Popeye and Olive Oyl

Über mich

Popeye (Neil) made a career in the charitable (third) sector. After working for The National Trust, he directed the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales at a time when environmental issues were still considered marginal. This brought him to the atttention of HRH The Prince of Wales who appointed him to direct his unique Welsh environmental trust which eventually became part of The Prince’s Trust. From 2000, Neil became an independent consultant and amongst many fascinating commissions, the Welsh Assembly Government asked him to guide them in the production of their first ‘Strategic Action Plan for the Third Sector’. Neil retired in 2010 to take on the full-time role of Popeye.

Popeye and Olive (Betsan) have two grown-up children and two delightful granddaughers, who they see on a regular basis.

Persönliche Homepage: http://www.neilcaldwell-associates.co.uk

Segelerfahrungen

In 2004, Popeye and Olive decided to get on with realising a long-held ambition to learn to sail and to set a course for sunnier climes. Jumping in the deep end, they bought a 1985 Dehler 34 (‘Lynx’) which was rather like getting into an aging sports car – not the fastest on the drag, but still capable of delivering a punch!

Risking life-and-limb, Popeye mastered the art of solo sailing, and with Olive on board from time-to-time, Lynx made it as far as Tobermory and Kinsale. Sailing in the exposed and extreme tidal waters of the Pembrokeshire islands was always a challenge (and an occasional nightmare!), which rewarded the brave.

In the end, though, Popeye realised that his dream of travelling south with Olive and their landlubber Jack Russell (‘Jac’) on board meant finding a boat more suited to cruising, with all comforts and mod cons. In 2010 they bought a 1989 Hunter Horizon 32 which they renamed ‘Gwennol’. This was in superb condition, having not been launched until 2003, and then largely used as a well-appointed holiday cottage. Popeye has made further improvements to make Gwennol a safe, comfortable and effective sailing boat for long-term cruising. One of only 19 HH32s with a wheelhouse, living and sailing on Gwennol is a real pleasure. With everything finally ready by August 2011, Olive and Popeye have at last begun their great sailing adventure…