Jamie and Linda are giving up the life on the land for now and starting in Townsville, Queensland, Australia at Easter 2017, will spend the next months getting used to living aboard SOL, then plans are to head offshore to New Zealand around October/November, spend the summer sailing around the beautiful coast there, then off again April/May 2018 to places further afield - all this can and will change depending on the weather and the mood of the day.
Jamie was born in Sydney, the family moved to London when he was 10yrs old. He attended the London Nautical School where his interest in sailing began. He learned to sail on the Thames and reservoirs around Southern England in small sailing dinghy's, successfully racing a Cherub for a number of years. Then after leaving school he sailed around the English Channel between England and France on a 38ft Ketch owned by the uncle of his dinghy sailing mate, Peter.
He and Linda met in Sydney then moved to Western Australia (at the same time as the America's Cup was sailed off Fremantle) where he crewed on a keeler racing out of the Swan River (not one of the America's Cup yachts!!). He continued to sail whenever he had the chance over the next few years both in Australia and in New Zealand, where they lived for 7 years. He did his Yachtmasters Certificate in New Zealand and has completed many other courses over the last 10 years including Marine Radio and Diesel Engine maintenance in preparation for this new life.
Linda is a Kiwi - what more can I say!! All New Zealanders grow up with salt water in their veins!
Born in Auckland - the City of Sails - in the suburb of Castor Bay, just a stones throw from the beach. The family had a holiday bach on Kawau Island and all their childhood summers were spent over at the island messing around in boats, first P class then cherubs then lasers.
Over the years, they have bareboat chartered, first in the Whitsundays, Australia, and then in Thailand, off Koh Chang - down by the Cambodia border, spending two weeks in those magical waters.
Preparation for this life and to build up sea miles was helped with a trip from Brisbane to Auckland on a 46ft Halberg Rassey in 2012, then from Brisbane to New Caledonia in 2015 on a 46ft Schionning Cosmos Catamaran.
They have been encouraged all the way by their four children (Phil, Marnie, Amy and Grace) who along with their spouses/partners have many sailing holiday adventures planned on mum and dads boat - we hope!
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