Pretchi
While most of us were stuck at home during the lockdown, others level up the meaning of isolation, experiencing once in lifetime adventure they’ll certainly never forget. Like, being isolated on a remote island with an exotic view- indeed, a lockdown well spent.
The path Mike and Terri Noell took to become active owners of their Heesen Odyssea are filled with twists and turns. Here they offer us a glimpse of that journey.
When Mike and Terri Noell purchased the 46.7-meter Heesen Odyssea, they always had their sights set on attending America’s Cup. But it turned out their luxury superyacht is an award-winning, sophisticated yacht that had been built for the founder of Heesen Yachts himself, Frans Heesen, in 2012.
The luxury superyacht Odyssea boasts an elegant exterior by Omega Architects and a modern yet sophisticated interior by the acclaimed Bannenberg & Rowell. It has six cabins that can accommodate up to 12 guests, a large jacuzzi, a full-beam cinema, and a wide selection of water toys.
Mike was a former Navy Seals who moved on to become a successful entrepreneur who launched his first tactical gear brand, Blackhawk, more than a decade ago.
Odyssea also proved to be a self-sustaining vessel during challenging times. At the end of 2019, Noell and his family were planning to attend America’s Cup in New Zeeland.
So a plan was hatched, their family itinerary starts at Fort Lauderdale in late 2019 Odyssea was bound for French Polynesia, before heading onto Fiji and then New Zealand for America’s Cup. Afterward, the loose itinerary would see her continue onto Australia before cruising the Philippines and Indonesia.
At first, the family got to enjoy visiting different destinations in the area, but when the pandemic broke out, the kids (who studied in Miami) were sent back home, while Noell and his wife chose to stay isolated onboard Odyssea.
Being stuck in a remote destination was intense for both owners and crew. The owners also tried to make the situation fun for the crew with themed days, such as Palm Sunday, a daily trivia question, and on-shore missions to secure coconuts (despite the lack of a machete) and catch land crabs.
The crew also spent a lot of time spearfishing with Mike, learning to share the water with the plentiful resident shark population.
The couple with their amazing crews were able to stay around French Polynesia for a total of 42 days. In the end, the couple flew back home onboard another superyacht’s owner airplane while the captain and crew cruised to Mexico – a trip that took 15 days.
Mike and Terri had hoped to go on to Costa Rica, but with its borders closed they sent the yacht back through the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale and went on to spend time in the Caribbean and Bahamas.
The award-winning superyacht live its purpose and even exceeded Mike and Terri’s expectations. It was an unforgettable experience for both the couple and the crews.
Sad to say but it might also be the last adventure onboard Odyssea for Mike and Terri, as the superyacht is listed for sale at Imperial Yachts, with an asking price of $26.5 million.
Source: Tacticalshit
