What we love about yachting is the unique personalities among the crew.
Everyone got a story to tell and we are here to share it with you.
Meet Brigette Philippa van Aswegen from South Africa. A surfer, sailor and a lawyer. Read her fascinating story below…
My sailing love affair started many moons ago with the Twilight Race Series in Cape Town. During summer the howling South Easter, commonly known as “The Cape Doctor”, rips down Table Mountain as a katabatic wind into Table Bay. This translates into big winds, steep swell, heel angles and fun! My daughter and I loved it. She is also a skipper now.
I also completed the Mossel Bay and West Coast offshore races in South Africa. The bug had bit, and my transition to more sailing was inevitable.
I was the South African Stand Up Paddle racing champion in 2011 and well accustomed to open ocean conditions. We did downwinds from Milnerton to Big Bay, with the SE wind at our backs, and SW swell creating big surfable troughs. I quickly learnt to read the ocean, tides and wind, as falling off is not an option in the freezing and wildlife-rich Atlantic.
In 2012 I represented South Africa at the 1st SUP World Championships in Peru, where I came 3rd. On the back of this I and two other female athletes set up a non-profit SUP school, to develop the sport amongst women. The proceeds went towards orphans’ school fees. I am a firm believer in giving back to a sport that has given me so much, and I also took the opportunity to enrich the lives of underprivileged children.
In 2013 I participated in the prestigious Molokai to Oahu race (M20) in Hawaii. 32 nautical miles through the treacherous Ka’iwi Channel, where big wave rider Eddie Aikau tragically died in 1978 – his Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokulea capsized in the treacherous crossing. I came 1st in the stock division (fixed rudder), and was applauded in the South African Parliament for this. I was also lauded for my contribution to SUP and promotion of women in the sport. In 2014 I was again selected to represent South Africa at the ISA World Champs in Nicaragua.
I subsequently shifted focus back to my law career. I am an admitted Attorney, Conveyancer and Notary Public, and had 9 fabulous years at Africa’s largest law firm. But the ocean kept calling me, and I seized any salt water opportunity, however brief.
In 2016 I was the first woman to SUP Madiba’s Left on Robben Island – see Captain Kai’s video https://youtu.be/RnX1zzul1-c
Riding larger waves has taught me to remain calm, read the swell properly, and always look for an exit. Mother Nature is a great teacher, but a lack of respect and humility leads to some tough lessons. This is equally important in sailing.
“I am the architect of my own life”, as the saying goes, and I decided to fully commit to my passion. Many commented on how brave I was to leave my legal career, but for me it was a very natural path to follow my dream. Only a sailor will fully grasp this. I got my RYA Offshore Yachtmaster license, commercially endorsed, and packed my life into a bag as I embarked on a sailing career. Most recently I delivered a 58 foot Swan from Ostend to Barcelona. The first 410 nautical miles were done double handed, and thereafter additional crew joined for the stretch between Brest, Bay of Biscay, through the straits of Gibraltar, and on to Barcelona. It was fantastic sailing. Heaps of fun with pilot whales and dolphins alongside us. Being offshore in the elements and wildlife is what I most love about the job, coupled with the travelling.
I’ve always found a calm demeanour to be vitally important, even more so in challenging conditions. Always execute any task swiftly and communicate well. Meticulous planning and maintenance checks are also key to safety and success.
Of course there are difficult times too. Typically offshore sailing means being away for extended periods from those near and dear. Coupled with this, communication and connectivity are often an issue. Quality not quantity is how I approach keeping in touch.
I would love to sail and surf the South Pacific, Costa Rica, Mexico and see as much of the world as I can. Sailing offers an environmentally friendly travelling solution, omitting 15x less pollution than flying. It is more sustainable, and more local and authentic, aligning well with my veganism and general life approach.
I am living what was once only my dream. I look forward to finding a position as delivery crew to sail across the pond to the Caribbean, once hurricane season is over later in 2022.
And as for next year… I am sure the wind and waves will find me, and my dream will continue.
I do not smoke. I have no tattoos. I am fully vaccinated with a booster.
If you feel I could be a valuable to your crew, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Many thanks and kindest regards
Brigette Philippa van Aswegen
Tel : + 34 647667760
WhatsApp + 27 832252052
Email :- supschoolsa@gmail.com
Seazone id : C25406
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