A different kind of crossing

Peter Casier on Vantanera.

70,000 Miles at sea. Peter Casier on why this crossing was different.

Peter describes himself as a Fleming, a European, an aid worker, an expedition traveler, a sailor — not necessarily in that order. After a career with UN disaster relief, missions in over 100 countries, and 70,000 nautical miles under the keel — including 17 ocean crossings — Peter has a clear sense of what makes a good passage. He's raced with us on Sisi and sailed Vantanera across the Atlantic twice. This is his account.

First time on a Wally

Six transatlantics behind me — as crew, as first mate, on cruising boats of all kinds. I thought I knew what to expect. Vantanera changed that. A 94-foot Wally is fast where cruising boats are slow, comfortable where racing boats are spartan. For the first time on an ocean passage, I had a professional crew of five and a dedicated cook alongside me. I felt more relaxed than I ever had at sea — and yet I was fully in it, integrated into the watch system, sailing the boat equal to the pros.

The team behind the boat

What a professional crew actually looks like

I'd already seen how this team operates on VO65 Sisi — how they fold a mixed group of pro sailors and guest crew into one competitive, tight-knit unit. That same dynamic showed up on both Atlantic crossings on Wally Vantanera. Professional planning, genuine care for the people on board, and an atmosphere that never slipped. Not once. Not a single harsh word amongst the crew — across thousands of miles of open ocean.

3,000 miles of everything

Whales, stars, and some tough sailing

We had technical challenges. We had weather. Glorious nights under more stars than I'd ever seen, dolphins on the bow at sunrise, whales breaking the surface mid-ocean. And wet, cold, hard sailing — the kind that tests you quietly and doesn't let up. That's the Atlantic. That's what it does.

None of it felt like too much.

What makes a great ocean crossing

We did this.

To me, a great passage has one measure: do you arrive smiling? After 3,000 to 4,000 miles — through spray and wind and broken sleep — do you look at the people around you and feel like you did something together? On both crossings with Vantanera, the answer was yes. Guest crew and pro crew alike, giving each other a hi-five at the dock.

That's what this team does. And that's why I keep coming back.

— Peter Casier

Learn more about Peter's adventures.