog sized tuna on a line, having to dive under the boat with a knife to cut a trapped fishing net off the hull. The biggest adrenaline fix was swimming in the middle of the Atlantic ,when in the doldrums, with 5,000m of sea beneath me. The fear from leaving the boat made me shake like f#@£.View attachment 196607View attachment 196608

One of those things that I would absolutely love to have done, but probably wouldn't have actually enjoyed doing!

 

[nicko31]

The sea is a pretty scary place, never underestimate it.

Even summer in the Med can bring surprises....

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Imagine being one of those people who ROW it.

 

[Commander]

Agree, it's a different kind of person that embraces solitude to that degree.

I have tried to imagine the thoughts of Neal Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin. Landing on the moon in the lunar module, never been done for real EVER before, no chance of rescue if anything went wrong. The mind-strength to deal with that must be immense.

Such things could be seen as brave or foolish but I believe there is something in-between that not many have been gifted with.

#respect

I think that's easier than sailing across an ocean with only yourself or a couple of others for company. The Astronauts had an entire nation behind them, with a massive team of the most qualified people in the world to ensure success. That's got to be a lot more reassuring than knowing it is you and your mate and if it goes wrong, nobody is coming to help you.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I think that's easier than sailing across an ocean with only yourself or a couple of others for company. The Astronauts had an entire nation behind them, with a massive team of the most qualified people in the world to ensure success. That's got to be a lot more reassuring than knowing it is you and your mate and if it goes wrong, nobody is coming to help you.

That's absolutely not true: I've seen loads of space-jeopardy movies and somebody ALWAYS comes to save you, usually by doing some sort of external repair that involves a 30 minute spacewalk and only 15 minutes of oxygen.

 

[jackanada]

My cousin did this, though only going from Florida to the Caribbean.
Unfortunately her youthful self and boyfriend didn't question why the small yacht they bought was so cheap and the keel snapped off in the first storm they hit and after a night being battered while clinging to the stub of the keel atop the overturned boat they found themselves in glorious sunshine and calm waters contemplating their very probable demise.

Completing story.
Several hours later they saw a ship on horizon and sent up a flare they'd sensibly salvaged.
Fortunately the ship was headed almost exactly towards them because it was Massive, as in so massive it couldn't have changed course more than a few degrees on the time it took to reach them.
Crew screamed at them from the front, though in Filipino so they didn't understand but realised just in time they meant FFS swim to this cargo net dropped over the side at the stern. They swam furiously for it and barely grabbed on. They just pulled themselves out of the water in time to see their vessel get pulled in by the draft and obliterated by a propeller the size of a house.

 

[AK74]

Berserk in the Antarctic is a great read. Brilliantly written, and full of WTAF moments.

Berserk in the Antarctic: Sailing to the World’s Most Untameable Continent - Mercy, David: 9781840244793 - AbeBooks

'This is suicide!' Manuel screamed frantically. So begins an amazing true story of a journey to Antarctica in a 27-foot sailing boat. After travelling through South America to Tierra del Fuego, the only continent David had never visited beckoned to him across treacherous waters. Ships booked for ...

www.abebooks.co.uk

 

[Swegulls]

Completing story.
Several hours later they saw a ship on horizon and sent up a flare they'd sensibly salvaged.
Fortunately the ship was headed almost exactly towards them because it was Massive, as in so massive it couldn't have changed course more than a few degrees on the time it took to reach them.
Crew screamed at them from the front, though in Filipino so they didn't understand but realised just in time they meant FFS swim to this cargo net dropped over the side at the stern. They swam furiously for it and barely grabbed on. They just pulled themselves out of the water in time to see their vessel get pulled in by the draft and obliterated by a propeller the size of a house.

Wow, that's some story! Glad they made it, must have been some looooong hours at sea.

I have an incredible respect for water and feel bad just seeing a smaller boat. Seasickness is the worst thing I know. Huge respect to those that head out into the unknown. Sailing is like watching snakes on the telly, scary and fascinating at the same time! Just can't switch channel when Snakes in the City is on.