S.V. Argo

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Argo is a 40 ft Ketch built in 1978 by Contest Yachts in Medemblik, Netherlands. Designed by the famous Dick Zaal, she is the first hull of the Contest 40 MKII off the production line. Until 2019, she was only sailed in the fresh water of the IJsselmeer in Holland. In 2019 she undertook an extensive refit in preparation for round the world sailing.

I have been living on this boat for the past four years, sailing well over 10k miles, but, like in all things, my time has come and I feel the call to move on to something new. If you are looking for a truly turn key boat to start cruising the world, Argo can be that for you. I've enjoyed so much this boat and I know that the next owner will as well.

I've got the best family! After a few incredibly hard days of trekking, we made it to the top of My. Kilimanjaro! .funger started to arrange the trip a year ago, and I had no idea where I was going to be, but I wanted to do something special with my brothers, so I decided no matter where I was with Argo, I'd make it happen. It seems that things just worked themselves out from there. I'm letting the universe bring things to me, and my job is to say yes(or no). Who knows what the next year will bring. If I've learned anything, it's that life is unpredictable.

MVP of the trip is my fleece which has kept me warm across two oceans worth of night watches, up to Everest Basecamp and now to Kili.

Just sailors doing sailing things. Thanks to with her analog camera!!! She even managed to get a picture of us being rescued by the crew.

This past week I've been staving off the post crossing depression with a mini cruise. I picked up Dove and Seraphim in Nuku Hiva after my boys left and we set sail for what was supposed to be a quick transit to Hiva Oa. The only problem was that these islands are beautiful! And we just kept stopping, staying a few nights, and living life! Between the best spearfishing I've ever seen(like really really amazing) fresh fruit every day, swimming with manta rays, I couldn't ask for a better way to spend my last few days on Argo.

28 days later and we've arrived in Nuku Hiva! It feels surreal to finally be here. For the past six months, I've had my head down in the details planning this crossing. Worrying about everything from crew logistics, building new things for Argo to make the crossing nicer, and repairing broken equipment. At one point it almost felt like it was never going to happen, with months of delay at the canal, critical equipment breaking just before leaving, etc etc. But, we persevered through it all. Of course not everything went according to plan. On the first day out, our motor bit the dust, and we didn't have the spares to fix it.

But it was a beautiful crossing, and the relief of finally just sailing made all the worrying before worth it. It's funny how when you are out there, your entire world folds down into your boat, your crew, and the weather around you. And all of a suden, even though you are in the middle of nowhere, you just stop worrying. Almost as if once all the chatter of the outside world is gone, and you are alone with yourself, all the worrying just disappears, since there's nothing to feed it.

And now, after it's all over, is the inevitable days of drifting. No longer having a goal, I'm existing in this liminal state between what's happened and what comes next. Now's the time when you have to work the hardest to keep yourself together. Can't wait to see what comes next!!

We made it to Galapagos! Only ten days at sea one life threatening situation and one major malfunction! Time to throw some duck tape on and prepare for our next passage. Three weeks at sea to Marqueses. But first, diving, surfing and shore leave for the swabs.

Today, as we get ready to leave for our transpacific journey, I'm looking back on the past month of preparation and realizing how lucky I am to have this crew! Everyone put in a ton of work to make this possible. The part of sailing around the world that sucks though is often having to leave people you've met and grown attached with. Sadly, I'm also having to leave Karin but she will continue her own adventures and hopefully we will reunite back in Europe!

SV Argo with her jennaker flying on the way back from Christmas at starfish beach.

It's taken me quite some time to get to a point where I can write this post. It's the last picture of Gesa and I as a couple. Even though I always knew we would eventually go our separate ways, it was very hard to let her go after 1.5 years of sailing together. But breaking up is part of the cycle of relationships. Society tells us that a relationship that isn't "forever" is somehow worth less, and nothing could be further from the truth. Every moment that we spent together enriched my life, and breaking up forced me to confront some parts of myself that are not so nice. Every part of the relationship was special, including breaking up. It makes me happy knowing she is out there following her dream, and not mine.

Back together and it feels so good! Gesa went off to learn spanish for five weeks while I went back to the US and took a mini spearfishing vacation. It was a much needed vacation for both of us:)))
@ Piedra El Peñol, Antioquia, Colombia