By Whitlock - 2 Jan 2022
My wife and I completed our first circumnavigation in 2007 having commenced it, starting from Turkey in 2004. It was a dream that we both had when we met at University, fell in love and were married whilst still studying. 30 years later we had built up a very successful international business in the marine industry, both our children were married so we made the decision to sell our companies and achieve our dream. In every respect it was better than we dared hope. Arriving back and expecting to spend part of each year sailing the Med we returned to our home in France, 24 hour TV news and the start of the 2008 financial crisis. We lasted less than a year before we set off again for our second circumnavigation.
Family commitments finally caught up with us and we were content for a while to be shore based but when the circumstances arose we one again replaced our yacht and started sailing in Europe and Scandinavia prior to commencing our next transatlantic crossing and exploring the east coast of the USA and Canada.
These plans were tragically cut short when my wife developed pancreatic cancer and passed away a year ago. I had thought that I would not be able to find another partner with the courage, strength and sense of adventure so sold our last yacht and intended to try and make a new shore based life. However after a year I realise that the only true freedom is on the ocean and whilst I still have good health I will attempt to find a soul mate who has the qualities I mentioned.
Namely a sense of adventure, a love of the sea and knowledge of sailing, and no commitments that would preclude a three year plan to circumnavigate and to explore.
Our many years of sailing starting with North Sea crossings in a Holman and Pye 28 footer have led me to appreciate the qualities of a well designed yacht. Our later ocean wanderings were in a much larger and comfortable Tayana 55 and whilst my first boat still holds top place in my heart a larger yacht is required for comfortable sea keeping and life aboard. Our last yacht - a Contest 50 CS - was beautiful and superbly equipped and fine for northern latitude sailing which was our main objective. However it was far too sophisticated for true world cruising and even being just 5 foot shorter did not provide the sea keeping qualities of the Tayana. I am therefore now looking for a yacht in the 55' plus size range and intend to set sail in the early summer. I am looking for someone with the same dream and independence to share this experience with.
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