Boat International - February 2016

ON BOARD

T

here’s nothing sadder than the sight
ofaplasticbagfloatinginthewater
in some paradise destination. Or
a bottle. They’re not just polluting eyesores,
they’re dangerous. Suck a plastic bag into the
impeller on your jet ski and it’s kaput. And
a glass bottle can do serious damage to the
hull ofatenderathighspeed.
I have a zero tolerance policy on my boat:
nothing goes overboard.
It’s a sackable ofence. The
captain enforces it and
he’s not afraid to shout
at guests!He’sthebosson
board and it demonstrates
that a bit of leadership
goes a long way in keeping
things as clean and green
as possible. We all have an obligation to leave
the planet in the best possible condition for our
children and grandchildren. In my experienc
the boating community has always understoo
this better than anyone.

The bestexampleofaplacewheretheeco
movement has had a lasting impact is the
Galápagos. I spent 10 days there on my
circumnavigation and let me tell you, it’s one
of the most special places on the planet. You
can onlygowithaguideandtheywilltellyou
where you can anchor, or swim, or go ashore.
It’s properly controlled and managed, which
is absolutelyrightbecausethemarinelifeis
out of this world. It’s a great example of what
can be achieved when people make a concerte
efort to protect something precious.
People often tell me they’re upset about
certain anchoring restrictions in the Med,
like around the Porquerolles, where you’re no
allowed to drop the hook within 500 yards of
the shore. The reason is anchors are said to di
up the seagrass, which is a habitat for all sorts
of sea creatures. It might be annoying but
these protections are in place for a reason.

The person who helped open my eyes to the

oceans crisis was Prince Albert of Monaco.

Back in the 1990s, we gave a Formula 1 engine

cover to all the organising clubs of grands

prix around the world. It was just a good

marketing exercise. Anyway, the Monaco

organisersaskedusiftheycouldhavealogo

on theirs, saying “Keep the Med clean and

clear”,orsomethinglikethat.Itwasthefirst

time I really understood

that there were people in

serious leadership positions

committed to leaving things

better than they found them.

Albert’s been a massive

influence on the health of

theseasandledacampaign

to protect bluefin tuna.

I always ask for line-caught fish in restaurants

and I’ve steered clear of steel hulled

many now have solar panels to run onboard

systems and charge batteries. New materials,

including carbon and Kevlar, mean that

yachtsaregettinglighterandenginesare

constantlymoreeicient.

I’ve just had the best sail ever in Antigua. I

went down there after the Abu Dhabi Grand

Prix to go sailing with a few mates. Sometimes

thewindcanbeabitdodgythattimeofyear

but we got so lucky.

Apart from the wind, one of the things

that makes Antigua so special is the clarity

of the water. I’ve been fortunate to do a lot

of boating in places like this, and one of the

greatest joys is being able to see all the way

to the bottom. It’s the same in parts of the Med

• Corsica, Sardinia, Turkey, Greece. Growing
  upinIreland,too,Iwasluckyastheseawasso
  ur fresh and clear Very cold mind you but clear
  e,
  od

ed

t

g

s

andIvesteeredclearofsteel-hulled

boatsbecause oftheirfuel

consumption. The next

generation of boats

isgettinggreener

all the time,and

fresh and clear.Very cold,mind you,but clear.

Yo ugoto someplaces andtheyare spoiledby

murky,pollutedwaters.It’sagreatshame

but also a great opportunitybecause

wecanfixit.

Eddie Jordan’sfeefor this column

hasbeendonatedtocharity

Ten days in the Galápagos taught Eddie Jordan how precious environments can be looked after.

Prince Albert of Monaco showed him how politicians and leaders can make a dierence, too

Lippy from the Liey

Anchoring restrictions

might be annoying but

these protections are

in place for a reason

Illustration – David Hopkins

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