Having made decision to leave our ship mates on shore Bob & Ad headed south to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, to join “Just Joia” a Mystic 60 to make our first Atlantic crossing. Owners Richard & Tina Hubbard, skipper Ollie Machell, and first mate Nick Burgess, welcomed us onboard as their able seaman.
Our slightly larger than usual small ship, is one of only 12 originally made, with a further 2 made later. Designed and built by Argentinian Herman Frayers, of Swan Yachts fame. Displacing 35 tons and drawing 2.7m, a centre cockpit and fittings more suited to a Challenger Tank, she is very Ocean worthy.
Our host Richard & Tina are recently retired, Richard a Geologist and Tina a Physics Teacher. Their plan is to sail toward NZ via The Caribbean, Panama Canal & the Pacific. Our Skipper Ollie is only 22 at time of voyage, but has 35,000 miles under his keel and an old head on young shoulders. First mate Nick is mile building for his CV to help expand his career in the Maritime industry.
L to R. Nick, Bob & Ollie finishing final boat scrutiny, then Richard & Bob making a plan.
We joined Just Joia for the final few days before start day of the 31st ARC 2017, much had been done to ensure the ship was Ocean worthy, but some last minute tinkering was ongoing, (engine and leg Service as new Yanmar had been installed, rig inspection and a few cracks welded, large shop to fill the larder, and finally a deep clean inside and out.
Bob is back in school learning the dark art of celestial navigation with Chris Tibbs.