Lucy
An adventurous explorer, environmental scientist and story teller with a yearning for the high seas and a world beyond fossil fuels.
In 2012 I underwent a very necessary ReDesign of myself. Enough is enough! I cried. No longer could I bear the shackles of my desk. I decided to follow my dreams of adventures on the high seas and discovery of new worlds (which were new to me at least!).
In January 2012 the opportunity of a lifetime materialized. The once in a lifetime chance to set sail on an adventure to establish fair trade and fair transport of goods under Sail rather than by fossil fuel powered cargo ships. For those of you that know me I had been talking of fossil fuel free futures and re-establishing the old trade routes by sail for quite some time.
In February 2012 I boarded the good ship Irene of Bridgwater and become the 10th crew member on the maiden voyage of ‘The New Dawn Traders’. The aim of our voyage was to establish a fair trade fair transport company trading goods under sail.
Fare Trade by Sail.
I am a passionate advocate for sustainability of our ecosystems, and the value of nature, biodiversity and action around reducing severity of climate change. Make no mistake I am utterly convinced of the adverse impact of humanity on the biosphere and the rate at which fossil fuel emissions are radically altering our planet.
I am passionate about inspiring people to take action to improve their environmental footprint. I’m a real foodie and I love to invent new dishes, cooking for friends and family. I grew up in the countryside on a small holding and currently live in London on a boat. Living with a close connection to open space, water and the sky is very important to me. I believe that diversity of food is key to both our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of our beautiful home, our one and only planet earth.
I hope you enjoying reading about my journey exploring slow food and fare trade by Sail…..


Hi Lucy, I am a Friend of Damons, well more his Mums age, but very interested in what he is doing. Looking out for your blogs each day and share in some of your excitement even from South Australia. Wishing you all well.
Hi there first leg complete well done to all big pat on the back say hello to Brest from me. can you check hte position of your ais transmiter you seam to have dropped off the main stream AIS tracking systems I can follow you on the live chart on the blog here but cant get any of the speed heading etc details that your out putting, the position on the side the whale back means if your heald over at all on a port tack your not geting a clear shot at the sky.
keep up the good work, look forward to reading more.
Too Cool! I will keep on checking in…I hope there’s less “ad” and more venture…
All in good time. All in good time. We are sailing across Biscay. That’ll be fun!
Hi Lucy, it’s Juan Pablo, from Vigo. Martin gave me your contact. When will you arrive over here? Do you already have a schedule of activities set?
Good sailing!
Morning Lucy! You get down to los cristianos in good order?? A book iv been enjoying that fits well with what you were saying last night is http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007E64VWQ/ref=aw_d_detail?pd=1
Not many bookshops around but its on audible which is great audiobook travel companion app. All the best to all of y’all. Hi antoine. And bon voyage! Catch up with you one day again maybe…. James.
I missed mentioning it last night as it seemed you were off with some good thinks
Super inspiring. Would do anything to be involved in a project like this.
Good luck, such a beautiful boat too, you are so lucky!
Keep bringing the idea crew!
Thanks James! Lovely to meet you in Tenerife. Hope you had fun wild sleeping.
Hi Lucy, it´s Robert from Sweden. Heard a rumor about you sailing across the seven oceans, am slightly envious
Hope the winds will for ever be in your back and no red in the morning only red at night as the saying goes. Always think of the Rime of The Ancient Mariner when thinking of journeys like yours. Watch out for the albatross
Be safe and bon courage
Hey Robert! Great to hear from you! Yes about to cross the Atlantic! Very exciting. Stay in touch! Lucy
U
Hi Lucy, I am amazed – and delighted – to read that the Irene is still very much afloat. When she was originally launched on 29th May 1907 in Bridgwater, my great-grandfather Percy Hoyal, his parents and siblings were living on the quayside and can be seen in a photograph watching the ship pass their home. My grandma’s second cousin, Charles Nicholls Hoyal, was also at one time mate/master of the Irene. I’m pleased to hear that you’re putting her to such good use – all best wishes for your continuing adventures!
Jenni
Lucy, this is Wendell, the Tour Guide from Angostura in Trinidad. Sorry about the difficulties experienced before leaving. I am now reading of your adventures.This is soooo exciting. Please keep writing, it is so important for our education. I have learned so much from your writings. I enjoyed taking you all on tour, and may GOD continue being with you and your crew.
Dea Wendell,
How wonderful to hear from you! This message made me smile on a wet cold morning here in the UK. I’m over the moon that you have enjoyed reading our stories. I hope you is well in Trinidad. I very much enjoyed visiting the factory. We will be returning to Trinidad and it is my hope that we will once again visit you and maybe this time take a beautiful cargo from Angostura home with us to these European shores! With best wishes from London. Lucy. xx
[...] lot has happened in that time. But I’m inspired to get back into this story after receiving a message from our guide from the Angostura factory in Trinidad who thanked me for the [...]
Very inspiring stories altogether!
In our family, the story goes that a distant ancestor travelled to Dublin on the Irene with a load of old bricks, met my great-great grandmother in a hospital there, fell in love and married her. I and my dear sister and brother are the descendants…
I’ll be travelling to Bristol en route to Ilfracombe (to goggle at Damien Hirsts WonderWork) and would dearly love to eyeball Irene…so I can bring to my sister in Norfolk a photo of myself and the magnificent Bríd afore Irrene in all her magnificence.
But where will she be?
Last event says doing the Bristol – Plymouth run in August. We’ll in the UK and local on November 13th-15th. Hired car out of London – do we go to Plymouth, or to Bristol?