About Us and Blue Pepper

This trip has been a long while in the planning for and rather more in the dreaming about! I set up this site in response to many requests from friends and family to follow our voyage and as a place to share pictures and videos. I hope you enjoy having an occasional look.

​

Some years ago, Sue gently pointed out that sailing in the English Channel was generally cold and damp and that her continued presence in the cockpit required a change in the weather. Since then we (and occasionally our grown children) have loved sailing in the Med - wafting from one sunny anchorage to the next, warms seas, cold drinks and all the rest... But I have long had this itch to sail an Ocean. The handiest one is obviously the Atlantic. Happily, it also comes with the Caribbean on the other side and a smattering of islands along the way, laid out in a convenient loop - our Atlantic Circuit. 

​

Three things have made this all possible: Sue's love, support and tolerance; a marvellous set of friends and family willing to give so much time as crew; and the opportunity to step away from work this year. I am very lucky in all three!

 

Things started coming together when we took delivery of our lovely new boat Blue Pepper in August '21. After a few weeks on the South Coast of England we left that September heading South towards the sunshine. Initially overwintering on the Algarve, Blue Pepper entered the Med in May '22 bound for a glorious summer cruising around Sardinia and Southern Corsica. Summer '23 saw us exploring Valencia and the Balearic Islands (we needed more time and will definitely go back!) before heading for Gibraltar and then Lagos in Southern Portugal - the start point for this story. 

​

Julian   Sept '23