You won’t have failed to notice the familiar whine of a drone buzzing over an otherwise peaceful anchorage as these machines become an ever more affordable cruising accessory. Annoying as…
Yachting Monthly
How this novice couple sailed to the Scilly Isles and back
They say ‘do something that scares you a little bit every day’, and while we weren’t looking for fear, we did seek new challenges. Late to the sailing life, we…
‘Strange sticky fuel gummed up my engine’
Having a breakdown at sea, and especially in the Bristol Channel, would be extremely scary, with very strong tides, navigational hazards and shipping movements, but we were suddenly confronted with…
Discovering Easter Island and Pitcairn by boat
Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) is the most remote inhabited island in the world. Sailing there confirmed it for us. True, we took a detour, sailing north for a few…
Exploring the Stockholm archipelago on an electric yacht
Are we now able to rely on an electric drive as an auxiliary engine for a sailing cruiser? Having mused over this for a few years, my husband Niall and…
Cruising in the beautiful Baltic
When I was a young boy, barely having learnt how to swim, I would stand by the sea in my speedos with goggles tightly strapped around my head and I…
‘An out-of-control 40ft motor cruiser reversed at speed into our stern’
Following an already eventful summer cruise to Brittany, our return Channel crossing suddenly became a lot more challenging. We’ve been sailing our 34ft yacht, Hummingbird for 8 years. We generally…
Brian Black Memorial Award winner 2023: adventure on thin ice
What do you think of whaling?’ I paused to consider my response as the ageing fisherman chomped down on his cheese sandwich. I had recently begun work as a skipper…
Brian Black Memorial Award video winner 2023
In 2017, we embarked on a circumnavigation onboard our sailboat Mothership. Our mission was to immerse our three kids in a life of culture, exploration, and adventure. Our video is…
A novice’s maiden voyage sailing around Britain
Distant rain moved across the sky like a silver veil. Behind the rain, the land and sea had become one: just a smudge of grey, with Plymouth somewhere in our…