NEWS
“Vertical” round the world solo yachtsman to give fundraising talk for local RNLI lifeboats
Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:41:24 +0000

Adrian aboard Barrabas off the Siberian coast Date: 11/11/2008 Author: Adrian Don, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Reference: Tynemouth 045 2008 Tynemouth and Cullercoats RNLI lifeboat stations are asking people to join us for an extraordinary event. Adrian Flannigan, solo yachtsman, will re-live his adventures to raise funds to help keep our lifeboats saving lives at sea. Adrian has a reputation for [...]

Over The Top
Sun, 09 Nov 2008 10:30:54 +0000

This is an inspiring story and it holds the reader from the first page. Good books inform and entertain. This is a good book. The author is a writer who embarked on an extraordinary adventure. The result is a well-written book. The adventure was the first attempt to complete a vertical or bi-polar circumnavigation by sea. [...]

The Voyage of the Beagle
Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:50:27 +0000

This book is both a fascinating account of one of the events that changed the world, and fine art. The publisher has produced a handsome volume with printed linen covers and high quality paper. The work is lavishly illustrated with art, photographs, sketches, maps, facsimile extracts of newspapers and advertisements. The production standard is very [...]

OVER THE TOP
Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:28:14 +0000

The First Lone Yachtsman to Sail Vertically Around The World by Adrian Flanagan Published in hardback by Weidenfeld & Nicolson on 6th November 2008, at £16.99 In May 2008, Adrian Flanagan made history when he completed the first ever single-handed ‘vertical’ circumnavigation of the world. Over The Top tells the story of this remarkable voyage. In 1975, when [...]

BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF BRITISH NAVAL AVIATION
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:05:24 +0000

“One Hundred Years of British Naval Aviation” Nighthawk Publishing, Available November 2008, eBook, £9.99, ISBN 1-84280-118-X The British Government has selected 2009 as the Official Centenary of the Fleet Air Arm. This is an arbitrary date that can be justified on the basis that the Naval Estimates for 1909 included funds for the construction of the ill-fated HM [...]

AGX - Mission Accomplished
Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:05:30 +0000

The final Broadly Boats Special in the Alpha Global Expedition series is now available as a free download from: tinyurl.com/59vkxp The book “Over The Top” by Adrian Flanagan will be launched by Orion in October 2008. bb.firetrench.com ftnews.firetrench.com agx.firetrench.com nighthawk.firetrench.com ftd.firetrench.com

The Tall Ships’ Races 2008 got off to a flying start
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:56:11 +0000

HMS Mersey will be following the fleet. Above, earlier this year when HMS Mersey welcomed first vertical (bi-polar) cirumnavigator Adrian Flanagan back to British waters after his transit of the Russian Northern Sea Route The Tall Ships’ Races 2008 got off to a flying start yesterday as the race got under way just off the northern [...]

Alpha Global meets Exercise Midnight Sun
Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:36:54 +0000

pictured left to right: Mark Giles, Andy Whitmore, Adrian, Paul Molyneux and Warren Beresford On Wednesday Adrian & Louise met with four members of the Territorial Army who are taking part in Exercise Midnight Sun which is the Royal Signals TA expedition to Greenland, one of the planets last great unspoilt wildernesses, in August 2008. The [...]

FAVOURITE PICTURES
Sat, 31 May 2008 14:18:40 +0000

We’ve finally made it home after 2 weeks on the Hamble. And what an incredibly memorable 2 weeks they have been. Of the many hundreds of pictures taken on the 21st May, these are two we particularly like. The family portrait is taken by our good friend Tina Hadley, the other by Sara Coombes [...]

AGX - PHOTOS
Mon, 26 May 2008 12:01:06 +0000

Below are a selection of family photos taken over the past couple of days - please feel free to use them. For publication purposes, a photo credit will suffice (Louise Flanagan) Reading The Times at breakfast on Thursday morning!


Over The Top
News Archive

11 March 2006
Having a whale of a time

As I write, I am about to pass the Juan Fernandez archipelago. It was here in 1705 that Alexander Selkirk, a seaman aboard a privateer had a thunderous row with the ship's master. Selkirk asked to be put ashore. Four years later, he was picked up by Woodes Rogers. In London, Selkirk's story was written up where it was seen by Daniel Defoe who used it as the model for his novel, Robinson Crusoe. I am sorely tempted to anchor up and have a look...

Two nights ago, we had a visitor - a whale came alongside then dived under the boat and was nudging the keel, causing the boat to heel over. I don't believe it was aggressive behaviour and nice to think Barrabas had a new friend. I was more concerned that the whale might damage the self-steering rudder.

Today I got my reward after six weeks of grey, cold weather - probably the best sailing day I have had so far! The Pacific Ocean is very different in character from the Atlantic - a longer smoother swell, more expansive somehow and fresher. We had a warm 12 knot breeze coming over the port quarter, blue skies studded with high cloud, sparkling indigo water. Barrabas was reaching at 6 knots, but hardly heeling. I took the opportunity of drying out some damp clothing and taking the galley sink drainage system apart to clean. It was choked with black, foul smelling grunge. I also took time on deck, shoeless, wearing shorts and a T-shirt. This was a day to savour - the serenity, the space, the sing-song of the sea.