Sailing Log

Key:

= sailing log

= general log

“Maybe it isn’t going to end. We’ve no wind and we’re doing minus one knot. The air is close and it is baking hot. Everyone is tired and I’ve got a headache. I managed to give myself rope burns to the hand and we’ve run out of gas.................................................”
[click here to read the rest of this log entry]

[2008] Spring 2008

	Making use of our time as winter liveaboards
	¤ Finally dusting the cobwebs off some light-wind sails ¤ Getting into photography and profiling sailors ¤ An Anatolian road trip
	Esper Oyster 435 ketch

[2007] Autumn/Winter 2007

	Do-Gooders plc
	¤ Going stir-crazy in a marina ¤ Discovering about the Chagossian Plight ¤ Having some fun dressing up
	Esper Oyster 435 ketch

[2007] Summer 2007 Part 2

	Big Stupid Boats & Tattooed Cats
	¤ Naked sailing with a sock ¤ Seeing the Speedophiles in action ¤ Taking on a new permanent crew member
	Esper Oyster 435 ketch

[2007] Summer 2007 Part 1

	A Load Of Guests Before Leaving Bodrum
	¤ Celebrating Liz's 50th ¤ Hanging out with loads of birds ¤ Leaving Bodrum and sailing further afield - finally!
	Esper Oyster 435 ketch

[2007] Winter/Spring 2007

	Prepping the boat before the drop
	¤ Discovering we can do those jobs ourselves after all! ¤ The joys of feeding a cable down a mast. B@stard! ¤ Watching bug furry camels battle it out
	Esper Oyster 435 ketch

[2005] Getting to know Esper, Bodrum & Turks!

	Bodrum Regatta, Turkey - October 2005
	¤ The Bodrum Classic Wooden Boat Regatta ¤ 'Racing' the oldest Turkish wooden boat in the regatta ¤ Jamie learns it's not about the winning......
	Orkan Turkish Gaff Schooner

	Summer Cruising, Turkey - June-October 2005
	¤ Over 900 miles of cruising the Carian Coast of the Aegean ¤ Discover the secret locations of Gumusluk, Knidos and Amazon Creek ¤ See how a beginner struggles with anchoring and mooring!
	Esper Oyster 435

	The First Overnight Anchorage, Turkey - May 2005
	¤ Jamie and Liz working as a team, anchoring up for the night ¤ With little anchoring experience, how will this work out?! ¤ Account written by Liz
	Esper Oyster 435

	The First Single-Handed Sail, Turkey - April 2005
	¤ This is it! The first ever solo sail by Jamie ¤ Apprehension is superseded by elation
	Esper Oyster 435

	The Bodrum Files, Turkey - April 2005
	¤ Three introductory trips in and around Bodrum ¤ A good chance to get a feel for the boat and meet new people
	Esper Oyster 435

	Bodrum, Turkey - March 2005
	¤ Launching Esper for Summer 2005 ¤ A whole host of jobs to be done before putting the boat in the water ¤ Plus an 'official' naming ceremony!

	Kara Ada, Turkey - January 2005
	¤ Esper's maiden voyage ¤ A perfect day for a perfect cruise ¤ Liz's first log entry!
	Esper Oyster 435

[2004] What Happened After Buying Our Boat?

	Icmeler, Turkey - November 2004
	¤ What happened immediately after we bought Esper ¤ Cold weather doesn't dent our optimism

[2004] Yacht deliveries

	Netherlands - July 2004
	¤ A lesson in how not to sail ¤ The names have been changed to protect the innocent
	Boat X Northwinds 42ft

	France and Channel Isles - June 2004
	¤ Jamie's first time as first mate ¤ Sailing the beautiful S+S designed racer-cruiser
	Barnacle Bill S+S 42ft

	Essex Coast - May 2004
	¤ A quick jaunt down the Essex coast ¤ Discover Swallows and Amazon countryside
	Wyvern Tradewinds 38ft

	Portugal to UK - May 2004
	¤ Delivery for a private yacht owner ¤ Holed up in northern Spain
	Mayfly Malo 38ft

	Green Island, Antigua - March 2004
	¤ A perfect weekend cruise in the Caribbean ¤ Enough to make you want to pack it all in and live on a boat
	Siesta S+S 36ft

[2003-4] What happened in the Caribbean?

	Antigua - Christmas 2003
	¤ A few people were asking what happened after we crossed the Atlantic ¤ Lots of rum, some romance and new plans for 2004!

[2003] European and Atlantic crossings

	Atlantic Crossing - November 2003
	¤ Our biggest adventure yet! ¤ Broken spinnakers, rope burns and sunsets
	Ocean Indies Beneteau Oceanis 47ft

	Portugal to Gran Canaria - September 2003
	¤ Doing 15 knots aboard a race-winning cat ¤ A nasty Force 8-9 off the coast of Africa!
	Brigand Derek Kelsall 56ft

	Netherlands to Dartmouth, UK - August 2003
	¤ A beautiful boat put to the test in a Force 8, North Sea ¤ A few lessons learnt in personnel management!
	Voyager Formosa 56ft

	Western Europe - July, August 2003
	¤ Jamie's first extended sailing trip ¤ Discover some beautiful anchorages with Sailor Sam's Ramprasad
	Ramprasad Ferro home-build 37ft

	Original Introduction - Tim Furlong
	¤ This is the original introduction to the original log ¤ Tim Furlong helped compile the first log, which has evolved into followtheboat.com

[2002] The first ever sailing trip!

	North Sea to Belgium and Holland - June 2002
	¤ The first ever sailing trip for Jamie - in at the deep end! ¤ This account written by Mike Furlong
	Knight Vision Dufour 37ft

About The Log
We call this the sailing log as it records all of the sailing we have done to date on both Esper and other boats. It contains a lot of amusing stories accompanied by photographs and general observations.

Of course not all of our stories are about sailing as some of our funniest moments have been on land. We try not to bore our readers with escapades just on the ocean so you'll also find links to land-based adventures too.

Use the drop-down main menu at the top of the page to navigate to all areas of the Log section, including the Interactive Chart and Postcards. Alternatively take a read of the summaries, below, which give you a taster for each main section of the Sailing Logs.

The Yellow Box
Look out for the yellow box which contains data pertaining to the log entry of that day. It states the boat that was sailed in, the distance sailed, the leg of the trip and the longitude and latitude of the destination port or anchorage. Look out, too, for the satellite images and location maps.