About Me

In 2014 at age 43 I changed my world.  It sounds dramatic but after working/living the norm I left land and joined my partner, Neil, on his self-built 38foot Wharram Tiki Catamaran, Gleda.

Up until that time I had spent the last 7 and a bit years working for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Leamington Spa and dating/living with Neil.  When Neil and I first got together in December 2006 he had just started to build Gleda and I knew that his plan was to move onboard and leave the UK, probably long term.

As it took some years for the build, it was always a distant choice to make; to give up the bricks and mortar house, the permanent full time employment and go live on a boat with no guaranteed income.  However, 2014 was decision year, the boat would be ready to be launched and Neil would be ready to go.

The decision to give up a full-time permanent job was taken out of my hands when the Commission decided to close the office I worked in and I was made redundant.   I would not have stayed in our rented cottage without Neil so my home would have changed anyway.  Although the cottage was lovely, on my own it would be too expensive and too far away from town and family.

So there we were.  Me, a non-sailor, not having camped, a lover of high-heels, stuff and comfort going to join Neil on a 38ft boat and join him in his dream.

Our time on Gleda ended in 2018 when after some family issues and some reality checks we decided that we were not going to be sailing Gleda as originally planned.  Gleda was sold to a long time follower of the project who will be taking her to the places she was built to see. As of November 2024 Gleda is in the Cape Verde islands waiting to cross the Atlantic.

In 2018, Neil and I bought a fifth wheel caravan and were planning to continue our travelling on land rather than by sea.  So Landgirlafloat floated no more.  In 2019 we had our first taste of road travel with a trip from the South West of England into and around parts of Scotland.  2020 and we were bound to our site in Cornwall by Covid.  Early 2021 we had the opportunity, if we sold the 5th wheel, to purchase a park home at the site where we were based and Neils dad was living.  We did sell the 5th wheel and Neil spent over 60 consecutive days completely refurbing a 1980’s one bedroom park home, with a garden.  Apart from the foot ferry from Falmouth to St Mawes, a couple of car ferries  and a trip on the tourist boat up the river Helford in September 2024 which was a Eureka moment for me, I hadn’t been on the water since handing over Gleda in 2019.

Fast forward to October 2024, I’ve been working in an office part-time for 4 years, Neil writes, my beloved step-dad Bry passed in February 2022, Mum has moved out of the family home to a Retirement Village near my brothers and Neil has just brought home a 21ft Newbridge Coromandel bilge keel boat with a junk rig. Looks like Landgirlafloat will be back on the water in the 2025 season.

Quick Bio/Timeline:-

  • 1980’s girl at heart.  Still sing along and like to dance to Wham, Fun Boy Three, Culture Club and pretty much any Stock, Aitken & Waterman track from the 80’s
  • Born in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire in the heart of England
  • Sister to Gary & Gavin – obvs I’m the favourite sibling
  • Have the same best friend, Maria, from the age of 5 and I am Godmother to her 2 girls, Rachael and Laurel.
  • Auntie to Claudia, Elliott, Harvey, Alfie, Eva and Zak
  • Am known for being extremely organised, a lover of a spreadsheet, tidy, punctual and a little bit sarcastic
  • A bit crafty – knit, crochet & sew
  • Have learned the difference between need and want.  If I need to, I can wash up in 2″ of water and I can live without running water and central heating.
  • 1996 met Neil  when we worked together for a year.  Waited for 10 years for the right time.
  • 2006 – 2014 Neil building Gleda in a barn in the middle of England – lived a ‘normal’ life
  • 2014 made redundant – moved onto Gleda – not quite so ‘normal’
  • 2015 sailed away from the UK
  • 2015-2018 sailed/lived in Portugal & Spain
  • 2018 return to UK and lived in a 5th Wheel Mobile Home
  • 2020 got a part-time office job – back to normality?
  • 2021 sold 5th Wheel moved into a residential park home – with a garden, maybe a bit more normal?
  • 2024 Neil brought home a 21ft Newbridge Coromandel to prep for the 2025 sailing season – Landgirl will float again!