ARCTIC TONY
- Background & Crew
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Save on food, shopping & fuels.
Earn money as well.
FREEPHONE:
0808 1469 165
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www.edge-enviro.com
To donate to one of our charities click the images below:
SHAFTESBURY YOUNG PEOPLE: to support young people in care and in need to find their voice, to be healthy, to learn, develop and achieve and to gain an independent and positive place in society.
SSAFA Forces Help: provides financial, practical and emotional assistance to anyone that is currently serving or has ever served in the Army, Navy or RAF, and their families.
Save money on your gas, electricity, phones and broadband- all on one bill!
Save on food, shopping & fuels.
Earn money as well.
FREEPHONE:
0808 1469 165
Utility Warehouse Website
Click 'about' to see my how my previous adventures went.
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The History of Anthony Kearney
In total I have 60 years of sailing experience and I am still learning, although I mastered the basics in about quarter of an hour on the training ship 'Arethusa'. This was followed by sailing Royal Navy seaboats. I have sailed in all capacities from crew, watch officer, mate, sailing master and captain.
I have sailed most types of vessel from dinghy, various sized sloops, ketch, brig, topsailed schooner, brigentine, barque, barqentine, ship, various others and a windsurfer!
I have been in the company of drug runners (who were very kind to me) , gypsy type crew, mutinous crew, macho male and female crew and people of such incompetence that I wondered how they had gained their responsibility, captaincy or mateship. I have also sailed with people who could be described as Prime seamen (and women).
During this period I have lost my mast crossing the Atlantic, my rudder in the Solent, missed all rocks except one, forgotten my charts, brought the wrong charts and often found that I was sailing in uncharted waters and waters the locals did not sail. The most important quality that is needed is luck. I have been lucky so I hope it stays with me on this trip.
Luck is not enough and so I have primed it with various qualifications. This includes the RYA 'Sailing Master' ticket and the Board Trade Certificate of Competency as 'Yacht Master (Ocean)' (3603). The latter being fully international for vessels up to 200 gross registered tons.
My Bio
I was born in St Helens, Lancashire just after midnight to a clap of thunder on 5th July 1939. Then I was exported to Lichfield, Staffordshire (lived with grandmother), thus my wanderings commenced. I lived with a motley crowd of people with some foster parents standing out as interesting: South Wales, Cheltenham, Princess Risborough (gamekeeper who wore moleskin trousers), Farnham Surrey (children’s' home), Sevenoaks (rich person's house), Penn (with a grave digger), London (above a shop; windows blown in over me during V2 attack), Westgate (council estate) and Margate (council estate). I ran away from the foster parents and was put with an old couple in Margate.
Arrived from Penn to Westgate and was not allowed to take the 11+ exam. I told them I could pass it, which obviously frightened them- there is so much I could say about Kent and its education system. I then started the positive part of my life. I spent 2 years on the training ship Arethusa at Upnor, Kent (part of the Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa) then joined the Royal Navy and progressed very well until my eyesight became below requirements. I invented the storm navigator.
Invalided out I became finance house clerk, a tallyman, then 9 years as radio and TV engineer and 12 months as an uncertificated teacher. I went to Nonington College of PE (London) and was Student Union President. Then the rest of my life was spent in youth work and teaching. I also qualified as an Olympic Gymnastics coach (Olympic 6) and Athletics coach (Sprints) with BAGA and AAA/BAAB.
I spent one year at the University of Kent at Canterbury (UKC) reading philosophy for a Diploma and then part-time at the Open University (OU) taking my Psychology (Hons) degree. I now have a theory of 'Happiness'.
I should mention politics as it is still an ongoing interest. I was a Labour Borough Councillor and put on the Parliamentary list. I was removed by the fist waving left wing and so I left the party and I was invited to join the Conservative Party. I became a District Councillor and put on the Conservative Party Parliamentary lists. I found the thick smoke in committee meetings to be a health risk. I did not then stand at the next election. Since then I have always been selected for seats never before won by Conservatives- I must be held in high esteem!!
I have failed to learn self pity, helplessness, stupidity, self loathing and to not take responsibility for my actions. These are qualities so many children are taught if they are from a broken home or in trouble and of course they usually fail the 11+. I should say that the 11+ was the result of evil motives and most people do not know it is without any clinical foundation. During all this time I managed to sail, compete in athletics, have two wives, two cats and a dog as well as a lot of goldfish. In addition, I also had a number of sailing vessels and changed my cars when they fell to bits.
Finally I have reached the stage where I can do as I like so I sailed to the arctic twice, sold my house, bought a boat and am now off again with two crew.
Keep watching!
In Azores with mast on deck.
And my Crew!
Ingela Westin:
I was born in the middle of Sweden in the medium-large city of Örnsköldsvik in March 1978. My family was large and extended and consisted of my parents, two older sisters, dogs, cats, small birds, gerbils, frogs, stick insects and several million bees. All these I counted as my family. For 20 years I was faithful to my native city, but then I've had flexible accommodation.
I have a Foundation degree (2 years) in theology and soon a Bachelor's Degree (3 years) in Nursing Science. I have worked in many areas including a restorer of old houses, computer software loader, a caretaker, maintenance operative, a hostess, cleaner, strawberry picker and most recently as a final year nurse.
In 2006 I cycled alone from Vadstena in Sweden to Santiago De Compostella in Spain. I cycled for 77 days and the journey took me from beautiful Swedish Autumn weather to very cold stressful Spanish Winter weather. Even though it was tough, I still enjoy the memories and the realization, "I did it".
In August 2012, I met Tony when I was cycling around Vadso where I worked as a student nurse. He had sailed from Ramsgate (South England), single handed in his 45 foot yacht Mohican Too along Norway's coast to Vadso from winter 'til the summer of 2013. He was looking for crew for Arctic sailing across Russia and Canada. To fill in my spare time I did odd jobs on board and became thrilled with his proposed trip. After cycling to Spain I had longed for another adventure and then at the end of August last year I got the chance to volunteer for a trip of a lifetime.
Inece Jonsson:
I grew up in various villages around Östersund and had some of the best times when visiting my aunt's or grandmother's place (they all had a farm) by being around animals and near nature. I have 5 cousins (all boys) and a younger brother and we were all playing together and I have always been kind of wild and full of life; a bit of a Tom boy.
I wanted to write creative stories from the time I was about 5-6 years, and was looking forward to start school so I could learn the alphabet, make words in sentences and everything. When there was always a lot going on in my life outside school, I put everything in trying to be perfect and I got quite good grades. In 6th grade elementary school, I came to a new place, new school and new classmates whom I usually talk about as the group that “Broke everybody down – but not me”.
I think everyone, has their challenges to get through in life and I'm still here and sane, so I must have got through mine successfully, so far. In my spare time I was active in Olympic gymnastics, playing theatre, dancing and choir singing. When I stopped gymnastics training I became a leader for little children's gymnastics (4-5 year old children, who normally were running around everywhere).
When I was 20 years old, I moved from the village I had lived the previous 8 years to a new city; Örnsköldsvik. It was the first time I chose for myself to move anywhere and I did it with three weeks’ notice to myself and everyone around me.
I started to study to be a nurse but was too easily distracted from studying and started to spend more and more time painting and knitting. After a failed assignment I decided to take a study break.
In the summer of 2011, me and a friend went off from Oskarshamn (south of Sweden) on a kind of adventure. We walked and hitchhiked across south Sweden almost without any equipment other than the clothes we were wearing and not really any idea of where we were going. It was quite exciting and we met so many people. Somewhere in the meeting of people and stories I thought that I should go back and study nursing again.
In December 2012, I arranged my first Own Art exhibition. The following week my studying to become a nurse failed again and I was told to take another break. Shortly after my breaking up with nursing education for the second time, I broke up with the city of Örnsköldsvik and moved back to Östersund.
With no idea of what my next move should be I was searching for a job when my friend, Ingela, asked if I wanted to come along on this adventure as she had worked on the Mohican Too in Vadso. She had decided to go.
I visited Tony's home in Ramsgate and he gave me instructions on radio use and boat handling. He then put me in charge of sailing his 9 metre yacht Mohican. I had never been on a small boat before let alone been in charge. I was so thrilled at the challenge as well as frightened that I could only make one decision. I confirmed that I too would sail the Arctic and it takes my breath away when I think about it.
Sometimes I think that maybe I am too young for this, with my very lived 25 years, but who cares. I might be too short as well, (1,6 m), to reach anything I want but I used to say to myself that what I lack in something, height for example, I have in something else: like a chair and the courage to climb it.
and in Swedish...
Jag växte upp i olika byar runt omkring Östersund, och trivdes bäst när jag var hos någon av mina fastrar eller hos min farmor (som alla hade en gård), och var nära djur och natur. Jag har 5 kusiner och en yngre bror, och vi lekte tillsammans allihop. Jag har alltid varit lite vild och livlig av mig, lite av en pojkflicka.
Jag var intresserad av kreativt skrivande från att jag var 5-6 år, och längtade efter att börja skolan och få fason på hur bokstäver fungerade och lära mig bilda ord, meningar och allt. Skolan blev min tillflykts ort, när livet utanför skolan var ganska rörigt, och jag försökte att göra allt så perfekt som möjligt, och fick ganska bra betyg.
I sjätte klass kom jag till ett nytt ställe, en ny skola och en ny klass, som jag brukar prata om som ”klassen som knäckte alla – utom mig.”
Jag tror att alla har någon form av svårigheter att ta sig igenom i livet, och jag är forfarande kvar, och inte galen, så jag måste ha klara mina med framgång, hittills.
På min fritid tränade jag artistisk gymnastik, spelade teater, dansade och sjöng i kör. När jag slutade med gymnastiken blev jag ledare för barngymnastiken (4-5 åringar som sprang runt överallt).
När jag var 20 år, flyttade jag från samhället jag bott i de tidigare 8 åren, till en ny stad: Örnsköldsvik. Det var första gången jag på eget bevåg flyttade någonstans och jag gjorde detta med 3 veckors förvarning till mig själv och min omgivning.
Jag började plugga till sjuksköterska men blev lätt distraherad från att plugga och började ägna mer och mer tid åt att måla och sticka. Efter en underkänd praktik, beslutade jag att ta studieuppehåll.
Sommaren 2011, stack jag och en kompis iväg från Oskarshamn på ett litet äventyr. Vi gick och liftade över södra Sverige, nästan helt utan utrustning mer än kläderna vi hade på oss, och utan någon förbestämd plan på vart vi skulle. Det var spännande och vi mötte så många människor. Någonstans bland människomötena och deras historier började jag tänka att jag borde ta upp sjuksköterskeplugget igen.
I December 2012 ställde jag till med min första egen konstutställning. Veckan därefter misslyckades jag med sjuksköterskeutbildningen igen, och det blev ett nytt studieuppehåll.
Kort efter att jag gjort slut med skolan, gjorde jag också slut med staden Örnsköldsvik och flyttade tillbaka till Östersund.
Jag visste inte vad jag skulle göra härnäst,, och sökte alla jobb jag kunde hitta när min vän Ingela frågade mig om jag ville följa med på detta äventyr. Hon hade jobbat på Mohican Too när hon varit i Vadsö, och bestämt sig för att åka.
Jag åkte och hälsade på Tony i Ramsgate. Han gav mig instruktioner om hur jag skulle styra båten, och använda radion, sedan lämnade han över till mig att styra hans 9 meter långa segelbåt Mohican (Jag hade aldrig varit på en sån båt förut, och än mindre haft ansvaret att styra). Jag var lika förtjust som jag var skrämd, och jag kunde egentligen bara fatta ett beslut. Jag bekräftade att jag också skulle segla runt Arktis, och det får mig nästan att sluta andas när jag tänker på det.
Ibland har jag intalat mig att jag är för ung för ett sånt här äventyr, med mina väldigt levda 25 år, men vem bryr sig. Jag skulle kunna vara för kort också (1,6 m), för att nå nånting jag vill, men jag brukar säga till mig själv att det jag saknar i något, längd till exempel, har jag i något annat: som en stol och modet att klättra upp på den.
In total I have 60 years of sailing experience and I am still learning, although I mastered the basics in about quarter of an hour on the training ship 'Arethusa'. This was followed by sailing Royal Navy seaboats. I have sailed in all capacities from crew, watch officer, mate, sailing master and captain.
I have sailed most types of vessel from dinghy, various sized sloops, ketch, brig, topsailed schooner, brigentine, barque, barqentine, ship, various others and a windsurfer!
I have been in the company of drug runners (who were very kind to me) , gypsy type crew, mutinous crew, macho male and female crew and people of such incompetence that I wondered how they had gained their responsibility, captaincy or mateship. I have also sailed with people who could be described as Prime seamen (and women).
During this period I have lost my mast crossing the Atlantic, my rudder in the Solent, missed all rocks except one, forgotten my charts, brought the wrong charts and often found that I was sailing in uncharted waters and waters the locals did not sail. The most important quality that is needed is luck. I have been lucky so I hope it stays with me on this trip.
Luck is not enough and so I have primed it with various qualifications. This includes the RYA 'Sailing Master' ticket and the Board Trade Certificate of Competency as 'Yacht Master (Ocean)' (3603). The latter being fully international for vessels up to 200 gross registered tons.
My Bio
I was born in St Helens, Lancashire just after midnight to a clap of thunder on 5th July 1939. Then I was exported to Lichfield, Staffordshire (lived with grandmother), thus my wanderings commenced. I lived with a motley crowd of people with some foster parents standing out as interesting: South Wales, Cheltenham, Princess Risborough (gamekeeper who wore moleskin trousers), Farnham Surrey (children’s' home), Sevenoaks (rich person's house), Penn (with a grave digger), London (above a shop; windows blown in over me during V2 attack), Westgate (council estate) and Margate (council estate). I ran away from the foster parents and was put with an old couple in Margate.
Arrived from Penn to Westgate and was not allowed to take the 11+ exam. I told them I could pass it, which obviously frightened them- there is so much I could say about Kent and its education system. I then started the positive part of my life. I spent 2 years on the training ship Arethusa at Upnor, Kent (part of the Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa) then joined the Royal Navy and progressed very well until my eyesight became below requirements. I invented the storm navigator.
Invalided out I became finance house clerk, a tallyman, then 9 years as radio and TV engineer and 12 months as an uncertificated teacher. I went to Nonington College of PE (London) and was Student Union President. Then the rest of my life was spent in youth work and teaching. I also qualified as an Olympic Gymnastics coach (Olympic 6) and Athletics coach (Sprints) with BAGA and AAA/BAAB.
I spent one year at the University of Kent at Canterbury (UKC) reading philosophy for a Diploma and then part-time at the Open University (OU) taking my Psychology (Hons) degree. I now have a theory of 'Happiness'.
I should mention politics as it is still an ongoing interest. I was a Labour Borough Councillor and put on the Parliamentary list. I was removed by the fist waving left wing and so I left the party and I was invited to join the Conservative Party. I became a District Councillor and put on the Conservative Party Parliamentary lists. I found the thick smoke in committee meetings to be a health risk. I did not then stand at the next election. Since then I have always been selected for seats never before won by Conservatives- I must be held in high esteem!!
I have failed to learn self pity, helplessness, stupidity, self loathing and to not take responsibility for my actions. These are qualities so many children are taught if they are from a broken home or in trouble and of course they usually fail the 11+. I should say that the 11+ was the result of evil motives and most people do not know it is without any clinical foundation. During all this time I managed to sail, compete in athletics, have two wives, two cats and a dog as well as a lot of goldfish. In addition, I also had a number of sailing vessels and changed my cars when they fell to bits.
Finally I have reached the stage where I can do as I like so I sailed to the arctic twice, sold my house, bought a boat and am now off again with two crew.
Keep watching!
In Azores with mast on deck.
And my Crew!
Ingela Westin:
I was born in the middle of Sweden in the medium-large city of Örnsköldsvik in March 1978. My family was large and extended and consisted of my parents, two older sisters, dogs, cats, small birds, gerbils, frogs, stick insects and several million bees. All these I counted as my family. For 20 years I was faithful to my native city, but then I've had flexible accommodation.
I have a Foundation degree (2 years) in theology and soon a Bachelor's Degree (3 years) in Nursing Science. I have worked in many areas including a restorer of old houses, computer software loader, a caretaker, maintenance operative, a hostess, cleaner, strawberry picker and most recently as a final year nurse.
In 2006 I cycled alone from Vadstena in Sweden to Santiago De Compostella in Spain. I cycled for 77 days and the journey took me from beautiful Swedish Autumn weather to very cold stressful Spanish Winter weather. Even though it was tough, I still enjoy the memories and the realization, "I did it".
In August 2012, I met Tony when I was cycling around Vadso where I worked as a student nurse. He had sailed from Ramsgate (South England), single handed in his 45 foot yacht Mohican Too along Norway's coast to Vadso from winter 'til the summer of 2013. He was looking for crew for Arctic sailing across Russia and Canada. To fill in my spare time I did odd jobs on board and became thrilled with his proposed trip. After cycling to Spain I had longed for another adventure and then at the end of August last year I got the chance to volunteer for a trip of a lifetime.
Inece Jonsson:
I grew up in various villages around Östersund and had some of the best times when visiting my aunt's or grandmother's place (they all had a farm) by being around animals and near nature. I have 5 cousins (all boys) and a younger brother and we were all playing together and I have always been kind of wild and full of life; a bit of a Tom boy.
I wanted to write creative stories from the time I was about 5-6 years, and was looking forward to start school so I could learn the alphabet, make words in sentences and everything. When there was always a lot going on in my life outside school, I put everything in trying to be perfect and I got quite good grades. In 6th grade elementary school, I came to a new place, new school and new classmates whom I usually talk about as the group that “Broke everybody down – but not me”.
I think everyone, has their challenges to get through in life and I'm still here and sane, so I must have got through mine successfully, so far. In my spare time I was active in Olympic gymnastics, playing theatre, dancing and choir singing. When I stopped gymnastics training I became a leader for little children's gymnastics (4-5 year old children, who normally were running around everywhere).
When I was 20 years old, I moved from the village I had lived the previous 8 years to a new city; Örnsköldsvik. It was the first time I chose for myself to move anywhere and I did it with three weeks’ notice to myself and everyone around me.
I started to study to be a nurse but was too easily distracted from studying and started to spend more and more time painting and knitting. After a failed assignment I decided to take a study break.
In the summer of 2011, me and a friend went off from Oskarshamn (south of Sweden) on a kind of adventure. We walked and hitchhiked across south Sweden almost without any equipment other than the clothes we were wearing and not really any idea of where we were going. It was quite exciting and we met so many people. Somewhere in the meeting of people and stories I thought that I should go back and study nursing again.
In December 2012, I arranged my first Own Art exhibition. The following week my studying to become a nurse failed again and I was told to take another break. Shortly after my breaking up with nursing education for the second time, I broke up with the city of Örnsköldsvik and moved back to Östersund.
With no idea of what my next move should be I was searching for a job when my friend, Ingela, asked if I wanted to come along on this adventure as she had worked on the Mohican Too in Vadso. She had decided to go.
I visited Tony's home in Ramsgate and he gave me instructions on radio use and boat handling. He then put me in charge of sailing his 9 metre yacht Mohican. I had never been on a small boat before let alone been in charge. I was so thrilled at the challenge as well as frightened that I could only make one decision. I confirmed that I too would sail the Arctic and it takes my breath away when I think about it.
Sometimes I think that maybe I am too young for this, with my very lived 25 years, but who cares. I might be too short as well, (1,6 m), to reach anything I want but I used to say to myself that what I lack in something, height for example, I have in something else: like a chair and the courage to climb it.
and in Swedish...
Jag växte upp i olika byar runt omkring Östersund, och trivdes bäst när jag var hos någon av mina fastrar eller hos min farmor (som alla hade en gård), och var nära djur och natur. Jag har 5 kusiner och en yngre bror, och vi lekte tillsammans allihop. Jag har alltid varit lite vild och livlig av mig, lite av en pojkflicka.
Jag var intresserad av kreativt skrivande från att jag var 5-6 år, och längtade efter att börja skolan och få fason på hur bokstäver fungerade och lära mig bilda ord, meningar och allt. Skolan blev min tillflykts ort, när livet utanför skolan var ganska rörigt, och jag försökte att göra allt så perfekt som möjligt, och fick ganska bra betyg.
I sjätte klass kom jag till ett nytt ställe, en ny skola och en ny klass, som jag brukar prata om som ”klassen som knäckte alla – utom mig.”
Jag tror att alla har någon form av svårigheter att ta sig igenom i livet, och jag är forfarande kvar, och inte galen, så jag måste ha klara mina med framgång, hittills.
På min fritid tränade jag artistisk gymnastik, spelade teater, dansade och sjöng i kör. När jag slutade med gymnastiken blev jag ledare för barngymnastiken (4-5 åringar som sprang runt överallt).
När jag var 20 år, flyttade jag från samhället jag bott i de tidigare 8 åren, till en ny stad: Örnsköldsvik. Det var första gången jag på eget bevåg flyttade någonstans och jag gjorde detta med 3 veckors förvarning till mig själv och min omgivning.
Jag började plugga till sjuksköterska men blev lätt distraherad från att plugga och började ägna mer och mer tid åt att måla och sticka. Efter en underkänd praktik, beslutade jag att ta studieuppehåll.
Sommaren 2011, stack jag och en kompis iväg från Oskarshamn på ett litet äventyr. Vi gick och liftade över södra Sverige, nästan helt utan utrustning mer än kläderna vi hade på oss, och utan någon förbestämd plan på vart vi skulle. Det var spännande och vi mötte så många människor. Någonstans bland människomötena och deras historier började jag tänka att jag borde ta upp sjuksköterskeplugget igen.
I December 2012 ställde jag till med min första egen konstutställning. Veckan därefter misslyckades jag med sjuksköterskeutbildningen igen, och det blev ett nytt studieuppehåll.
Kort efter att jag gjort slut med skolan, gjorde jag också slut med staden Örnsköldsvik och flyttade tillbaka till Östersund.
Jag visste inte vad jag skulle göra härnäst,, och sökte alla jobb jag kunde hitta när min vän Ingela frågade mig om jag ville följa med på detta äventyr. Hon hade jobbat på Mohican Too när hon varit i Vadsö, och bestämt sig för att åka.
Jag åkte och hälsade på Tony i Ramsgate. Han gav mig instruktioner om hur jag skulle styra båten, och använda radion, sedan lämnade han över till mig att styra hans 9 meter långa segelbåt Mohican (Jag hade aldrig varit på en sån båt förut, och än mindre haft ansvaret att styra). Jag var lika förtjust som jag var skrämd, och jag kunde egentligen bara fatta ett beslut. Jag bekräftade att jag också skulle segla runt Arktis, och det får mig nästan att sluta andas när jag tänker på det.
Ibland har jag intalat mig att jag är för ung för ett sånt här äventyr, med mina väldigt levda 25 år, men vem bryr sig. Jag skulle kunna vara för kort också (1,6 m), för att nå nånting jag vill, men jag brukar säga till mig själv att det jag saknar i något, längd till exempel, har jag i något annat: som en stol och modet att klättra upp på den.
Northpole: the final frontier.
These are the voyages of Mohican Too, to discover new ice and boldly go where no one has gone before
These are the voyages of Mohican Too, to discover new ice and boldly go where no one has gone before
