Barrabas is dwarfed amongst the quay and dock buildings in the background. Towering above her is the port crane that has already lifted her once before without the need to first unstep the mast. In the foreground is a typical local workboat. A rugged and seaworthy vessel desinged for Alaskan waters. During the summer months, Nome is a busy port serving fishing boats and supply vessels during those frantic months before the ice moves south once more and returns Nome to the deep freeze
When Barrabas was brought ashore for the winter, all moveable gear was removed and the mast unstepped. It is seen here after being carefully wrapped and sealed in heavy plastic sheeting. The radar scanner has been left on its mast mountings and is also heaving wrapped in plastic. Evenly supported on wooden pallets, the mast was lifted and carried to a warehouse in which to wait out the deep freeze of the Alaskan winter, ready for Adrian to unwrapped next summer
This photograph was taken just before Barrabas was stripped down and brought ashore to winter over in Nome, Alaska. It shows how every inch of available space has been used constructively with the cold water survival dinghy on the foredeck and the ocean grade liferaft stored aft of the mast
the marquee complete with well travelled ensign
Adrian gets his cake and eats it with Benji & Louise
Sunday (1st October) was Adrian’s 46th Birthday, a perfect excuse for Louise to throw a big party to celebrate his homecoming as well. Guests sharing the occasion included many friends, old and new as well as gutsy Atlantic rower, Roz Savage, sail maker Matt Atkins of Kemp Sails (AGX sail sponsor) and fellow yachtsman Ricardo Diniz (AGX weather router and AGX web site designer) from Lisbon.
Adrian with Benji & Gabriel
Matt Atkins and Ricardo Diniz
great friends Nikki and Paul Howe
Roz Savage, Ricardo Diniz and Adrian
Adrian may now be widely known for his epic attempt to complete the first vertical circumnavigation of the World by surface vessel, but he was already a successful author. His book Cobra is now the subject of a vigorous market in pre-owned copies. It is a well-told story of adventure, buried treasure, modern pirates and a security breach at a nuclear weapons laboritory. A great read and well worth the search for a copy.