Blog

2018.01.16

The long way from the Red Sea to Mexico

In December, 2017 Cassiopeia went through a complete renovation in the Safaga dockyard.

Launching a boat is always exciting, especially a boat this size, but with the expert help of the dockyard crew, she gently slid into the water.

After countless permissions, paper work, insurance contracts, fuelling and route planning, Cassiopeia departed for the Suez Channel. She waited to join the convoy sailing that day and smoothly made her way to Port Said in the Mediterranean Sea. The fact that she was in the Mediterranean for the first time and that such a long way was still ahead of her, made us all teary eyed and we lost a lot of sleep over following her trip on GPS.

Cassiopeia was on her way from Port Said to Ancona, Italy, thankfully under favourable wind and weather conditions. She sailed 3,000 km non-stop until she reached the port in Ancona, Italy.

Cassiopeia and the large cargo ship are getting acquainted. They are waiting for the loading work to begin. More details to come about the lifting operations…

2018.01.17

Small boats and big wind

Loading started with the smaller boats.

Then they got the large cargo ship ready for loading us the following day. Today, on this pretty windy day, it is unfathomable how they would load our 40m long and 250 tonn Cassiopeia. We are just hoping for calmer weather for tomorrow.

2018.01.18

The lifting of a 40m motor yacht onto a cargo ship – WOW!

A very professional land crew, assisted by industrial scuba divers, began to put into place the lifting harnesses. Then the cranes began to lift Cassiopeia out of the water very slowly. It was strange to see the boat ”floating” in the air. The people working at the Ancona port have seen a good number of boats but even they stopped to admire Cassiopeia. At times like these one does feel a sense of pride.

The actual lifting out of the water and over the cargo ship took 5-6 hours. The process went one slow step at a time.

And once the boat was placed into her final position, she was secured with powerful holding straps.

Now we are just waiting for our departure!!!