The Spirit of Ulysses, a 2007 Nordhavn 76, has started a 2,000 nm transatlantic crossing from the Canary Islands to Barbados, and already has powered through 50-knot winds and some boisterous seas.
The boat just finished the first leg of the trip, from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands to Cape Verde, where the crew headed straight for the fuel dock and took on 2,260 gallons of diesel. (See a video of the arrival below.) They also did some grocery shopping, got tested for Covid (all negative) and prepared for the rest of the trip. They hope to land in Barbados on Dec. 16.
The voyage represents a long-time dream for Mike Ridgway, who’s retired from his computer software job in New Zealand. It’s his first boat, and he bought it earlier this year in Spain. The Atlantic crossing is the start of his plan for a global exploration.
Ridgway teamed up with his captain, Jordi, who previously ran a Nordhavn 86, and has lots of experience in ocean passages. This summer they took the boat on cruises around the Med, stopping at Ibiza, Mallorca and Gibraltar to become familiar with all the systems on board.
Also along on the cruise to Barbados are Ridgway’s friend Lisa Brian, James Leishman, who was Ridgway’s salesperson at Nordhavn, and Doug Harlow, a Nordhavn web specialist. You can follow the cruise with a link from the website below, and you can also ask the crew questions as they go along.
Spirit of Ulysses is powered by twin 400-hp Detroit diesels, and it holds 4,520 gallons of fuel. Top speed is 11.5 knots.
The boat left the island of Lanzarote on Friday, Dec. 3, in 20- to 30-knot winds, but with gusts up to 53 knots and swells of 10 to 15 feet. The crew hoped to catch fresh fish for dinner, and they did hook up with two Dorado, but the sea conditions were too turbulent to get them on board. The next day they were able to grill chicken on the aft deck, but the cook had to wear a safety harness.
They were awed by the sight of lava flowing down from the volcano on La Palma, and then it was on to Cape Verde is calmer seas. The boat averaged 9.4 knots from Lanzarote to Cape Verde.
You can see a video of their arrival in Cape Verde , and click on the link for daily updates and Q&A sessions.
