ABOUT US

We are Tim & Carol. Tim’s first boat was a Swallow Bayraider called Ristie back in 2010. He participated in a number of regattas and “raids” - events of up to a week with races for yachts that can be powered by sail or oar. Tim trained as a Watchleader for the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland and volunteered for them. We started our journey together when I first accidentally crewed for Tim back in 2014, then participated on the next lot of long voyages.

The next boat upgrade (as invariably happens) was Acheron, she was an Ovni 39, aluminium with a lifting centreboard. Her first shakedown voyage was from Fambridge to Milford Haven via Orkneys, Shetland, Foula, St Kilda and the West coast - he never has been one for the short way round, unless it’s through a tight channel.

Acheron took us across to Norway, Lofotens and eventually Tromso - insurance dictated we couldn’t go further. We then had trips around the West Coast of Scotland and when covid restrictions ended, around the West Coast of Ireland (quickly worked out why most yachts go clockwise), it was in Dingle that Tim’s head was turned by another aluminium yacht, a Boreal 47 - this proved to be significant a couple of years later. The following year Acheron took us to St Kilda for the second time when we could actually get ashore, luckily just before it closed down because of the bird flu.

After fitting Acheron out for our next big journey up to the Artic, a Boreal 47 came up for sale in the UK, poor Acheron was doomed, she couldn’t compete (she has now gone to a good home with people who will use her for her capabilities). So, we welcomed Lumina into our lives. She has most of the good bits of an Ovni and more! (most importantly two heads, decent cooker and a Reflex stove) Tim’s best bits would, I’m sure, not be these but Hey Ho they’re important to me. So after purchasing Lumina in February, we sailed her back from Lymington to Milford haven in early February, always good getting to know a new boat in the cold and wet. She behaved admirably and quickly she had more bits attached to her for our next journey to sunny Svalbard (we did actually get a lot). On return from Svalbard we left Lumina in the excellent boatyard at Clyde Marina, Ardrossan and launched again in early May 2024. After a shakedown cruise round to Oban we set off for the biggest adventure yet, Greenland and the North West Passage. Read our blogs cover our ongoing journeys.

Carol