015 Max Campbell: Sailing Across the Atlantic & Wild Swimming

Thinking Off-Piste

Max Campbell is a sailor from Cornwall who left his hometown of Falmouth at the age of 20 on a 22 ft wooden boat named Flying Cloud. Over the next two years, he sailed single-handed across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, and back again to the UK the following year. The journey encountered phenomenal highs and devastating lows. Max ended up in hospital for four days for treatment after his paraffin stove exploded during rough weather. The accident happened when he was just 150 miles from his final destination of Grenada and the explosion set him alight. He managed to put the fire out on Flying Cloud, treat his burns, which covered most of his upper torso, and sail for another 30 hours before he reached land. Since then, Max has restored the 37 ft yacht, Elixir and is planning to sail around the world, surfing, and sharing the sailing experience with as many people as he goes.

Max learnt to sail when he was just four years old, after his step-dad gave him a little wooden dinghy with yellow sails to sail around Bristol Harbour. It was in those murky brown waters where Max first connected with the ocean – the simplicity and endless possibility of adventure made it extremely exciting. Max is currently in Colombia, travelling west to transit the Panama Canal and working on a collaborative project with a group of friends — Wild Swimming Cornwall — which aims to promote the mental and physical benefits of cold seawater.

Follow Max's updates: @un.tide on Instagram / @un.tied on Tik Tok
Hosted by: @beckylucyking

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