Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Aztec Lady (if you are reading in 2021 or after, please note the postscript at the end of the text).



One of the things I like about the internet is you can find out about boats.   See an unusual boat somewhere, get its name, chances are you can find out quite a bit about it.

The Aztec Lady, as well as being a magic trick invented by Robert Harbin where a woman appears to be cut into four pieces in a box, is this big sailing ketch we saw up out of water in Granville back in September.  She was being restored, and as it turns out, when I came to write this, it seems she has just been put to sea again all shipshape, shiny and beautiful.  There are some lovely photos here of her in Nadia's Flickr stream that were taken just a couple of weeks ago.  She's doing charter cruises round the Channel Islands, before embarking on adventure cruises to Norway and the Arctic Circle next year.  She was built in 1977 in the UK, has cruised around New Zealand, but then went to the bad, and was seized in the Med in 2004 with ten tons of cannabis aboard, and nearly ended her days in a ships' graveyard.

But someone recognised what a good boat she was underneath, and how her sturdy zinc covered hull would stand her in good stead for journeys to the chilly North and you can book to go there on her next year.  Which sounds lovely.

However, before I knew any of this, I was simply taken with some of the lines and shapes, and the patterns of corrosion and peeling paint on her hull.  I thought they looked a little like something by Klimt or Hundertwasser.   I've tweaked up the contrast and saturation on them a bit; I always feel this is somehow more acceptable in abstracts than in more naturalistic shots.

Postscript, August 2021: Nearly twelve years since this was posted, and more than four since I ceased blogging here, this has become the most enduring post in terms of an afterlife, and seems to now serve as a meeting point for the Aztec Lady enthusiasts society, with many who have knowledge or experience of the ketch stopping by to find out more about her and leave recollections and messages in the comments. If you do so, moderation is on so it won't appear right away, but I will receive a notification and will publish and reply to your comment.

Thanks to Grant, I have just heard by email from her previous owners, John and Joan Heath, who have recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary, and will tell me more about her history. She is still based in Granville, where, since we live rather nearer to it now, we still visit, and she is still taking people on a variety of wonderful cruises, everything from a quick turn around Chausey, to a few days up and down the Brittany Coast, to very adventurous, ice-breaking and polar-bear-spotting trips to Svalbard. She can also be privately chartered. Her dedicated website is now here.

If any of the many former Aztec Lady sailors who pass this way are interested in a genuine reunion, either on-line or in real life, or in a meet-up in this neck of the woods, perhaps to stop by and have a look at her in her new incarnation (and who knows, maybe even one day organise a charter trip on her...) or would like to be put in contact or have a message relayed to the Heaths, or would simply like to chat and find out a bit more, please drop me a line at lucy-dot-kmptn-at-gmail-dot-com (this blogging platform does not enable me to access your email addresses when you comment, I can only reply in the comments).

God bless the Aztec Lady and all who sail in her!



















45 comments:

Unknown said...

If these were paintings they would be praised for their consistency of style. Wonderful colours, amazing shapes! You should enlarge them and fill a wall of a gallery with themm

Lesley said...

I was going to say exactly what Plutarch said. I would love to see any one of them them blown up to enormous proportions and hung on a wall.

Roderick Robinson said...

The quasi-Klimt is magnificent and I admire your courage for coming out of the closet and admitting to visual tweaking. It truly isn't a moral matter. However you'll forgive me if I don't book passage. Rust is frequently an external expression of an internal fault however much zinc is plastered on. I'd hate to be woken up in the Bay of Biscay with the immortal (soon to be mortal) invitation: all hands to the pumps.

marja-leena said...

Oh, wow, wow!! Amazing colours and textures. And, as the others said...

Julia said...

Beautiful! These really strike a chord of happiness.

herhimnbryn said...

Well, what wonderful colours. I can feel a mosaic forming:)

Zhoen said...

Nature does it's best works with boats.

leslee said...

Wow! Each one a beautiful abstract painting. Great find, Lucy!

Rouchswalwe said...

Looks like the good ship ran through a rainbow.

Crafty Green Poet said...

what gorgeous photos, such rich colours

Dale said...

:-) gorgeous.

Reluctant Blogger said...

I know what you mean about boats. I like the idea that they have such a chaotic life - built in one place, working a particular route maybe, having adventures and then ended up quite by chance somewhere peculiar. My boys got quite interested in all the shipwrecks you see off the Australian coast and finding out about those.

I may have told you this before (I've told someone) but when I lived in Wales my neighbour and I tried to make a Hundertwasser floor for our outside sunhouse with bits of broken tiles we found in the gardens (they were old floor tiles in wonderful colours which had been chucked out at some point). It looked rather good when we had finished but no-one ever came along and said "oh what an amazing Hundertwasser style floor". But perhaps you might have done?

christopher said...

I guess I'm the only dissipated one in the crowd. Ten tons, huh? That hurt someone's business plan.

As an old dealer, some thirty plus years retired, I wince.

Lucy said...

Thanks chaps, knew I'd get round to posting these sometime, good old Nablopomo!

Talking of which, thanks to all of you for being such faithful readers. It risks being an overload, especially when a number of people are all doing it everso nicely, and getting around them all isn't easy. So sorry if I'm tardy making the rounds to you, or indeed of replying to your comments here. It really has to be more about making the demand on myself than on you, but your continued encouragement is much appreciated.

RB - I like to think I would have complimented you on your Hundertwasser floor, I have seen his public toilets in New Zealand you know!

Christopher - I know I know. Let's just say you're the only one who's out about it! The sense of waste is distressing too, though if what one gathers about the police in that neck of the woods is true it might not all have ended up in the incinerator. Let's just hope someone had a good time hanging over it if it did... Thanks too for responding with such interest to the subject of nightshades, and for making me imagine reainwashed mornings in Oregon!

Bee said...

I had exactly the same thought as Plutarch . . . and many others. :) They really are very pleasing to look at . . . Cannabis Dreams?

Anonymous said...

I sailed on the Aztec Lady across the Atlantic in '84 in the Tall Ship's Race. I was trying to find out what ever became of her? Now I know, great to see her again.

The Crow said...

Wow! What fantastic photos; those colors make my heart happy, Lucy.

Wonderful eye of yours.

:)

Anonymous said...

Le bateau de leur papa !! Les 2 garçons sont émerveillés et moi aussi; Magnifique et surprenant.
Continuez!!
Cordialement

Anonymous said...

magnifique, bravo

knut said...

She is laying in port of Ålesund today, a city in the mid west of norway.

Brent Bezugley said...

WOW! The power of the internet! I googled 'Aztec Lady' as I crossed that Atlantic on her in 1984. Your site came up! What wonderful photos and colorful history you mention of her. I even noticed another comment from 'Anonymous' that they were on the same trip as me. I was a Canadian Sea Cadet (18 at the time) and invited to sail on Aztec Lady who was charted by the owner to take British Cadets on sail training passages. We sailed from Southampton to St. Malo, Plymouth, Las Palmas-Gran Canaria, Bermuda, Halifax & Quebec City. I got off there and the s/v carried on back to the UK. I was a wonderful experience! Thank you for the awesome photos! It takes me back!

Roger Grace said...

Hi Brent
Just fooling around on my PC and came up with your name on this site.

What a good trip we had in 1984

Roger Grace English Sea Cadets

Lucy said...

Hi Roger, this is why I still allow anonymous comments! Wish there was some way to put all you ex-Aztec lady people together. The current owners took copies of these photos to frame for the cabins, don't know if they did. If you follow the links you can book a trip on her still, I believe. Thanks for commenting!

Lucy said...

Oh, and Roger, if you click on Brent's name above, you can access his site and perhaps get in touch...

Anonymous said...

I was a Sea Cadet from Bedford and spent a week on Aztec Lady. What great times :-)

Anonymous said...

I live in Auckland now, but am from the UK. The Tall Ships arriving here today also prompted me to Google 'Aztec Lady' as I sailed on her out of Gosport in 1987, on her way to Australia for the Bicentinary celebrations in '88. The skipper was from my home town, good to see she is still going strong, despite a few checkered moments on the way!

Love the photo's too.

Lucy said...

Hi both anonymous!

So glad you found this post, it's the unofficial reunion site for Aztec Lady veterans!

Anonymous said...

And for me! Having just seen the Tall Ships gathered in London I thought I would search for Aztec Lady having sailed on her in 1990 across the Bay of Biscay. Great memories and lovely to hear that she is restored and doing well. I love the photos. Thanks, Heather

Ben said...

classic this must be the Aztec Lady appreciation website as I'm another one from the Class of '84 Tall Ships Race. We had an amazing trip and adventure on her and great to see comments from some of the old crew!

Lucy said...

Hi Ben, thanks for stopping by! Though this post is nearly six years old now, it's great how Aztec Lady people keep finding it and saying hello here. The above comments have been left over the years - unfortunately the system doesn't date them - but I hope sometimes they come back to read the follow-up comments. I'm quite proud to host the AL veterans association!

Malcolm Barnes said...

I had the pleasure of sailing on the Aztec Lady twice, first was across the English Channel and the last time was on the 1984 Tall Ship race on the Queen to Liverpool leg of the race, an experience I will never FORGET. All thanks to Bedfordshire Sea Cadets.
Posting this Sept 2017. Malcolm

Lucy said...

Hi Malcom, thanks for stopping by. Though I finally put this blog to bed early 2017, I still get comment notifications so I know when anyone comments on an old post, and I think perhaps of everything I did here I'm most proud of this! I wonder where she is now?

com said...

If anyone here is interested in a bit of background on her. During her secondment to the British Sea Cadet Corps in the late 1980's, she was owned by the CO of Chesterfield Sea Cadet unit, (TS Danae,) John Heath. He owned a cash & carry company in the town and allowed the SCC to send cadets to crew her around the south coast of England, the Channel Islands and over to Cherbourg ad well as further afield on the Tall Ships Race. This was not a totally one sided arrangement as the Royal Navy berthed her alongside the the submarines at HMS Dolphin, Gosport and we always fetched the vitals from the base stores and refueled courtesy of RN too. The SCC also has a brig, built in 1971, that was known as "the black pig" and the Lady was known as the "fat pig" in rivalry between the regular crews of the two vessels. The Lady was, and is a world away from the usual standard of sail training vessel and as such I will always treasure my memories of many cruises aboard her. Brendan Cannon. TS Danae & Aztec Lady 1982-1988.

Lucy said...

Com, thanks for stopping by and adding to the body of information and memory; nearly nine years on (2018) and AL veterans are still finding their way here!

(If anyone else stops by, comment moderation is on to prevent spammers, but I will always receive comments by e-mail and publish them.)

Unknown said...

Wow just read these for first time..I was in sea cadets, did part of Mediterranean leg from Gibraltar..had big storm near Sardinia which was exciting aged 15! First time I was ever abroad, amazing experience 👍

Unknown said...

I helped crew her in 1986 I think it was.joined in Gibraltar I was in sea cadets too TS Brilliant amazing storm near Sardinia..1st time I was ever abroad!
..loved every minute, an experience I will never forget

Lucy said...

Unknown - great! Thanks for stopping by, so glad this post continues to draw people with their memories of the Aztec Lady. I wonder where she is now? I've a mind to find out...

Grant McWilliam said...

I spent a year on board 96-97. Left from the fish dock in Grimsby down to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and back to Palma Majorca. Made some great friends along the way and forever grateful to John and Joan Heath for the opportunity.

Lucy said...

Grant, thanks for stopping here, Jan 2021. Amazing that more than 11 years on from the original post, Aztec Lady people are still checking in here! I love it when you do, it always prompts me to read back and put together the time lines.

You seem to be one of the later crew members, and I see that she was still in the possession of John Heath when you sailed on her. I wonder what happened between then and the moment when she was apprehended with her disastrous cargo, less than ten years later?

If any of you guys ever decide to have a reunion IRL, let me know!

Grant McWilliam said...

Hi Lucy, I had a catch up with Captain John Heath this evening. He and his wife Joan are today celebrating their 68th wedding anniversary at home in Chesterfield. John would be delighted to give you more on the history of the Aztec Lady, email me and I'll give you his details.

Lucy said...

Hello again Grant.

How marvellous about John Heath! Yes I would like to learn more but I don't have your email, can you post it here (this blogging platform doesn't give automatic access to commenters' email addresses, but putting it here should be secure, you can write our the dots and ats to be on the safe side if you prefer). As soon as you do I'll pick it up and reply. Or of course you can email me directly at lucy-dot-kmptn-at-gmail-dot-com.

We are planning a trip to the Granville area in September, so I could try to see the Aztec Lady and maybe get in contact with the owners, I understand she is still based there. We went there back in May but didn't explore the port extensively and didn't see the boat at the time.

Perhaps one day when things are freer, we could all meet up there! I imagine Captain John and his wife must be quite elderly, but it would be great to be in contact.

Grant McWilliam said...

Hi, it is grant.mcwilliam@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Great to read some of the more recent comments and glad she is still sailing. I was on the 1984 tall ships race from Bermuda to Halifax with the sea cadets from Bedfordshire also did a number of cruise Ed on the south coast. Glad to hear John And Joan are still about
Roger Grace.

Lucy said...

Hi Roger and welcome, always happy to get another Aztec Lady follower! She's certainly still around, still based at Granville not so far away from us, and offering some fantastic looking cruises, there is a website, it's in French but not difficult to navigate, with some great photos and videos:
https://www.azteclady.com/

I still dream of travelling on her one day!

Anonymous said...

Grant, I was on that trip with you. Zoe O’Neill…. Oh my god!!!! It’s so great to read your post!! I would love to reunite with you to discuss this trip! It was epic!!! How are you? Find my in FB/linked in. Or email me… zoebighair@hotmail.com…. How wonderful to see she is still going strong! X