Pelagic Australis is a 74-foot aluminum expedition sailboat, owned by legendary ocean racer Skip Novak. She is available for charter and can take up to 10 passengers (in addition to crew). This solidly built aluminum vessel is equipped with a retractable keel for exploration of uncharted coves and designed with simplicity in mind. There is no watermaker, no refrigerator, sails are hand-trimmed and hand-furled. It’s not a new theory that the simpler you keep it, the better, but it’s especially important when you’re running in this remote part of the world, where spare parts are shipped from thousands of miles away.
Despite her simplicity, Pelagic Australis is dry, warm, and comfortable. She is also equipped with the latest Inmarsat Fleet 77 satellite communications unit to facilitate documentary work. The vessel is certified by DNV (Det Norske Veritas), has an MCA (Marine and Coastguard Agency from the UK) certificate for carrying passengers and is CE marked. Pelagic Australis is available on expeditions to Antarctica, South Georgia, Cape Horn, the Chilean fjords, the Beagle Channel, and the Falkland Islands. For more on the Pelagic fleet and expeditions visit www.pelagic.co.uk.
To read editor Mary South’s blogs from her trip around Cape Horn aboard Pelagic click here, or read her article from the August 2010 issue of Yachting here.
The Crew
Miles, Laura and Dave are the English crew of yacht Pelagic Australis. Skipper Miles Wise has been working in the sailing industry for the last 10 years, on boats traveling the Arctic Circle, across the Atlantic, around the Med and the Caribbean and along most of the UK’s shore. His engineering skills, mastered while being brought up on a farm, mean that he is able to fix almost everything that has required fixing — so far! He has enjoyed the challenge of activities such as changing the prop while at anchor in South Georgia and fixing engines while anchored just inside Cape Horn, as well as constant negotiations and jumping through hoops with the local authorities.
His partner, and first mate Laura Parish, is the blog author and a former math teacher, who long ago lectured in leadership and team building. Her communication skills come in handy with the often-eclectic group of guests on board, ranging hugely in age, experience, attitude and nationality. Laura is also an experienced sailor having competed as watch leader in the winning boat of the BT Global Challenge 2000-2001.
Dave Roberts is the nipper. He is a keen sailor and reminds us all how to trim the sails and work the boat well without an engine, when other aspects of running the boat sometimes take over. He’s also a great cook and excellent all round crew member. Unfortunately, he is planning to head back to university in September to finish his engineering degree. Wondering where Pelagic Australis is today? Go to the position tracker at www.pelagic.co.uk.
