Esperanza Pérez Pérez-Crespo holds a degree in Physics and has extensive experience in multinational companies (Repsol, General Electric, Cap Gemini, among others).
Furthermore, she has been a sailor from a very young age, both in dinghy sailing and cruising, and has evolved to become an expert ocean sailor who has sailed halfway around the world, including the Pacific and the China Sea.
A notable milestone in her career as a sailor occurred in 2006 when she became the first Spanish woman to sail solo across the Atlantic.
She later recounted her adventure and the preparation process for this challenge in her book, “Alone in the Atlantic.” Currently, Esperanza continues racing and is involved in the world of recreational sailing.
We thank Esperanza for sharing her experiences on this great sailing adventure with our readers.
Esperanza, when did your relationship with the sea and sailing begin?
I was born in Madrid, and every summer we enjoyed holidays in Cabo de Palos and the Mar Menor where we went sailing and fishing in a small motorboat. When I was eight years old my family moved to Cartagena where we enjoyed the family cruise, a Mallorcan sailing Llaut, and around eleven years old I started sailing on a very complete boat called a Cadet, which was followed by the Vaurien and the cruisers. Currently I race on Vaurien, Snipe and cruisers.
How did the project of crossing the Atlantic alone come about?
What motivated you to take on this great challenge?
In 2000, I was working at a major consulting firm when a train stopped in my life, one day, on the way to fulfilling a dream: crossing the Pacific Ocean by sail. I decided to drop everything and jump on board. The Archibald, a 40-foot steel sloop, was sailing around the world, and I had the opportunity to cross some 7,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean.
During that experience, I noticed that, on the one hand, there were very few women on board fulfilling their dreams; it was usually the dream of their partners. On the other hand, at that time, there were some women who had made solo transoceanic voyages, such as Catherine Chabot, Naomi James, Ellen McArthur, etc., but none of them were Spanish. So I said to myself, “Why not me?” And so it was. Once I had the title of Yacht Captain, I proposed it to the owner of the “Archibald,” Cocua Ripoll, and he was delighted with the idea to the point of letting me use his boat and participate in the project as technical director.
¿Qué experiencia tenías cuando decides navegar en solitario?
I had experience in coastal racing, some sailing and offshore racing and nothing else.
Can you describe to our readers what the ARCHIBALD sailboat you sailed across the Atlantic was like, its seaworthiness, features, equipment, etc.?
The “Archibald” is a 12-meter long and 4-meter wide sloop with a folding centerboard (1.3 m draft to 2.8 m). It has 14 gross tons. Built in the META shipyards (FRA) – Exploration 40 designed by the architect Caroff. It has 4 stays and a flying jib. It was equipped with the latest technologies of the time that we could afford since safety was the most important thing in the project. It has a radar and radar detector, 2 solar panels, 2 wind generators, 6 autopilots (1 wind, 1 small, 1 medium and 3 large), 2 bow genoas and a main with the possibility of a gennaker, 1 staysail and 1 bow jib. 35 HP Perkins engine.
How was the ship prepared for the ocean voyage? Did you need any special personal physical and/or psychological preparation?
The preparation lasted about three years, including an overhaul of the rigging, engine, complete replacement of plumbing, electrical, electronic, and various navigational devices, and dismantling much of the interior to bare iron and repairing rust, installing new insulation, and building the carpentry in the affected areas.
At the same time, I worked for a company Monday through Friday, and the weekends were dedicated to work aboard the Archibald. At the same time, the search for potential sponsors, an arduous and often fruitless task, took up much of my time, along with two hours a day at the gym to get in shape.
I suffered a disc injury a year before sailing that kept me immobile for almost four months, and a car accident six months before departure almost derailed the project.
The psychological aspect was put aside, as I didn’t have time for it and didn’t worry about it either. Everything went well, as I kept a cool head during moments of tension or problems on board.
What’s the daily routine like for a solo sailor in the middle of the ocean?
Do you get enough sleep? Does loneliness affect you?
I usually slept every hour or hour and a half to check that everything was going well on board. This was enough, as it was repeated throughout the 24-hour day.
The first thing I did when I got up was check the weather, the electronic devices, adjust the sails and course, and write down the position and corresponding observations in the logbook. This action I repeated at 9:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. before the briefing.
Then I made myself a good breakfast consisting of juice, a glass of chocolate, a couple of slices of toast, and a few pieces of fruit. Then I did some exercise, reading, a nap, and the typical chores of repairs, improvements, etc.
Sometimes I caught a dorado, which then had to be cleaned and cut up before cooking. It’s important to have a hot meal a day: potato omelet, Cuban rice, etc., just like at home, although sometimes I was a bit lazy to cook.
A little nap was sometimes enlivened by the sight of flying fish, jumping tuna on calm days, or the adorable dolphins playing with the bow of the Archibald.
A marvel of the day was enjoying the incredible sunsets before the routine navigators’ briefing, where I would report my position to Rafael del Castillo and receive the weather forecast for the coming hours and days.
And so, day after day, I spent my time enjoying every moment or suffering through squalls that reached up to 40 knots, with rain that lasted a few minutes or endless hours.
With this routine, there was no room for loneliness; I was in the best company of the Archibald and nature, which enveloped me with a feeling of complete freedom.
Did you have support from land during ocean navigation? Is this support important?
Ground support was essential. Every day at 10:00 GMT I would contact the navigators’ wheel led by Rafael del Castillo (may he rest in peace) by radio. He would report the weather for all the boats in the wheel and anything else we might need, as he had very good contacts with people from many different fields. He could put you in touch with a doctor in case of an injury, a good engine mechanic, or the navy of a country in case of extreme need.
What would you highlight about the Atlantic crossing?
The best moment? And the worst?
The Atlantic Ocean crossing has been a lifelong project, a continuous learning experience about life, nature, and myself throughout the three years of the project.
It’s difficult to talk about the best and worst moments. Without a doubt, each sunrise and sunset have been magical and unique gifts from nature, unrepeatable and generous. The sounds of the water, the colors, and of course, the arrival in Saint Lucia, fulfilling a dream not without its many difficulties. Some of them almost derailed the project, such as a lack of funding, health problems before setting sail, etc.
What values and/or qualities do you think a good ocean navigator should have?
The most important thing for an ocean sailor is passion, enthusiasm, sacrifice, and dedication to the project. It’s essential to be consistent and persevering in your work and to patiently endure the thousands of adversities that arise along the way.
Self-confidence and overcoming suffering are essential to responding with a cool head to both technical and emotional problems.
Finally, Esperanza, are you still racing? Do you have any bow sailing plans?
I continue racing dinghies, Snipe, and Vaurien nationally and internationally, and also cruising locally.
At the moment, I have some nautical dreams that I hope will materialize when I can.
From “Navegantes Oceánicos” we thank Esperanza for her collaboration with this interview, and we admire her for being the first Spanish woman to sail solo across the Atlantic.
We wish you good luck and fair winds.
