This week is my last week on Zefira, its been 3 incredible years since I joined. In that time we have spent around 8 months in the USA, 10 months in the caribbean and another 18 months in Europe. I have done 25,000 nautical miles, two Atlantic Crossings (1 each way), plus up and down the US East Coast and a few trips around the Mediterranean.
The boat has taken me as far east as Turkey, all the way to the Caribbean, and up to the Canadian Border. I have woken up anchored off the Statue of Liberty watching the sun rise over Manhattan, called the Monte Carlo Casino my local, chilled out on the nicest beaches of the Caribbean. Calling a $50M superyacht my home, and being based in the middle of some of the worlds nicest cities has been surreal.
We have had Barack Obama check us out from Air Force One, Prince Albert of Monaco come onboard for a look around. Gone through the Bermuda Triangle, gone toe to toe with Hurricane Sandy. We have caught some fish, some rope, some old fishing nets, a 60ft long telephone cable, and even caught a seagull (sorry bird).
We have enjoyed some amazing racing with an amazing group of guys, America's Cup racers, Volvo Ocean Race winners, World Champions and some of the behind the scenes guys who make these boats work. Pushing a boat this size to the limit has been a learning experience, for me and for all of us, there is no real track cut out before us with these boats, and every time we improved, I know we improved the knowledge and performance of big boat sailing in general.
The boat broke new ground, it won more awards than any other boat has ever done before (kind of like Avatar at the Oscars), it changed the dynamic of what a boat like this should look like. We still work with the companies that helped build her, mainly because they are learning off us about their own products such as fatigue in rigging and sail performance, improving materials for deck hardware, and seeing how their sheets and lines survive after the incredible loads that we put on them (our main halyard is rated for over 80 tonnes of load!).
To everyone I have lived and worked with over this time, you have all been like family.
And finally to my Captain, Federico, he is the person who made this all possible, everything I have experienced and learnt has been because of him. An amazing and talented person who knows only how to be the best. Over all the miles we have sailed, storms we have encountered and oceans we have crossed, I have never once felt unsafe or unsure about his decisions. Thank You Fede!
The next 10 months is a new chapter - we will be travelling through Europe, Central and South America, as well as joining these guys for a trip across the Pacific and finally Home.
Ears: Phosphorescent - Song for Zula
I took this photo the first time I saw Zefira in 2011
