Luke attempts round world trip via Capes
Mull fisherman Luke Crossley is part of a Scots-strong crew attempting a world-first on the high seas.
Luke is one of two chief engineers taking it in shifts to circumnavigate the southern oceans in an former Swedish search-and-rescue vessel.
At just under 23 metres, MV Astra would be the first vessel of her size and style to complete the trip.
The circumnavigation involves crossing the equator twice and travelling through 360 degrees of longitude at a minimum distance of 26,600 nautical miles, taking her around all of the Capes in the Southern Ocean, passing south of Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia, Tasmania’s
South East Cape, South Cape in New Zealand and Cape Horn, Chile.
Luke was selected by Iain Macneil who was brought up on Barra and is leading the expedition - as well as other Scottish members of the team they are joined by a Cuban and South African.
Right now the boat will be approximately 800 miles into its next 4,000-mile stage from Valparaiso, a port city on Chile’s coast, to Tahiti that should take about 15 days to cross and will see the crew enter a big black communication spot.
Luke, who has already crewed from Lanzarote to Uruguay’s capital city Montevideo, is due to join them in Tahiti. From Tahiti they will head to New
Zealand and his reminder of the voyage will end in Mauritius.
‘I’ll probably fly out to Lanzarote for the party when they finish the full loop!’ said Luke, who hails from Orkney but has lived on Mull for about eight years where he runs a wrasse fishing business with his brother Jake from May to November.
In the winter months, he takes on chief engineer jobs and the opportunity to join the MV Astra was one job offer he could not refuse.
The world-first attempt was the brainchild of Astra’s captain Iain who is CEO of Livingston-based maritime publishers Witherbys.
The team began their expedition aboard Astra at the beginning of December and aim to travel around all of the capes in the southern oceans by May 2022.
Last week the crew reached and successfully navigated their way around Cape Horn.
The expedition comes after 10 years of ambition and two years of preparation for Iain who has also had a career in the Merchant Navy.
Captain’s wife Kat Heathcote, back at their Aviemore home, is keeping constant checks on their progress, writing up reports and updates on social media.
Iain has already missed Christmas, their 10th wedding anniversary and her 60th birthday while away, but Kat has reassurance the ice-class Astra will keep him and the others safe at sea.
She said: ‘She’s not a pretty little thing, she’s really robust. As a search-and-rescue vessel she has earned her spurs in heavy seas. Her build means she can’t go over without coming back as long as all the doors are shut so they are all pretty safe. It does mean she’s not that comfortable though!’
To follow Astra’s progress go to www.mv-Astra.com.