From the Captain:

Yep, life at sea on Zenith continues to teach me to roll with the punches while remembering that in between,  if you slot in those epic sessions, things have a way of working themselves out. …..No stress & plenty-plenty irie….here’s the Antigua story so far…

Mother nature has been somewhat fickle of late, providing mixed winds from 0 – 29kts and sending huge Northerly swells down from the East coast of the States. T1 enjoyed Barbuda and my secret spot, but T2 was denied (due to swell) so we concentrated on Green Island and making their Zenith Ocean Film. https://vimeo.com/57332439 A night kite playing with the camera, a ‘Rowley’ off the coach roof,  my first un-hooked… not looking like MC Hammer in rehab(!)…and generally sublime times were had making the most of the massive Nonsuch Bay reef….

Juliet Lemon joined for T1 & T2. She is a professional photographer and offered her services to Zenith to shoot kiting and our lifestyles. I will be showcasing her amazing work with us soon but in the meantime her website is: http://julietlemon.com/

Provisioning  again proved surreal due to the BIG north swell which meant the local fishermen couldn’t go out either,  resulting in a lack of fresh fish at ALL the markets…check out the photo below!!….

Hurricane hit the water from quite a height breaking a lower rib. Some local kiters went to her aid immediately (Good Job Matt). Her shortness of breath in open water although a hazard did nt get the ‘Hurricane’ down and like the trooper she is held on until safe on board Meercat. Me…I was having a great un-hooked session (no MC Hammer in sight) and only noticed when the rescue seemed to take a bit too long. On arrival back at the boat I assessed her condition….she was in considerable pain….but still smiling and putting on the bravest of faces. George is a seasoned sea-woman and knows when offhsore there is no use in making a song & dance…just tough it out. Good girl. Instantly we took our injured cargo to hospital to make sure that no internal organs were damaged and to confirm that she ONLY had a broken rib!! Thank NUBERU (wind God of the tempest)….George was ok. Just another 8 weeks to tough it out….. Georgie will return to the UK to convalesce ….. As a captain I cannot take risks with crew, guests or vessel. Goergie will be sorely missed and its gutting to see her Zenith season cut short. We had so many laughs, sometimes I was in tears with her stories…..I am sad to see her go. Georgie, you are welcome on board anytime…. Post recovery of course,  but please don’t go sooo BIG next time. So season start and Zenith is crew-less……

Antigua is a hotbed for the yachting industry attracting ocean going adventurers from all corners of the globe. So I set about interviewing for the continued season…….

Zenith requires such a specialised set of skills and the selection process in mid 2012 for Georgie was long and arduous. Overall I look for an attitude comprising of a love for sea and adventure combined with a skill base to provide the level of service that says “this is ZENITH”.

As I said things have a way of working out. The trick is to kite and not think so much…… Meet the new crew –    2 !!!

Enter Andrea:

Super Yacht Chef

Andrea and I met in St Lucia, pre season. She is a master at her trade having over 10 years at the top flight of catering for the super yachts and uber rich. She is a seasoned adventurer with proven time served   skills. Her passion is the ocean and cooking and when she heard the news of the vacancy on Zenith I have to be honest was surprised at her motives for joining. Poaching this (Chef) calibre  of professional is a feather in the cap of Zenith indeed. This is what she had to say: ” My present boat, a 40M sloop, has given me a great life and I ve travelled all over the world in my career on the biggest private yachts in the industry.  I am grateful for all the moments and gifts life has sent me. Seeing the passion for kitsurfing and Zenith model reminded me of the things that the past few years didn’t offer….and I’ve missed it.  I would love to be part of your team, meet your guests and laugh while sharing the direct/close hands on experience of the expedition…..and your destinations..Wow they are soo different. Can’t wait to see the Grenadines up close,  not just through a port hole,.” The Captain’s reply: “SOLD”…instantly. ( I was like MC Hammer but NOT on a kite. I think I am in a whole heap of other trouble here

Kinley was introduced to me by Georgie. He has a genuine zest for life and he is joining Meercat as part of his ‘journey’. Our expedition will be richer for his company, and I am sure Zenith will enrich his travels and get him a few steps closer to Panama & the Pacific. Welcome…(nickname TBA)

Enter Kinley: I have itchy feet. Always have. Rather than using a synthetic creme, I’ve found traveling keeps the itch at bay. My goal is to circumnavigate our little rock via sailing and short deliveries. I have a knack for adapting quickly to foreign cultures and strive to mesh an open mind to their backdrops. I only just started on my goal. I graduated the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Outdoor Education and two months later, November 2012, sailed from Boston to Antigua. I’ve hiked most of the peaks here, sailed and swam my way around the island and now it’s time to continue on. I’m very fortunate to be joining Zenith Ocean Voyages and it fell (as it usually does) into my lap at the right time. I may stay aboard as far as Curacao and from there, if not before, I hope to find another delivery through the canal and into the vast Pacific world. I plan to travel to Thailand, Cambodia, Indo, and perhaps stay put in New Zealand for a bit. But who knows? I’ll go anywhere really as long as my feet are happy. I write my own music, (sing, guitar, harmonica), I play all sorts of sports. I have left-handed pride. Passion for surfing, fluent in both French and English, I rock climb, scuba dive, hike. I’ve been a canoe instructor and hitchhiked across the U.S.  If I was stuck on an island, I would want bread, cheese, wine, and chocolate. Kinley

Tags: Antigua, Antigua kiteboarding, Antigua kitesurfing, Barbuda, Barbuda kiteboarding, Blast Kiteboarding, catamaran, catamaran kiteboarding, catamaran kitesurfing, Green Island, Grenadines kitesurfing, Guadeloupe, kiteboarding, kiteboarding Antigua, kiteboarding Caribbean, kiteboarding instruction, kiteboarding lessons, kitesurfing, kitesurfing Antigua, kitesurfing Grenadines, Marc Rowley, Naish kiteboarding, Naish Torch, Zenith Ocean Films, Zenith Ocean Voyages

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 27th, 2013 at 6:02 pm . Both comments and pings are currently closed.