Vertical sailing in Greenland

[billyruffn]

My former shipmate, Bob Shepton, sent me an email yesterday with a link he said would provide an indication of some of the adventure he had in Greenland last summer.

Have a look at www.xpedition.be to see what can be done once you've crossed the Atlantic and sailed up Greenland's west coast. The log starts with their arrival back in Scotland with earlier entries proceeding down the page. The beginning of the trip is on the second page. Click "previous entries" at the bottom right.

Here's a teaser (the boat's in the lower left corner). Ask yourself how they took the picture. Go to the website for the answer.

[Bene505]

Great picture Scott. I'll check out their site.

Regards,
Brad

[jrd22]

Fantastic picture, thanks for the link.

[Bene505]

Good site. They are quite the adventurers!

Regards,
Brad

[ffiill]

Rev.Bob Shepton-recall about 25 years ago reading an article in Yachting Monthly over here in UK of a "School trip" to Greenland all be it sailing-think it was Rev.Bob Shepton who led it?

[billyruffn]

Originally Posted by ffiill

Rev.Bob Shepton-recall about 25 years ago reading an article in Yachting Monthly over here in UK of a "School trip" to Greenland all be it sailing-think it was Rev.Bob Shepton who led it?

No doubt he did. There's only one Bob Shepton -- Anglican priest, a mountaineer and a sailor of big oceans in small boats. He's now in his mid 70s and as you can see from the photos he's still climbing rock walls. He helped me sail BR from Costa Rica to Alaska in 2006. He logged his 100,000th sea mile on the trip from CR to Hawaii, so you can imagine the stories he has to tell.

While he's a true nautical adventurer in the tradition of Tillman, he's has his quirks --he must start the day with instant coffee laced heavy with condensed milk and, consistent with his vocation, he ended most days aboard BR by penning the "Homily of the Day" in the lower right hand corner of the day's log page. These "homilies" inspired those on later night watches to engage in entended philosophical debates in the margins of the log.

For example:

After 20 days at sea Shepton would write in the log something like: "Why are we in such a hurry to get to Hawaii? Is not the ultimate purpose of sailing to be found in the passage itself, and not in arriving at the destination?

To which the skipper would reply -- "The purpose of sailing is to move the boat from A to B as fast and as safely as possible. We have 2,000 miles to go -- we're short of fuel and water, and the cyclone season is starting in ten days -- dally not, mates! Make your course straight and keep the sails well trimmed".

And it went on from there...