In the summer of 2025, prolific Irish businessman and sailor Brody Sweeney set off from the south of Ireland bound for the Canary Islands alone. Sailing via Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and a future transatlantic crossing in mind, he had designed his voyage over the quiet winter months of 2024 to build experience sailing offshore and alone.
As the first step, Brody moved his 32-foot boat, Wodan, from Dublin to Cork for some work to be carried out on it, and on the morning of departure from the Royal Cork Yacht Club, refuelling his boat came with a fair share of nerves for the trip- particularly around unreliable batteries. The first day at sea was rough and he suffered seasickness, but once offshore, Brody settled into the steady rhythm of solo sailing.
In Spain, he reunited with his wife Lulu in Santiago de Compostela, meeting amid pilgrims completing the Camino de Santiago, an unexpectedly emotional moment. Lulu later joined him sailing south, helming Wodan into a quiet anchorage near Muros.
For the leg toward Morocco, Brody was joined by crew Sara, Jerry and Kieran. Sailing to Lagos, they stayed close to shore to follow the Dublin–Cork hurling semi-final. In Lagos and Cádiz, the crew addressed electrical problems before preparing to cross the Strait of Gibraltar. Despite concerns about orcas, the crossing was exhilarating. Sara left in Cádiz, and the remaining crew continued to Tangier, where, when they arrived, Brody briefly returned home to Ireland to visit Lulu after she broke her wrist.
On return to Tangier, Brody sailed south with his son Jack and his friend Philly, battling strong winds along the Moroccan coast. In El Jadida, fenders were stolen by local swimmers, and poor weather led to delays before Jack and Philly departed. New crew Barry and Kim then joined with a new tiller pilot, and Wodan headed for the final destination in the Canaries.
After landfall in Lanzarote, they pressed on to Las Palmas, reefed down against strong katabatic winds between the islands. Flying fish marked the final leg, and they were warmly welcomed by OCC Port Officer, whose advice led Brody to leave Wodan there for an extended stay.
Seven weeks, 2,200 miles, and eight crew members carried Wodan from Ireland to the Canary Islands. For Brody, it was both a highlight and the beginning of a much longer sailing journey still ahead.