We have a small, but very close knit team at Pangaea- particularly given that we are normally scattered all across the globe. We are in California, Emily is working from her home base in the UK, Clive is also in the UK and Dale is…where he usually is – the boat.
Dale just called in his usual low key, “yeah, whatever” tone to relay that he’d passed his “oceans”. Oceans is short for Royal Yachmaster Association (RYA) Oceans Skipper. Dale has now passed the highest UK standard for sailing vessel yacht leadership. He is cleared for all “oceans” with no limits as a commercial skipper. RYA is the official endorsement agency of the UK government’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Sea Dragon falls under the UK jurisdiction due to her Cayman Island (UK) registration.
We’ve known Dale for almost two years now- and sailed personally with him for across the Atlantic, into shallow muddy rivers of Guyana, through the Caribbean, and just recently on a spectacular dive expedition off Brazil. Through all of this, Dale has shown an exceptional range of seamanship skills and personal leadership. Great mariners I have known combine technical sailing proficiency, navigation, piloting (not the same thing as navigation), mechanical aptitude of an engineer, and the personal leadership ability to bring a team through tough times. Dale has excelled at all.
Dale, our sincere congratulations and respect for a job well done! We are all proud to have you as such an important part of the Pangaea team.
Dale is now in final preparation for the return leg across the Atlantic. This is first up to Walvis Bay Namibia, one of the most arid landscapes on earth. From there, the team will sail out to St. Helena Island and then onto Montevideo. Almost 4,000 miles later they will have made the third research crossing of the South Atlantic Gyre.