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North Sea Sailing Diary: Gas Platforms, Porpoises and Pi the Pigeon

by | Published on Jun 4, 2026 | Norway, Norway Challenger, Sailing Holidays | 0 comments

gas platforms in the North Sea

After two days of calm seas and clear skies, the crew of Challenger 3 finally found the wind they had been waiting for. As the yacht pushed north towards Norway, the passage became more lively, with oil and gas platforms to navigate around, stronger winds to sail in, and wildlife visitors both in the water and on deck. In this latest update, the Skipper shares the view from the chart table while crew member Anne describes life on board during Days 3 and 4 of the voyage.

Day 3 – A brief update from the Skipper Tony M:

General Synopsis – The wind finally decided to make an meaningful appearance around 0600 this morning and we have been sailing close hauled, dodging oil/gas platforms since then!

The forecast suggests F4 winds from N or NW for the next 36 hours or so, which should see us most of the way into Stavanger before the high pressure pushes through and the winds fade away on Thursday.

Position at 11:00 UTC 26/05/26: 56d 06.6”N 003d 25.2”E
Sailing.
Sail Plan: Full Main, Y1 & Staysail.
24 Av. CoG: 017d
24 Av. SoG: 6.6kts
Dist to Run (GC): 182NM
16 PoB
Fuel: 2 Full Tanks, 1 Empty, 1 in use.
Water: 2 Full Tanks, 1 empty 1 in use.
Gas: 3 Full Propane, 1 Empty, 1 in use.
Food: Fresh fruit/veg holding up well, French toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast, Chilli Tonight..
Tea Bags: Less than 1000 left, depending on availability of PG in Norway, rationing is possible…

Day 4 – Pigeon and Porpoises

The last two days have been quite exciting. We have continued to enjoy great meals, with the port and starboard watches taking it in turns to cater. Dinners are our highlights, with a lovely chili tonight.

We have made some good progress, with the wind picking up and lots of fun sailing. Lots of fun and acrobatics navigating the cabins with the boat heeled over, and absolutely beautiful up on deck. The waves got a bit choppy this afternoon, and the splash and spray are gorgeous out on deck.

The weather has been sunny and clear, with a half-moon early in the night and on the later watches the stars are phenomenal.

Dolphins in the North Sea

Dolphins at the bow

Today a pigeon joined us for most of the day – we named him Pi. Eventually he did choose to take off for parts unknown but enjoyed a biscuit before going on his way. We also saw porpoises a few times over the past couple of days.

Pigeon lands on a Challenger 72 in the North Sea

Pi the Pigeon

We are definitely using the safety straps on our bunks, with the angle and bounce of the ship, but they are snug and warm after our busy shifts. The sailing has been great, so much fun.

Anne

With Stavanger now drawing closer, the crew are settling into life offshore and enjoying everything that makes a North Sea passage memorable: good sailing, good company and unexpected wildlife encounters. For those interested in experiencing a similar voyage, more information can be found on our Norway Sailing Adventures page, which explores the routes, destinations and opportunities to sail between the UK and the spectacular Norwegian Fjords.

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Maurice MacSweeney
11:45 30 Oct 25
Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF, First Aid, etc), and there's now no other school I'd want to train and study with. They really stand out from other providers with the quality of their instructors and the support and responsiveness you get from the office team. There's never too many students on a course, so you get lots of time to practise and learn from the instructor. By the end of each course you really feel you've been stretched and graduated to a much higher level of skill. A really high quality outfit and thoroughly recommended!
Response from the owner 13:56 06 Nov 25
Hi Maurice, we're so pleased to have been with you from the start of your sailing journey. That's great that you enjoyed the ratio of students to instructor and felt confident with the levels you achieved. Thanks for the review, we hope you manage to get plenty of sailing in after all the hard work you've put in.
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Marty Stromquist
15:22 24 Oct 25
I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie FRIN (Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation), was fantastic. It was very fast-paced, but covered the basics and theory behind Celestial Navigation. The jewel of the week was Rennie. His abundant patience, coupled with his experiences and passion for the art, made the week incredible. First Class Sailing have the best instructors. They know their craft and have real-life experience to make training both fun and memorable. Well Done!
Response from the owner 13:42 06 Nov 25
Thanks Marty. We're so pleased you enjoyed Nigel's expert guidance and passion for sailing. Like all our instructors, he loves teaching and sharing his knowledge, but manages to make it fun too. Thanks for the recommendation.
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Anne-Laure McLeman
10:07 15 Oct 25
Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3 of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice. Such a good week!
Response from the owner 13:24 06 Nov 25
Thank-you for the review Anne-Laure. That's great that the all female option suited you well and you enjoyed learning with Kirsten. Hopefully all that practice has set you up well for future sailing. Good luck!
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Angus Sandison
19:57 07 Oct 25
Really great experience with First Class. My partner and I did our Day Skipper over two weekends with our instructor Mark. He was fantastic. Patient as we learned and made the whole thing fun. The boats are great and organization by First Class was seamless. Would totally recommend.
Response from the owner 13:17 06 Nov 25
Thanks Angus. That's good that you enjoyed Mark's style of teaching and also had lots of fun along the way. Wishing you lots of happy sailing in the future.
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Tricia Bunten
18:48 07 Oct 25
I just finished a fantastic week taking my Day Skipper practical with First Class Sailing and I highly recommend them. I chose the Women Only week and had an incredibly patient instructor who was able to help each of us individually with areas of weakness but also worked great with us as a group. I had never sailed in the Solent before and it was the perfect location for this class. I am so grateful for First Class and my instructor for helping me build confidence and experience.
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Response from the owner 16:59 04 Nov 25
Thanks Tricia, we're so pleased you enjoyed the Women Only week and had a positive experience. We always say that the Solent really is one of the best places to learn and it has some beautiful scenery to explore too, so that's good that you appreciated it. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon.
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Evan Ainsworth
20:30 05 Oct 25
They do say that what sets great companies apart is customer service. This is my third time with first class sailing the first time was a few years ago when we did our competent crew it was one of the best weeks of our lives. Then we came again in August for the kids to do their competent crew and my wife and I to do our day skipper course. Unfortunately when I did my day skipper course the weather was terrible and I was unable to have a good session to pass. So Jake said to me you can come back and have a free weekend on us to enable you to pass. And again I had a fabulous weekend. There was just three of us on the boat. A wonderful instructor, Tom, and another student. Tom was an excellent instructor he was relaxed, he had great experiences, he got on with the practical part of sailing not just a lot of theory and he was thorough. He had lots of practical tips to make sailing easier and had some good exercises forest to try. We had a super trip down to Yarmouth where he cooked a wonderful dinner and then we went to the pub. Where we met another first class sailing group and spent the evening listening to their tall tales. The following day we had a super sail back to Southampton, with lots of cool exercises and I was thrilled to pass my day skipper.
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Response from the owner 16:46 04 Nov 25
Thanks for the review Evan and congratulations on passing your Day Skipper practical, the hard work has paid off. That's good that the whole family joined you for one of the trips and so now hopefully you have some willing crew members for future sails. Good luck!
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hugo kirby
15:26 09 Sep 25
great course with a very engaged and helpful instructor - who was happy to go outside the curriculum and give us the benefit of his wider knowledge - throroughly recommended
Response from the owner 15:30 11 Sep 25
That's good that you appreciated the experiences and extra knowledge that the instructor passed on. Thanks for the recommendation.
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Justin Brooks
11:11 23 Aug 25
We would highly recommend First Class Sailing.

Very well organised with a top quality instructor who provided tuition tailored to our differing needs.

A fantastic option for a couple wanting an entire boat to do a mixed Competent Crew / Day Skipper itinerary.
Response from the owner 14:21 28 Aug 25
Thanks Justin. We always find that mixing the Competent Crew & Day Skipper works well, so that's great that it worked for you too. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon and put all your learning into practice.
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ChrisC
15:37 22 Aug 25
Great experience doing a Yachtmaster Offshore prep week followed by exam. Lots of useful paperwork up-front for the course admin and training exercises. The 3-day prep format worked well and Hayley did a brilliant job of cramming in the training over those days. Lovely modern boat too called Sazerac. Will be back.
Response from the owner 14:17 28 Aug 25
Hi Chris, thanks for the review. Congratulations on gaining your YMO qualification. There's a lot to cover, but as you've found, the hard work really pays off. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
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Miles Barr
11:27 03 Aug 25
I completed my Competent Crew and Day Skipper Practical with First Class Sailing. It was a great experience. I hired the whole boat each time, taking my family members along who also earned their Competent Crew qualifications.
Response from the owner 15:21 21 Aug 25
Thanks Miles. That's great that hiring the whole boat for your courses worked well for you all. Now that your family have their comp crew qualifications, you'll have plenty of help onboard for future sails! Good luck.

star rating  A consistently great experience  - Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF,... read more

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October 30, 2025

star rating  Excellent training course with Fergus!  - Excellent training course with Fergus! He made sure that across levels we were all learning and having fun! The extra context from his experience sailing was insightful and entertaining!

avatar thumb Jamie S
October 25, 2025

star rating  All female boat for day skipper practical  - Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3... read more

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October 15, 2025

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Some other blogs

And we’re off – to Norway!

And we’re off – to Norway!

by | Jun 3, 2026

Follow the crew of Challenger 3 as they set sail from Portsmouth on an offshore passage to Bergen in Norway. Crew members Fiona and Anne share their experiences from the first two days at sea, from calm Solent sailing and life on board a Challenger 72 to night watches under the Milky Way. Along the way, they learn new skills, settle into the watch system, enjoy spectacular conditions, and begin their journey towards the Norwegian Fjords.

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