Meet the ‘King and Queen’ of Gulf Harbour Marina, Grahame and Lynne Brown. Grahame and Lynne first arrived at the Marina in 1988; over the years they have had a number of different vessels – ‘Tenacious’, ‘Minaret’ and ‘Adamite,’ but now sail ‘Toronui,’ a Bruce Clarke 42.
The Browns have twice sailed around the world, the first from 1983 to 1988 accompanied by their two sons, and their second from 1998 to 2006. They regularly sail to Fiji for Musket Cove Race Week, which Gulf Harbour Marina sponsored for several years, and collect bras and reading glasses in New Zealand to donate to grateful communities in Fiji and Tonga.
Grahame is currently busy surveying vessels cruising to the Pacific Islands for Cat 1 Safety, and he is also the club captain at Gulf Harbour Yacht Club. Lynne has become a well-known mobile hairdresser, cutting hair in some unlikely places like Sudan, the Maldives and the laundry at Gulf Harbour Marina.
“Over the years, we have two favourite sayings” says Grahame and Lynne, “Cruising is all about fixing your boat in exotic places, and when you make landfall in new places, if in doubt stay out until the weather clears.”
