Azores are in sight!!
The view from the morning watch this morning onboard the mighty Lush!! It looks a mystical place hey?
Dolphins all around us and wildlife galore!
One Life….keep living it! 🙂
The view from the morning watch this morning onboard the mighty Lush!! It looks a mystical place hey?
Dolphins all around us and wildlife galore!
One Life….keep living it! 🙂
Well, this has certainly been an interesting passage, it has taken us at least two days longer than we expected, thanks to a few days of calm weather! We kept routing north in search of the southwesterly’s forecast and finally came into decent breeze 4 days ago. LUSH has been blasting along in force 7-8 ever since and over the past 24 hours winds have been in excess of 30knots. With three reefs in the mainsail we’ve sailed along quite comfortably.
Fortunately the sun shone on the day of our midway party and team LUSH glammed-up as per usual. On this occasion the theme was ‘international dress’ and everyone rose to the occasion. Continuing our usual routine of Aft-deck dance-off has been trickier in these conditions and we’ve now resorted to exercising around the cockpit table in our oillies and lifejackets! Where there’s a will there’s a way!
And now for the fish score: Ocean 3 Vs LUSH 3
That’s all the news for now.
Lots of love,
Audrey xxx
After a cracking couple of months racing and cruising in the Caribbean LUSH is on her final journey back to the Med. Alan our mighty engineer has returned home to his family as planned and he’s back in good time to help both his daughters out in their upcoming leaving and junior cert exams. Lucy who joined us in Indonesia as our superb hostess has always harboured an ambition to sail across the Pacific so luckily she secured a job on a 40metre sailing yacht (nearly twice as big as LUSH!) and she joined them in Galapagos last week. Paul and I got three new crew to join us for the final leg, two of whom had completed the World Rally on other oysters, Ian and Alvie. A cousin of mine, Richie, has also joined us. In fairness to Richie he kept sending emails requesting to join so we figured why not! Ask and you receive! He’s loving the trip thus far!
We dropped our lines in Nelsons Dockyard, Antigua on Sunday and are now 550nm (nautical miles) into our North Atlantic crossing with 1600nm left till we reach the Azores. The Azores lie in the mid Atlantic, 900 miles off the coast of Portugal, and has always been a great stopover for yachties on route from the Caribbean to the Med. Paul and I have both been to the Azores on previous transatlantic crossing and are certainly looking forward to our return.
It’s been an eventful couple of days since we left Antigua, especially as this really is the final battle on the fish front!! Paul’s not taking any chances this time round and threw his best lures on the line yesterday landing two stunning Mahi Mahi (Dorado) at the same time!!! Wow!! Pure magic! These have been our favourite fish on the circumnavigation so we weren’t long filleting them and cooking them up. We treated ourselves to some cevichie too! Delicious! Yesterday we had very little wind and with such a calm sea it could only mean one thing!!!!……. a swim mid ocean!! It’s been so rare on this trip to have flat calm seas, in fact the only other time we had conditions like that was between Panama and Galapagos. Unreal. It truly is an awesome feeling jumping into the big blue ocean! The sea temperature was perfect and the water the clearest I’ve ever seen it! Paradise!
Today the wind is up at 18knots and we’re sailing along at 10knots on a close reach. Happy days!!
That’s all for now folks! Lots of love from all aboard the good ship LUSH!
Remember One Life…. Live it!!!
Audrey
(PS please do sign up for our emails if you want all the extra gos once we finish this trip)
The second race day at the Oyster Regatta Antigua, sponsored by Lewmar was blessed with sunshine and breeze. The magnificent Oyster fleet enjoyed superb racing conditions along Cades Reef on the south coast of Antigua. The downwind start had pulses racing and spinnakers flying and a windward leeward course provided plenty of close quarters action for the Oyster fleet, although gentlemanly conduct prevailed.
In Class One, British Oyster 100, Penelope continued its winning streak by taking line honours and the win on corrected time for the second day in succession. Tactician, Jeremy Robinson was quick to praise the crew.“On a yacht of this size, manoeuvres need to be perfect and the crew-work over the last two days has been impressive. Penelope has been right up on target speed and her owners Paul and Penny Brewer have been delighted with the performance.”
Oyster 885, Lush with Eddie Jordan at the helm, took second place by just over a minute and Dario Galvao’s Brazilian Oyster 655, Rocas sailed well to take third. Starry Night of the Caribbean was fourth and top Oyster 82, for the second day in a row.
Wolfram Birkel, owner of German Oyster 625 Red Cat, was a very happy man having won his first race in his new boat. “We were so close to winning yesterday but we made a few mistakes. Red Cat is a new boat for us and we are still getting used to her but today we put our experience into practice and sailed Red Cat in a much better fashion. I am so delighted to win my first race in an Oyster Regatta and keen to celebrate with my crew.”
Red Cat was the victor in Class Two, Maxim Kudryashov’s Russian Oyster 625, Guardian Angel was second and a great performance by Chris Glossop’s British Oyster 575, Dreamer of Hamble was third.
David and Joanne Furby’s Oyster 625, Vamos of Portsmouth had a problem at the start but recovered well to get right back in the mix, especially downwind with their resplendent red spinnaker expertly trimmed. The crew from the south of England enjoyed some close quarter racing with other yachts. “You learn so much about driving the boat at an Oyster Regatta.” commented David Furby. “Sailing on the wind really tests your ability to steer the boat correctly and downwind under spinnaker requires a different approach, I have a lot to learn but I am improving all the time.”
Class Three provided an epic duel between two British Oysters, Tony Keal’s Oyster 54, Wolfhound and Harvey and Sue Death’s Oyster 56,Sarabi. The two yachts were evenly matched for speed around the course and after over three hours of racing Wolfhound crossed the line just a boat length ahead of Sarabi to take the gun and the win after time correction. Joachim and Rolf Riel’s German Oyster 56, Mariela had another consistent day placing third.
After racing the Oyster fleet enjoyed a private party at one of Antigua’s most famous locations. Shirley Heights is visited by thousands of party-goers every year. The view from Shirley Heights Lookout is without question the most famous on the beautiful island of Antigua and the 300 strong Oyster family was treated to a glorious sunset accompanied by a traditional steel band.
Oyster CEO, David Tydeman and Race Officer for the regatta welcomed the Oyster family to Shirley Heights and gave prizes for Race Two. “The course today was another testing one with a downwind start and boats sailing closer to one another and I would applaud the yachts who were very careful today and that attention to safety helped provide for another good day on the water. Racing was very close today, which shows the competitive spirit but it was also good to see that everybody is here to enjoy great company as well as superb racing and Shirley Heights is the perfect venue to celebrate with one another.”
After a delicious Caribbean-style BBQ, the Shirley Heights Reggae Band played into the night and the dance floor was soon swinging to the rhythm. After a lay day, racing at the Oyster Regatta Antigua continues, Friday 11th April.
Written by: Louay Habib
Images by: Kevin Johnson Photography
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Oyster World Rally Finale Party, Casa Lidia, Antigua
Saturday 5 April 2014 marked the official end of the inaugural Oyster World Rally, organised to celebrate the 40th birthday of Oyster Yachts. Owners, sailors and friends of the 30,000 mile odyssey gathered in Nelson’s Dockyard for a day and a night never to be forgotten.
The Marching Band of the Antigua and Barbuda Police Service fired up proceeding with an early morning revelry in Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua, followed by the Oyster World Rally Awards Ceremony at the Admirals Inn. The Bucks Fizz was flowing and delicious brunch canapĂ©s were eagerly snapped up before Oyster CEO, David Tydeman welcomed the Oyster World Rally sailors to the awards ceremony.
“You have been an incredible inspiration to an enormous number of people around the world.” commented David Tydeman. “Your fabulous achievement has been followed by hundreds of thousands on the internet and Oyster has received expressions of interest from 200 families wanting to take part in the next event. Before the first Oyster World Rally started, 43 Oyster yachts had received their Oyster Circumnavigation Award and it gives me great pleasure to give out 23 more today and I am lost for words to describe how amazing that is.”
Debbie Johnson, Eddie Scougall and David Tydeman
Ian Davis owner of Oyster 56, Yantina operated a radio-net during the Oyster World Rally and was welcomed by David Tydeman to the stage to act as Master of Ceremonies. Much to the amusement of the guests, Ian used radio etiquette to call each yacht crew to the stage, the applause and laughter was long, loud and very genuine, as each yacht received their silver salver commemorating their circumnavigation.
The biggest cheer of the Awards Ceremony was the last, Eddie Scougall and Debbie Johnson have been the rock on which the Oyster World Rally was built. Two years of meticulous preparation was followed by 24-hour support throughout the 16-month voyage, assisting in all manner of logistical and technical solutions.
“That was a blast!” smiled Eddie, addressing the sailors. “ You should be very proud of what you have done, 99% of yachtsmen dream of sailing around the world and you have actually done it. This rally has seen higher highs and a few lows and you have taken everything in your stride and overcome so many adversities. Everybody has looked out for each other, providing all sorts of help, advice, moral support and occasionally a shoulder to cry on. If there was a spirit of the rally award, it would have to go to everyone, you have proved this by the way you have all bonded and every crew has stuck it out, right from the start to the finish and that is something fairly unique in this type of event. Debbie and I would like to thank everyone for their kindness, consideration and putting up with us, even when things weren’t going quite as they should. Words cannot express how proud…”
It was all too much for both Debbie and Eddie, who broke down in tears, spilling out the emotions of 30,000 miles and nearly four years work, it all came welling-up to the surface, as they left the stage to a standing ovation and a warm embrace from the Oyster family.
A private party was held at Casa Lidia, one of Antigua’s most exclusive villas with un-paralleled views of Nelson’s Dockyard. After a champagne reception, guests were treated to an evening of unusual entertainment of their own making. Each yacht in the Oyster World Rally performed an amusing sketch depicting their take on the experience. Raucous laughter and tumultuous applause accompanied each performance but Bob Morgan’s video rendition of Billy Joel ‘We didn’t start the fire!’ was so good an encore was demanded. The sketch included a six minute video depicting the Oyster World Rally, a cameo of moments from the event; whales breaching, dolphins playing, scuba diving, tribal dancing, trek walking and ocean sailing.
The party went on long into the night, with sailors reminiscing with each other about the incredible experience they had shared together, the Oyster World Rally had reached its conclusion but the memories and friendships made between a special group of people would last forever.
Written by Louay Habib
Pictures courtesy of Kevin Johnson Photography
Louay Habib
Listed: Oyster YachtsÂ
Formula One aficionado, Eddie Jordan and the crew of Oyster 885 Lush, describe the Oyster World Rally experience. For over thirty years, Eddie Jordan has travelled the world with the Formula One circuit but sailing around the world with his wife Marie in their brand new yacht, owned by his family trust, has been an ambition of Eddie’s for many years.
“It is something that I have on my bucket list, something I wanted to achieve and I am so happy that’s been done.” smiled Eddie Jordan.“One of our first stops was the San Blas Islands, the Kuna Indians have lived there for centuries and despite the influences of the outside world, they still have no currency and bartered with us for water. They don’t just survive but seem totally happy, you could feel envious of their style of life. On the other hand, less than 100 miles away is the Panama Canal. Passing through it was an amazing experience, you don’t realise how huge the Panamax ships are until you are right behind one in a lock;  when they turn on their engines it is unbelievable. The difference between the San Blas Islands and the Panama Canal is a good example of the diversity of the world we were going to explore and those early days confirmed that the Oyster World Rally was going to be a memorable experience.
Of all the places we visited, the Galapagos Islands really stands out for its wildlife. There is no way I could ever describe Galapagos correctly because it is just so gobsmaking. I found it especially exhilarating under the water; sea lions, turtles, so many species of fish and of course the sharks. To swim right alongside a big hammerhead shark is something that takes your breath away. At first you are thinking ‘Am I out of my mind?’ Of course you have got to be wary – we weren’t over casual about it but we didn’t stop diving off the back of the boat.
Lush Skipper and First Mate, Paul and Audrey Adamson and all the crew, including Al Canavan have been a pleasure to have on the team. Over the last 30 years, I have had dozens of amazing staff on all of my boats but I am not sure if there is a more complete and dedicated couple than Audrey and Paul, they were so perfect for this job. I have never heard a grumpy word, not once. Living in close quarters, people can become despondent or get on each others nerves but they were just a magic couple.
In some ways the adventure was better than I could have expected and a lot of the surprises were down to the fact that you didn’t really know what was in front of you. I adore adventure and in what ever I am doing I like to go forward, doing things over and over again has never been my style. So sailing around the world has been absolutely fantastic.”
Paul Adamson, skipper of Oyster 885, Lush has been amazed by the sea life on the Oyster World Rally. “We know so little about our oceans and all through the rally we have encountered incredible wild life. In Tahiti we visited the Blue Lagoon in the Tuamotu Archipelago, which has literally a hundred Black Tip Reef Sharks and huge Lemon Sharks. The sharks were swimming around us, coming right up to us, which was incredible. In St.Helena, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, we saw Devil rays with a wing span of over 3 metres but they were small in comparison to the Whale Sharks, which where truly awesome. They were just spinning around us, just a few inches from us –  when we surfaced from that dive we agreed that life doesn’t get any better than that. Audrey and I swam back to Lush, I put the kettle on and Audrey was showering off at the back of the boat and started yelling at me in her West of Ireland accent. A 50ft Whale Shark had followed us and was right next to the swimming platform! The masks and snorkels went on and we filmed it swimming around the boat, the Whale Shark was so friendly and inquisitive, we know so little about these ocean giants, it was incredible to have such a personal experience with them.”
Audrey Adamson, First Mate on Oyster 885, Lush spoke about one day during the Oyster World Rally that she will never forget.
“There were thousands of moments that I will remember for ever but one that fills me with emotion everyday really stands out.” commented Audrey. “We arrived at the Lau Islands in a remote area of Fiji and the locals had gone to extraordinary lengths to welcome us. The whole village was there to meet us, we were dancing with them, doing silly dances like the conga. They were so excited to see us, it is difficult to describe but it was such a beautiful experience; so innocent and giddy. The effort they had put in and how much it meant to them was very moving.
Perhaps many people hear about the Oyster World Rally and just dismiss it as a bunch of superyachts, sailing around the world taking pictures but we have had a real impact on the Lauans and that was felt by all of us as well, the adventure and joy was shared. I will never forget the Lau elder, when he stood up to welcome us. He was a huge man with a massive rugby player’s physique and he totally broke down and it had a profound affect on all of us, words just can’t describe that moment.
The rally has been so well organised by Oyster, especially having Debbie Johnson and Eddie Scougall with us the whole way. The amount of preparation they put in was extraordinary and no matter where we were, they would be ready to help. Paul and I have made lifelong friends with so many people through this adventure and Debbie and Eddie are most definitely in that family.”
In April, the Oyster World Rally will come to a conclusion at its point of origin, Antigua, West Indies. There will be a fitting celebration for the Oyster World Rally, which was designed to celebrate Oyster Yachts 40th Anniversary. Timed to follow on from those celebrations, the annual Oyster Caribbean Regatta will be held in Antigua from 7-12 April. Over 40 Oyster yachts are expected to be in Antigua, the largest gathering of the brand since the company was founded in 1973.
Words: Louay Habib
So we are back in the BVI’s! Audrey & I were here 8 years ago onboard Spellbound, an Oyster 56′ owned by our great friends Paul & Lynn Armson!
We never would have dreamed we would be back here 8 years later having sailed the world and on the first Oyster 885 having made fantastic new  friends and having a blast!!
I love the way life works like that!! 🙂 One Life…Live it! 🙂 Paul
Paul reflects on the circumnavigation!
Today I have achieved a dream that I have had since I was 11 years old!
I can now say I have sailed the world’s oceans and circumnavigated the planet!
But what does this mean? I am not the same guy that left Antigua a year ago onboard LUSH that’s for sure!
I return to Antigua with more energy, more passion, more ambition and I’m committed to achieve excellence always and hold myself to the highest standards in life!
Out in the oceans you reconnect with our world and what is truly important in life and that’s life itself, its treasuring that gift we have all been given of being on the planet right now and making sure we live fully!
It’s not how long we are here, its what we do with our lives that makes the difference! More than this though, the people in our lives are what makes the journey!
I am so grateful to my team onboard LUSH! Our story is of great times, fun times and tough times where the common bond we share is the same bond that seafarers have shared for centuries and will pull us through any storm and weather that chooses to cross our life’s course!
My gorgeous wife and fellow shipmates Audrey, Alan & Lucy are quite simply an inspiration and I know this journey that we have sailed together will be forever in our hearts! I quite simply treasure them and we stand strong together!
To all the guests and crew who have sailed with us on LUSH, it was inspiring to be able to share this journey with you and give you a taste for life on the ocean wave!
Finally to my friends & mentors Eddie and Marie Jordan who are the most inspirational, passionate and superb people to spend time with! Your story has inspired us more than you will ever know! You embody success and living fully and we are looking forward to many more journeys with you both to come!
This journey has formed bonds of friendship that like the ocean will always be!
One Life … Live it!
Paul Adamson xxx
Audrey reflects on this extraordinary Circumnavigation!
Cruising amoung the islands in Clew Bay (in Mayo,west of Ireland) on our family boat, as a child, ignited a lifelong hunger and passion in me for the sea, sailing and all that it emcompasses. For as far back as I can remember I’ve harboured this dream to sail around the world and here I am in my 33rd year, with my husband, about to realise this incredible ambition. When I applied to study dentistry in the UK, I wrote on my UCAS form that aside from my desire to become a dentist I had a seperate goal… to sail around the world some day.
Now, here I am in Antigua having fulfilled this grand vision, working for an incredible couple, Eddie and Marie Jordan, having sailed the worlds oceans with my husband and our fantastic team. I have never felt more alive, engaged, connected and fulfilled as I have on this trip. It has been so much more than I ever imagined possible. While we’ve endeavored to keep you, our loyal blog readers, up to speed on our World Voyage you’ve actually only had a taste, a small glimpse of our experience on this most rich and rewarding journey.
The overwhelming memory I’ll have of this adventure is of the beautiful people we’ve met along the way. We’ve certainly lived ‘out there’, beyond the routine of an average life, we’ve found the extraordinary in the ordinary, the miraculous in everyday situations. We’ve experienced traditions handed down through generations, witnessed island life on the edge of the world, stumbled upon countless, unforgetable, breathtaking sights. We have had the privilege to be amoung some of the worlds most tremendous creatures on sea and land. We have been at one with the universe, sailing under the starriest of nights, watching the sunrise and set on the worlds wonderous oceans, knowing that this was exactly as it was for the earliest of ocean explorers.
This circumnavigation has been an invigorating, life changing adventure that has left me with a profound sense of awe, wonder and appreciation of this magnificent world, along with her cultures, people and wildlife. I thank Eddie and Marie massively for this opportunity to Circumnavigate Planet Earth, sailing west through the tropics, all the way around on this most exquisite yacht LUSH.
One Life…. Live it, Love it, Cherish it, Sail it… and finally Circumnavigate it!!!
Lots of love,
Audrey xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Well, we’ve taken a whole heap of pics and videos that we still have left to share with you all. We have the story of how we became professional sailors. How I gave up dentistry and learned to cook so I could run the galley successfully on a trip like this cooking from celebs to royalty! There’s stories of our challenges, in particular mindset challenges and how we consciously control our own thoughts and guide them, pushing and bettering ourselves constantly. Stories of how to run a superyacht, a five star floating penthouse in all the wierd and wonderful locations of the world. We’ve had alot of messages asking me what sorts of things I cook in the galley when in guest mode and crew mode. Also stories of the medical side of the trip and dentistry on the high seas. We’ve had people contact Paul, wondering what it’s really like to skipper a boat like this and run such a project in superquick time. And people asking how the hell did Joe Mc Govern (my Dad) manage to get on LUSH for so many ocean legs when he was only supposed to sail from Southampton to the Canaeries?…..actually I don’t have the answer for the latter but I have an incling it has something to do with a deal made between Dad and Paul the day Paul asked for my hand in marriage!!
Oyster Yachts
Paul and I have always been huge fans of Oyster. Their yachts are pure class, the craftsmanship in building them is second to none. The detail, style and luxury is what sets Oyster apart from their competitors. It’s one thing to sail around the world but it’s a whole other thing to do it on an oyster and it really can’t possibly get better than to undertake an adventure like this as part of the Oyster World Rally, the most prestigious yacht rally ever to be held!
We have done our fair share of Oyster events in the past. we actually fell in love at the Oyster Regatta in the British Virgin Islands 8 years ago on an Oyster 56′, Spellbound. Paul originally worked in Oyster Commissioning and then ran the 56′ for a few years for our great friends Paul and Lynn Armson. He continued doing bits and pieces for Oyster and I tagged along for a couple of these events. Events that stand out for me include racing at the Palma Oyster Regatta on Oyster 72′ Luskentyre and then racing at the Americas Cup base in Valencia on Oyster 62′ Great Bear. Liz Whitman worked for Oyster at the time and it was her who really set the tone of Oyster for me. The events were like prestigious, luxurious family parties and always had a friendly jovial atmosphere mixed with fine dining, a balance difficult to achieve. In fact I believe it was originally Liz’s idea to run this world rally to mark Oysters 40th birthday. It’s great that David Tydeman and the crew at Oyster went ahead with this rally, it has certainly been all that we’ve come to expect from Oyster and a whole lot more!
Shore Side Support
Well, where would we all be without our Rally support team, Eddie Scougall and Debbie Johnson (aka Ebbie)? They have been absolutely superb and always a welcome sight when we arrive at new destinations. They are normally dockside awaiting our arrival or contactable on a designated Oyster VHF channel. Even before we set off for each new location they provide us with all the necessary paperwork in advance making the customs and emigration process run smoothly and quickly.
For us as a professionally run yacht with four full-time crew one would think we don’t need them, but that’s not the case. LUSH set off on a circumnavigation straight from build and she has sailed around the world in super quick time, as with the rest of the fleet. Having this shore side support has made our jobs a lot easier, whether it’s tips on the best food markets for me, spare parts for our engineer Al or paperwork and visa info for Paul along with addresses on where to get spare parts sent to. This all helps to run a new yacht on such a quick schedule and so successfully. Obviously, they have been busier with some of the lesser-crewed yachts and we are all so grateful to them for quite simply doing an outstanding job and running a world class event.
Jackie Kotze has also played a big part in the Oyster support team. From her office at Oyster headquarters, in Ipswich, Jackie has done an terrific job of looking after the admin, and co-coordinating the rally and various events from base.
The Rally Participants
The camaraderie between the yachts on this trip and the friendships we have made and developed is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Everyone looks out for one another, helps each other out, sharing tips and secrets along the way. The girls get together chatting about all the comings and goings on various yachts, on food markets, shopping etc.. and the lads get together and talk shop! Listen, I love talking ‘boats’ but all day, every day? Seriously lads, is there nothing else to talk about? In fairness though it’s been just one laugh after another, one party after another, one rum after another.
When offshore we all keep in touch via the SSB radio sched run by Ian Davis, from yacht Yantina. He does a mighty job of it and the boats chat twice daily on the offshore passages discussing their position, weather, boat speed and any concerns etc. The range on the radio is pretty impressive, we’ve been in touch with the fleet from over 1000nm apart! It’s hard to think it will soon all come to an end with the final rally bash in Antigua on the 5th of April. There’s already chat of a reunion and no doubt there’ll be plenty in the years ahead. We’ve all shared this most extraordinary epic adventure together and a dream for all of us has come true. To circumnavigate this globe really is some feat and it’s all the sweeter that we can share the achievement together and chat about the wonderful places, people and experiences over the coming years. Who knows where we’ll all be next year, let alone ten years from now but one thing is certain while yachts will come and go these friendships will endure and surly that is the best measure of any journey!
One Life.. Live and Share it!
PS
We’re currently flying along the North Atlantic Ocean and expect to arrive in Antigua tomorrow!! Our final Circumnavigation blogs will follow albeit not immediately.. there’ll be some well earned champagne to drink first and I can’t think of a better excuse to crack a bottle open!!!