MV Brigitte Bardot - Ocean 7 Adventurer

Ocean 7 Adventurer

In 2007 the vessel was acquired by Ocean 7, a Cape Town based marine brokerage and charter operation. The vessel was recommissioned and transferred to a mooring at the V&A Waterfront. The vessel was available for charter, film work and the occasional marine rescue operation.

In December 2007 the Ocean 7 Adventurer was chartered to retrieve a demasted yacht, the IMOCA 60 Delta Dore from the Southern Ocean. The Delta Dore was partaking in the Barcelona World Race. The yacht skippered by Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet was at position 47°00 S 033° 25 E, nearly a thousand miles south east from South Africa, drifting slowly at between 1 and 2 kn (2 and 4 km/h) east. An hour after the mast had collapsed backwards, it had to be cut free and dumped into the ocean, as it was likely to damage the hull. The yacht had 188 l (41 imp gal) of diesel fuel on board, but this was insufficient to motor back to the mainland. The Ocean 7 team were approached with regard to salvaging the yacht. Skippered by co-owner David de Villiers, the Ocean 7 Adventurer set sail for the Southern Ocean and after locating the yacht, it was taken in tow with a 200 m (656 ft) line. This rescue set a record for the longest tow in South African maritime history (850 nmi (1,574 km)).

During early June 2008 the Adventurer moved to the east coast of South Africa to observe the annual sardine run, after which it relocated to the southern end of Madagascar in July in search of waves amongst the reefs where the vessel was used as a live-aboard base for surfers and kite surfers. During September the Adventurer explored the Baron Islands off the Madagascar coast before returning to its base at the V&A Waterfront for the summer season, where it was available for day charters, specialised trips and functions.