Experiences

From Herefordshire to Samoa in Allures 45.9

Leaving the comfort of a settled life to embrace the unknown. That's the bold gamble Julian and Patricia took when they cast off aboard A Capella of Belfast, their Allures 45.9. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, via the Galapagos and Polynesia, this British couple set out on their round-the-world voyage, driven by a simple but powerful desire: to live life to the full, to explore differently, and to savor every moment of their chosen freedom. Their testimony is an ode to curiosity, to happy slowness, and to the beauty of a world discovered from the sea.

Why did you set off around the world?

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‍"Sailing around the world had been in the corner of our minds for a long time, without really having a well-defined plan. Caught up in our daily lives, between work and family life, time went by so quickly. Nevertheless, over the last few years, as the children became more independent, we sailed the Atlantic coast between Ireland, Spain, France and Scotland on 'A Capella', the first of her name, a 1995 steel forty-footer, acquired in 2010. Each summer, we sailed a little longer, up to 8 weeks at the end. Through sailing, meetings and long discussions, the idea of sailing around the world became obvious. Circumstances turned it into reality. The boys didn't want to take over the family business in Herefordshire, so either we continued ad vitam aeternam what we'd been doing for thirty years, or we took up the challenge of changing our lives and realizing our dream. We still felt young, were in good health, with solid savings, and the prospect of experiencing Brexit didn't really excite us, so the timing was ideal to turn the tables!"

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Sailing around the world had been in the back of our minds for a long time, without really having a well-defined plan.

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‍How did you prepare for this long journey?

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‍"There followed two years more intense than we could ever have imagined, between balancing our previous life, planning, preparing, and organizing our future life on the water! Since upgrading our good old 'A Capella' for such a voyage seemed unviable, we decided to order a new Allures 45.9, a 14m centerboarder in the meters range. It will be 'A Capella of Belfast', delivered in August 2017, just in time to join the transatlantic rallie organized by Jimmy Cornell. The timing was very tight, but we were accompanied all the way by the entire Allures team. But once we were anchored in the Canaries, waiting for the right weather window to cross the Atlantic this time, we realized that we'd definitely made the right choice. The journey could really begin, and the transatlantic crossing went as smoothly as it went comfortably."

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‍What is your program?

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‍"The first year we stayed in the Atlantic, cruising the Caribbean of course, then the Bahamas, and up the east coast of the USA. Most of the sailing is downwind in medium wind, and between the original code 0 and the asymmetric spinnaker we added, we really enjoy ourselves under sail. This season, we're cruising the Pacific, captivated by the Galapagos, inevitably under the spell of Polynesia, on our way to Samoa, and should reach New Zealand in November."

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And how is your new life going?

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‍"Our lives have changed radically, more than we probably imagined, and every day offers its share of surprises. We've become experts in fields we didn't even know existed two years ago: astrological navigation, fishing, seamanship and... Scrabble! The record on board is 756 points, thanks to our special rule that nautical terms count double! But if there's one thing we're sure of, it's that we never regret our choice! We may no longer be at work in the conventional sense, but we're not on vacation either. We're sailors, traveling the world. Half of our time is taken up with looking after our yacht, checking the weather and dealing with administrative formalities for our next stopovers or with England, while the other half is devoted to discovering the countries we visit. What wonderful encounters we've had since our departure! We've met people from incredibly varied backgrounds, and we've become good friends with many of them. Even among circumnavigators like us, there are so many ways to chart your course. Each at their own pace, according to their own interests. Some, like us, enjoy the journey itself as much as the destination, and we like to change places at a reasonable but regular pace. Others don't leave an island without exploring it in great detail. Or still others are in search of the best diving or kite surfing spots, depending on their favorite activity."‍

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What is your assessment and what are the prospects at this stage of your trip?

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‍"In two years, we've made a few changes to the boat, and it's a process of appropriation that seems normal to us. 'A Capella of Belfast' adapts to us as we adapt to her over time, and we're really completely happy with our choice. It's the live-incenterboarder for our program. We plan to be away for five years, maybe six. Initially, we were planning to sail her to remote places like Antarctica. But we have to admit that the more traditional route we're following today suits us well in terms of sailing and is sufficient, for the time being at least, to satisfy our thirst for discovery. Then it'll be time to come back home and carry out other projects, while continuing to enjoy the boat, but on destinations that are probably less remote, such as the Baltic, for example."

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‍In conclusion, what is your best memory to date?

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‍"We've accumulated so many great memories that it's hard to choose, but crossing the Panama Canal and sailing the Pacific is really very special." Julian & Patricia

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