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The plan was to deliver Loskadenn from Reggio at the toe of Italy to Palma, Mayorca. She was ‘serviced’ in Turkey and sailed to Italy for our leg, the final leg being the ARC to America in 2002. The owner, Duncan advertised for crew through the Cruising Association and one of YOSC’s members picked it up and passed it on. Malcolm Cross (founder of YOSC and a personal friend) and myself applied. A cheap flight on Ryanair to Pescara, a train to Rome (1st class being about a £1 more) and a sleeper with free morning coffee down to Reggio arriving in the morning.
Together with Dave, John and Mark we met for the first time on board at Reggio (the toe of Italy). We were the first of Duncan’s crew to arrive. Shoes off first then a drink. Once vittled we slipped passing down the Mediterranean through Lipary, Cagliari (Sardinia), Malfatano, Mahon (Menorca), Macarella, Porto Colom (Mallorca) and finally Palma. 674 Nmiles sailed over 13 days with 54 Night hours and most enjoyable. The engine “service” turned out to be little more than a Look as the engine later malfunctioned (filters not changed). With anchoring in very isolated bays, sighting whales and dolphins, fishing, BBQ’ing on the Aft deck, swimming in the warm and very clear waters, appreciating the cheap but very good wines and best of all sailing in the warm clear fresh clean air and moonlight. I came on watch one night (very early morning actually) to a problem light on the horizon. It was reported as not moving and could not be tracked by Radar. Of course it turned out to be the full Moon rising. Malcolm & I were responsible for the Navigation with a Satellite phone link for the weather. Loskadenn could carry a ton of fresh water and some of our crew were very good cooks so we didn’t actually starve. So many stories to tell and all with under 2 weeks of sailing.
Much later Duncan held a reunion at his farm near Bristol where most of us met again sleeping on bails of hay in the barn and a fried breakfast cooked on the BBQ the following morning.
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