NO ORDINARY DELIVERY!

A straightforward Mediterranean delivery turned into an epic cruise from Tunisia to Scotland as the crew battled the elements and the lockdown to get her home

- Justin Crowther

Working with Halcyon as a delivery skipper can never be described as dull. I’ve enjoyed some exceptional trips all over the globe from Bora Bora to the Baltic and from Mexico to the Med. So when a call came in to deliver a Halmatic Butler 40 from the southern Tunisian town of Monastir to Almerimar on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, I took it on, thinking it would be a straightforward six-day trip. This is not how things turned out!

Before arriving, I made my usual pre-confirmation call through the owner to introduce myself and discuss the delivery and the vessel. There is always an interesting back story but this one immediately stood out. Otters Moon was built in 1979 in Emsworth for the owner of Clyde Marine. As a master mariner and owner of several successful commercial vessels, he knew what he was looking for. This was to be a family boat, capable of navigating the islands of north-west Scotland safely and comfortably. She sported a superb pilothouse with 360° views and excellent protection from the elements. The engine was a Gardner 10.5 litre 6LXB – a marinised version of the beautifully simple and strong engine used in London buses and other hard-working public service vehicles. With this lump purring away at 800rpm burning 6 litres per hour for a cruising speed of 6 knots, she had a range of 4,000nm from her 4,500-litre fuel tank.

Otters Moon proudly flew a Blue ensign – the owner being a member of the Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club – and had spent many years doing just what she was built for, providing a safe and comfortable floating home for family holidays cruising the beautiful but remote Scottish islands, regardless of the vagaries of the Scottish weather.