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A voyage with Halcyon in Ireland, Cowes Online Article by Sue Pelling
Tuesday 30th June 2009
A voyage with Halcyon in Ireland
http://www.cowes.co.uk/zonexml/story?story_id=6716;cp=0
Take a step back in time and enjoy the ultimate tailor-made sailing experience aboard the luxury, 1920s classic yacht Halcyon, writes Sue Pelling.
If the rich, dark, teak panels aboard SY Halcyon could talk, they’d doubtless have a few tales to tell. This 95ft loa, 1929 Thornycroft-designed and built Bermudan Ketch with her distinct bow and unmistakable counter-stern is one of the most elegant classic yachts in existence and, having been immaculately restored to her original form, it’s difficult to imagine how she could have survived such a harsh former life. During World War II she was requisitioned by the Navy and used as a barrage balloon tender, then used as the flagship of a flotilla of minesweepers in Greece, and during the early 1950s was the private yacht of Madame Renault from the Renault cars dynasty. In 1958 on, for the next 30 years, she was a training ship at the Warsash School of Navigation.
She had a tough life and by the end of her days at the navigation school was destined for retirement but, as in all good fairy tales, she was rescued from certain fate and given a new lease of life. Thanks to oil/energy magnate, Andrew Armour - the current owner – who recognised her pedigree and potential, Halcyon is in sparkling condition once again after a £1 million re-fit and is now used as a fully-crewed charter yacht for the ultimate, luxury sailing experience.
But, as I was lucky enough to find out during a charter off Crosshaven, County Cork, in Southern Ireland earlier this year, this is no ordinary charter; far from it. Imagine being a guest onboard and reliving a sort of fantasy from the yacht’s flamboyant, heyday years in the 1920s when the likes of the original owner Sir Sam Turner (chairman of Turner and Newall) used her for entertaining? Imagine the strange, yet overwhelming feeling of excitement of being on the same boat, sleeping in the same cabins and sitting in the same saloon as sailors and guests from that bygone era? That’s exactly what to expect when you step aboard Halcyon. But better than that, and better than any Orient Express/luxury cruise line experience, guests are invited to benefit from the experience of enjoying what’s comparable to being given the free run of a staffed country mansion for the weekend including the keys to the owner’s wine cellar!
The fairly exclusive charter package with provision for just eight guests for cruises, 11 guests for day charters, and four crew members means that the whole experience is rather intimate allowing guests to come and go as they wish. With customer care a priority there’s provision to tailor-make the itinerary allowing guests the opportunity to explore the hundreds of hidden, magical anchorages littered around our coastline. To explore further, in places too shallow to risk taking the yacht, there’s a chance to relive those ‘Swallows and Amazons days’ with a sail/row on the yacht’s original 12ft clinker dinghy tender. If you fancy something a bit faster however, or are keen to try your hand at wakeboarding, then the jet-powered RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) would be the best option.
Although Halcyon is primarily a performance sailing boat with a highly experienced and qualified skipper and mate, guests have the option to choose whether to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery, or participate in the sailing. Rob Hickman the skipper and team, including First Mate Ollie Cotterell and Annette Corder, hostess, are happy to run the sailing, but they are always keen to encourage the help of others. Hickman commented: ‘Because we’ve tried to keep Halcyon as original and authentic as possible we only have two winches on board and block and tackle systems which means it’s all hands on deck when hoisting the 2,275sq ft of sails. Obviously there’s no real pressure because we can do it ourselves but there’s nothing like getting our guests involved to give them a real flavour of what it’s like to handle a big yacht.’
Her solid structure of teak planks on an oak frame means that Halcyon feels exceptionally robust. Interestingly though, she’s incredibly light and sensitive on the helm and her sizeable sail plan means she performs well in a breeze. Cruising off Crosshaven in a 20 knot breeze she clocked at least 10 knots, and according to Armour she was tracking a consistent 11 knots for hours on a recent 650 mile pasage from Stavanger, Norway to Cowes. ‘On a journey like this,’ commented Armour, ‘you really feel as though she’ll look after you because she exudes confidence. She makes me laugh because I also get a kind of romantic feeling this 80 year old is like a maiden aunt who’s looking for someone to look after her. I’m sure she casts her eye over everybody who comes aboard and says: ‘I wonder if this one’s up for it, when this old git is dead and I’ve taken all his money?’ There’s one thing for sure, she’ll find someone else to take her on once I’ve bitten the dust.’
Her spacious deck layout means guests can enjoy the freedom to come and go as they please without disturbing those sailing her. There are also plenty of potential sunbathing areas on the rich, spotlessly clean teak deck, and for those feeling brave enough, a trip out along the bowsprit to lie in the bowsprit netting is the ultimate relaxation therapy.
One of the most popular locations on the boat, particularly for non-sailing guests, is the windowed deckhouse, which serves as a welcome retreat during inclement weather. With comfortable seats all round, it’s also the perfect place to enjoy a sundowner… or two in the summer.
Because the owner is aware that after a good day’s sailing there’s nothing guests like more than to go down below and relax in the warm with a glass of fine wine in sumptuous surroundings, Halcyon has been fitted with a log-burning stove, similar to the one originally fitted when she was built. The stove, situated in the main saloon/dining area in the centre of the boat has a 300 million year-old piece of slate as a surround weighing 65kg and is, not surprisingly, a key focal point.
A key talking point however, has to be the exquisite cuisine masterminded by chef Kerri Humm. As far as my experience of yachting goes there is nothing to compare to the exceptional quality of food and wine, and the well thought out, varied menu during my charter in Ireland. The caramelised red onion tartlets with pecorino sauce, and the oven-baked salmon darnes served with crushed potatoes, minted peas and asparagus, were nothing short of divine. Kerri tries to buy organic provisions locally sourced and the wine is specially selected by the owner. In recognition of Halcyon’s masterchef standards, the yacht even has its own cookery book produced by former chef Andre Daniels. Published in hardback with over 150 gourmet recipes to choose from, this book with its stunning photography serves as the perfect reminder of time spent aboard Halcyon.
As I stepped off Halcyon at the end of my voyage I was in deep envy of guests signed up for charters on the two-month Scottish part of Halcyon’s annual itinerary in June and July. Exploring the coastline around Scotland’s western isles aboard this comfortable, graceful yacht has got to be the ultimate way to appreciate the stunning scenery. And for Whisky lovers, the pièce de résistance has to be the excursion to the Islay and Jura Whisky distilleries on the leg between Largs and Oban.
The final part of the Scottish tour includes the highly popular Classic Malts Cruise, from Oban-Mallaig-Largs. From Largs, Scotland, guests have the opportunity to sail on a passage all the way down the west coast of Britain to Cowes for Cowes Week, a highly popular location for corporate entertainment opportunities where guests are not only free to enjoy the sailing but can also enjoy being part of this key event the English social calendar.
Although Halcyon does have a charter schedule, Ireland in May, Scotland in June/July and Cowes in August, there’s plenty of flexibility to ‘write your own itinerary’ particularly along the south coast of England post Cowes Week. ‘Ideally we like people to know where she’ll be at certain times of the year,’ concluded Armour, ‘but we’re happy to listen to what the customer wants and try to tailor-make what we hope will be a voyage to remember.’
For a three-night charter in Cork, Southern Ireland at the beginning of May expect to pay £400 per person (sharing a twin/double cabin). Price includes food, fuel, berthing, use of watersports equipment, but does not include flight to destination. For more information including sailing schedule and how to book, go to the Halcyon Yacht Charter website shown below or telephone +44(0)7787 567 674.