22Isea&iIWINTER 2012James Campbell[on boardMysteryHaving sailed and racedextensively across theworld, British captainJames Campbell nowsteers the 34.3m (112'5)Mystery on charters in the Mediterraneanand Caribbean]

CAMPBELL ON. HIS BACKGROUNDMy father bought an Optimist sailing dinghy when I was about five years oldand although I didn't take to sailing then, I was bitten by the bug when I startedracing a few years later. As an adult I started a nine-to-five office job inSouthampton, UK, but then I was offered a position as delivery crew on a yachtsailing from Palma to the UK, followed by a trip to the Caribbean. After a fewstints as day crew, I landed my first job as a deck hand on the 46m (152')Windrose for six months, followed by a mate's job on the 73.5m (241')Sapphire sailing across the Pacific. CAMPBELL ON. TRAVELMallorca and Antigua are among my favourite islands - sailing intothe latter is always nice as it's where I started my yachting career, and bothports are familiar to me and offer great opportunities to catch up with oldfriends. Sandbank in French Polynesia, just off Taina Marina in Tahiti, is alsostunning.You can stand knee-deep in water on the reef enjoying a barbecue- the trend was started by the locals and it's now a popular spot for crew andislanders to get together, eat, drink and get sunburnt. Cruising regions still onmy radar include Alaska, the west coast of the US and Micronesia.CAMPBELL ON. BEING A CAPTAINThe first stint as a captain is always a considerable jump from being a mate -you need to be prepared in more ways than one, and qualifications certainlyaren't the only important factor. Being a good captain takes experience,humility and the ability to get on with a variety of personalities. A good senseof humour helps, too.I'm lucky to have a fantastic crew on board Mystery, we are a solid team andeveryone chips in to help with every challenge; I like that and it is rare. Thetwo girls also keep us amused. As you can imagine, having two blondes onboard means you hear classic comments every day - like insisting that redcars go faster than blue ones. I also catch them singing loudly in the crew'smess when they think no one is around, which is very entertaining. One of the most amusing charter guests I ever encountered was a Russianwho requested a different set of chairs at the dinner table mid-charter. He hadsat on them all week without a problem, but one day he freaked out for somereason. It was all resolved quite simply when we got him one from the otherside of the table.CAMPBELL ON. MYSTERYMystery is a great yacht for sailing, which is my passion, and as I've alwayswanted to work on a Swan I feel extremely lucky in my current role. We recentlysailed 7,000nm upwind from the South Pacific, encountering big seas at times,and she really performed well. Having said that I would love to work on a JClass as they have such a rich history in yachting and the America's Cup.Speaking of the America's Cup, I wouldn't mind going out for a blast on oneof the new catamarans. ncaptain'sviewPhotography: Frances Howarth / Jeff BrownWINTER 2012I sea&iI23SPECIFICATIONSLENGTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34.3m (112'5)BEAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.4m (24'2)DRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.3m (14')BUILDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nautor's SwanYEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2000/2009GUESTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8CREW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4CRUISING AREA . .Mediterranean (summer); Caribbean & Bahamas (winter)PRICES FROM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .US$60,000 per week