MAIDENVOYAGE


Blush’s long maiden voyage delivered her direct from the yard in Poole to an immediately busy Med charter season


Best foot forward, the Gill uniform bootwear takes a turn on deck with stormy sea state refl ected in the main deck glazing


Blush ties-to in Vigo towering over all others while crew draw breath and refresh, sitting out another front punching through


Coming back on watch Blush captain Sean Read, right, discusses weather routing options with Sunseeker’s Mark Solomon


the red night-lit radars scan the unlit fishing fleet scurrying in and out of the channel. Crew with radios in hand hang over the rail to eyeball net and pot markers. “Going to hand steering, stabilisers off,


testing thrusters… don’t be alarmed if we veer off,” warns Sean by radio, running through final checks. Then closing in on the dock, guiding Blush backwards side-to, warps are made good and Sean calls, “Secure all round, thank you everybody. A bit of an induction but good to have it like that. I’m really pleased with the way that everything’s worked.” Chief engineer Mark Cryer reports also, “…


only the smallest of issues, and we’ve averaged just 300lph, which is tremendous. I’d normally expect 300lph on each engine.” Happy also was Liberato Mazza, Eddie


Jordan’s personal chef aboard who, despite not feeling too well for a while, continued to create excellent, full menu meals through even the worst of all those unpleasant seas… and kept smiling, despite the few takers!


In the morning’s rain, the crew crack on


and a freshwater scrub-down rids the worst of the salt. It’s then time to rest and enjoy old colonial Vigo while the second front builds and blows through, releasing us early next morning for the final, flatter, sunnier run down to Gibraltar, another 600 miles on but fast whittled away in a day and a half. Early evening in half viz a silver sun turns


the sea to pure mercury before fog again intermittently obscures, our horn sounding its long single blast every two minutes – motor vessel under way… at 19.5 knots. The waypoints tick away, next is WP26


Cape Vicente, and across the Bay of Cadiz. Good to have easting in our course. Radar and AIS pick up a small target close by, a sports fisherman a long way offshore. At 1430 another meeting, we overtake Sonas of Eire, a Nordhaven 42 also heading to Gib at 7 knots and liking the look of Blush, as Danny and deckhand Tim learn in a quick radio chat. Then at last WP30, Gibraltar TSS.


Passing through the Strait is a bucket-list


must, the quixotic near meeting of two continents so different. And in the shipping surrounding us there’s extraordinary contrast, from tiny local fishers to Emma Maersk, the world’s largest ship, 397 metres long, and outbound. No question – we give way! With wavelets lifting in the 18-knot easterly


funnelling through the Strait we press on at 19 knots then round towards the iconic Rock of Gibraltar, six days after leaving Poole. The boat’s local agent has booked the fuel quay and we top up. Wow… 40,000 litres at 350 a minute! Then it’s off to an overnight berth and Sean makes a call back to Ireland. “Hi, just to tell you we’re here and all fast.” “I know,” laughs Eddie Jordan. “I’m watching you!” You’re never alone with marine traffic apps. The forecast for the final 800 miles to


Monaco gives wind at 5 knots, visibility good, swell 20cm. No excuses, tomorrow it’s on with the deep clean and the start of a long, busy season on Blush.


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