When I bought the beautiful Sparkman and Stephens designed Swan 55 in 2019 I never imagined I’d have to sell her. She was the perfect home, the most resilient sailing ship in any weather condition and was a real head turner when we arrived in any port.

She looked after me and the crew in force 10 winds and giant seas when we sailed to the Azores in winter, she carried a ton of cargo back to the uk, without a grumble… but… ultimately it was the lockdown restrictions during covid and the uk leaving the eu that ultimately signalled that due to dwindling finances, border controls, and a shutdown of freedom of movement in the eu waters (not the eu’s fault!) that it became clear that this was going to be almost impossible to run ariana sailing team, and the sail trader project in the way I had envisioned.

Roll forward four years and I am now actively looking to lease, rent, or acquire a new sailing ship for the project.

In truth, the swan 55 was not meant as a cargo carrier, and so I am looking for something that sails as well as her, but will carry cargo as well – a fast, capable vessel, that will also serve as a training and personal development ship, but is also compact enough to berth at most locations! A tall order indeed. But as the land based project, the great english way – a 400 mile walking route with 21 sanctuaries and centres of excellence are coming to fruition, the time has come to link the land and the sea!

As I said in my other post, the ship is not the project, it is the intention, the people, the ethics, and the determination to create something worthwhile, that has a positive impact on people, planet, and its inhabitants of whatever species! But the name “Ariana” will continue to the new ship…and any other ships we sail.