Henry Adams (B1 1998-03) and I (C1 1998-03), adventurer and naïve fool respectively, decided that immediately after finishing our finals last year would be a great time to start a trip across the Atlantic in Henry’s 25ft folkboat, Ariel.

Thus it was that our trip, which was to finish in St Lucia on 16 December, started in June in rainy Inverness (don’t ask). Over the summer and early autumn we moved the boat steadily southwards, working on her all the time but also working on a good base tan, while most of our friends were contending with their first year in gainful employment. This was how we found ourselves in the marina on Gran Canaria in November, surrounded by boats, all much larger than us (even some of the local pleasure craft were bigger), contemplating the massive task in front of us, but also wondering how on earth to explain a dysfunctional tap seal to a Spanish chandlery.

Somehow we got ready in time for the start of the ARC race 2007, having reconciled ourselves with the limits of our electrics system (two ship’s batteries, no fridge, no freezer, battery-powered headlamps) and the inevitable food and water problems this posed, we set sail on 25 November last year. I tend to forget the unpleasant parts of the trip (constant discomfort, never being dry, 30ft swell) and focus on the good times (staring at the stars on night watch), which means that the trip seems, retrospectively, slightly shorter than the 21 days it took.

We were greeted with bells and whistles (well, flares and foghorns) on our arrival and it was all a bit overwhelming, having had limited conversation for the past three weeks (this was pre-arranged, as we didn’t want to fall out). However, this was not the end of the trip – I stayed with the boat up to Antigua, whence I flew home, and Henry brought the boat all the way home, a thankless task if you ask me.

So that is the brief story of our little jaunt across the Pond. I haven’t had time to detail all the many adventures, such as signing away our lives on a deserted Portuguese island or partying with gorgeous and very wealthy Swiss triplets, but, if you would like to read in more detail about the whole affair, go to http://blog,mailasail.com/yacht_ariel. We are also trying, retrospectively, to raise money for our dedicated charity, the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, a charity close to the hearts of all OMs of our ilk, so, if you’d like to contribute to our fund-raising effort please have a look at www.justgiving.com/2oms_in_a_boat.

Tim Fosh