Preparing for Our First Italian Season

The countdown to 2027 has begun.

There’s a fair bit to do before Base Camp Blue welcomes her first groups aboard for our first full season on the Italian Riviera.

Over the coming months, we’ll be getting the yacht, the routes and ourselves ready for what we hope will be a very special first year.

A big part of that is route reconnaissance. We’ll be sailing, driving, riding, running and swimming our way along the Ligurian coast, checking out potential routes, anchorages, beaches, trails, swim locations and overnight stops. Some will make the final cut. Some probably won’t. That’s the whole point of doing the homework ourselves.

Back aboard, Base Camp Blue is getting plenty of attention too. Our Lagoon 52 is undergoing a programme of refurbishment and upgrades ahead of the season — refreshing the accommodation, improving the deck areas, updating equipment and generally making sure she works properly as the comfortable floating base camp we want her to be.

Then there’s the less glamorous side of starting a yacht operation.

We’re working through the commercial coding and regulatory requirements, safety equipment, inspections, insurance, operating procedures and all the paperwork needed to run Base Camp Blue properly and professionally.

We’re also testing the things that make our Adventure Weeks a little different: GPS tracking, yacht-supported routes, RIB support, swimmer communications, bike storage, equipment transport and the logistics of dropping a group in one place and meeting them somewhere completely different a few hours later.

And, importantly, we’ll be eating our way around the coast in search of the best cafés, restaurants, bakeries, gelato stops and local food. We consider this essential operational research.

By spring 2027, the aim is simple:

A great yacht. Some incredible routes. A crew who know the coast. And everything ready for you to choose your adventure.

There’s a lot to do before then.

We’ll keep you posted from the Captain’s Log as we get Base Camp Blue ready for her first Italian season.

Avast, me shipmates. The Captain.