The Aegir-Ran and Michael Ashby

[Greg Campbell]

Has anyone had an update or heard from Michael Ashby this last week?  As some of you would know he has been sailing his A38 around the world singlehanded and has crossed the Pacific and Indian Oceans and was on the home run up the Atlantic going for Barbados.  It's been his practice to provide daily situation updates and a chart which shows his position via PredictWind.  His last post on January 24 said he had Starlink coverage near the island of Fernando De Noronha off the coast of Brazil.  His last PW position update was to the west of the island on January 26.

Of course much can go wrong with satellite communications but it would be nice to find out if he's OK.

Cheers to all,

Greg

[Janice Hurlburt]

Greg Campbell. 

If you hear any updates, please let us know. 
Did Michael register is boat on https://www.marinevesseltraffic.com/?

Best, 
Janice

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Janice Hurlburt Online Management

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[Greg Campbell]

Hi All,

At last an update from Michael

My followers have noticed there have not been log entries for a week. I apologize for the radio silence. There has been some mitigating circumstances beyond my control. I want everyone know I am fine and am presently in Natal, Brazil. Aegir-Ran ran aground last Sunday. All indications are the boat does not have significant damage, but I have had to make arrangements for a recovery of my vessel, and this is taking some time due to the remote location. We now have a plan to free Aegir-Ran around February 17, the next spring tide. I expect her to be sailed to mainland Brazil to make repairs. Details of the grounding and the subsequent adventure will be posted after the boat is recovered. In the meantime, I want to voice my appreciation to the Brazilian Navy and REBIO for their assistance. They say there are three types of sailors … ones who have run aground, those who will run aground, and liars. I have now joined the “those who have” club.

[Janice Hurlburt]

Thank you, Greg for the update! Glad to hear Michael is fine and his boat will be fine too!

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[Carl Gaines]

We were custodians and liveaboards, 2001-2019 of hull 61, Diva - now Iron Bark III with Trevor Robinson. 

So glad to hear you are okay. Good luck on the recovery. They are amazingly sturdy hulls, as noted in the true book “Sitting Ducks”, when an A38 was dragged hundreds of feet off the reef at Los Roques, Venezuela. 

Please keep all of us posted. 

Best wishes, and fair winds,

Carl Gaines

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 1, 2026, at 6:20 PM, Janice Hurlburt <janiceh...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Greg Campbell]

The last position update from the "Aegir-Ran" was January 26 at 4.15AM.  Google Earth shows this location as one of the coral atolls off the north-east corner of Brazil.

As Michael has advised, the location is indeed remote and resources would take some arranging.

The boats were heavily laid up, solid GRP so we hope this stands well for Michael when tides allow the boat to be refloated.  It's been an incredible adventure for him and he was well and truly on the home run so let's hope he gets things sorted to sail back to his home port in Mexico. 

Cheers to all,

Greg

[Janice Hurlburt]

Prayers for Michael Ashby and his home is lifted and taken to Mexico during the next Kings spring.

Janice Hurlburt Online Management

760-898-4060 JaniceHurlburt.com Jan...@JaniceHurlburt.com Palm Desert, CA. Online Visibility Strategist

Want to book a meeting Click here

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[Greg Campbell]

Hi Alajuela Followers,

I noticed this very sad update from Michael Ashby, posted to Instagram. It's hard to imagine his pain after such a great adventure.

I regret to inform everyone that Aegir-Ran ran aground on January 25th off the coast of Brazil. Due to the remote location, certain bureaucratic hurdles, and the necessity to wait until spring tide, it was not possible to return with the necessary equipment to retrieve her until yesterday. While Aegir-Ran was largely undamaged after the initial grounding, storm surges in the interim had beaten her, eventually holing the starboard side, causing her to flood. The ground tackle held, but waterlines inside the boat suggested at times she had been rolled over to the point of the mast being flattened to the reef by storm surges. There was nothing to be salvaged. For ecological reasons, the operation has now become one of preparing her for scuttling offshore. I will be involved in the process, which will not begin for almost a month. I have been asked not to release details of the incident until the salvage operation is concluded. At that time I will post my log entries on the website. Aegir-Ran was a good boat and will be missed.

[Douglas Wertz]

have there been any further releases of information?

[Perry Bartram]

This is so sad the Alajuela bots are great! Past owner of a A33.

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