Belinda Braithwaite
AUTHOR
Aged 21, Belinda rode her four year old Andalusian horse Dragon from Sotogrande (near Gibraltar) to Paris with her Dobermann ‘Boris’ by her side. This intrepid trio set out entirely unaccompanied and covered 1,700 miles, arriving in Paris to ride up the Champs Elysees in the midst of the Paris traffic.
The four-month journey was serialised in a British national newspaper and Belinda and her animals developed such a following that upon finishing her journey, she wrote a book about her adventures.
‘A Girl, a Horse and a Dog’ (published by Harper Collins) was a bestseller, published in three languages.
Dragon had a long and happy life and spent the rest of his days with Belinda in Spain. He died at the ripe old age of 24 at Cortijo El Aguilon. Horses live longer than dogs, but Boris the dog also lived to a good age.
LONG RIDER
Following her 1.700 mile ride from Gibraltar to Paris, Belinda rode across America (Calgary to San Francisco) and has been awarded honorary membership of the Long Riders’ Guild of America.
FILMING
Her adventurous life gave her plenty of on-camera experience, and led her into film-making. Her sharp eye for detail gives her the ability to quickly get to grips with the subject, land or sea, plant or animal. An accomplished scuba diver, it is her free-diving ability and affinity with animals which allows her to approach and film some notoriously shy marine mammals.
ARTIST
Belinda takes every opportunity to paint or draw and is particularly fond of Baja California which has the best smooth stones for her illustrations . . .
BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Belinda is co-creator and director of the fashionable boutique hotel Cortijo El Aguilon in Tarifa, Spain. Built from scratch, within two years Cortijo El Aguilon was Harpers & Queen's 'Country House Hotel of the Year'. This ongoing project is still home to Belinda and her four children.
OCEAN EXPERIENCE
Sep 2022
S/Y Shearwater, Oyster 55'
Cruising and filming
75 n.m. logged
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Sep 2021
S/V 52' catamaran
Boat delivery
1000 n.m. logged
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Feb 2019
S/V 52' catamaran
Expedition co-organiser
Mate / Cook / Filming whales & dolphins in the Sea of Cortez, Baja California
1000 n.m. logged
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Sept 2016 - 2017
S/Y Crazy Horse, Oyster 72'
Mate / Cook / Filming whales & dolphins in the Straits of Gibraltar
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Nov 2017
S/Y Interlude, Shannon 51' ketch
Filming whales & dolphins, Baja California, Mexico
Sea of Cortez
1000 n.m. logged
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Aug 2016
R/V Alguita. 50' custom catamaran
Assisting with re-fit in San Diego CA, USA
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Aug 2016
R/V Alguita. 50' custom catamaran
Filming plastics research in Bahia Todos Santos, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
300 n.m. logged
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July 2016
S/Y Crazy Horse. 72' Oyster sloop
Delivery from Palma to Gibraltar
500 n.m. logged
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Nov, Dec 2015
S/Y Emmaline. 106ft HJB Custom Sloop.
Delivery Palma to Antigua
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Mar 2008 - Dec 2014
Co-Director of Custom Discovery
Researching whales and dolphins, conservation and education.
Organising expeditions worldwide
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July 2014
R/V Sea Dragon. 72' ex-BT Challenge sailing boat
Iceland to Faroe Islands to Sweden
Researching whales and dolphins
2,000 n.m. logged
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Nov 2013 - May 2014
S/V Blue Ox, 59' Outremer Performance Catamaran
Total interior decoration of boat and preparing vessel for trans-Atlantic passage
La Grande Motte, France to Bermuda Island
4,500 n.m. logged
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Feb 2012
S/Y Interlude. 57' Bristol ketch
Filming whales and dolphins in Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico
600 n.m. logged
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Apr - Jul 2012
R.V. Sea Dragon. 72' ex-BT Challenge sailing boat
Filming plastics research in the Western North Pacific
Marshall Islands to Japan, then onto Hawaii
7,500 n.m. logged
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2011
Developing Custom Discovery with partner Rodrigo Olson
Filming for research and conservation organisations
Expedition : Outer Hebrides, Scotland, filming whales & basking sharks
Expedition : Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico, filming whales
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Jan 2010
S/Y Sapphire. 86’ ketch built by Belliure.
Delivery Marseilles, France to Bizerte, Tunisia.
500 n.m. logged.
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June - Oct 2009
Filming Vaka Project
(building, commissioning and sailing seven traditional ocean-going Polynesian Canoes).
72ft custom built
New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji. Plus filming Humpback Whales in Vavau, Tonga.
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June 2009
S/Y Mascotte, 60’ 1904 Bristol Pilot Cutter,
Filming whales and dolphins in Hebrides.
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Sept,Oct,Nov 2008
S/V Vaquita Express,
Filming research of critically endangered Vaquita porpoise population
in Upper Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico
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Aug 2008
M/V Askari, 104’ Expedition Yacht, Moorea, Tahiti, French Polynesia
Filming whales
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Further Information:
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Languages : English, Spanish & some French
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Full Driving License
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PADI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diving Certificate
STCW 95
Eng 1
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Honorary member of the Long Riders' Guild
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Co-Founder of the Blue Alliance Foundation
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