Jamie's Voyage

Thankyou to Everybody

2010-07-27T18:35:00.001-07:00

I've had a couple of days of recovery now and am starting to feel like my old self. Finishing on Sunday felt like an out of body experience, I was there but I wasn't there! Fatigue definately had me by the short and curlies. Firstly I'd like to say a big thankyou to all the bloggers for following me as I circumnavigated Australia. Your comments along the way made the hard times a lot easier and I felt very humbled by them. Thankyou all. I'd also like to thank everyone that came down to see me in on Sunday at Rockingham and I'm sorry it was such short notice as I know there were others that would have come down but didn't know I was coming in. Thankyou to all the volunteers that have helped in making the voyage a possibility and believing in me enough to do it, also of course to the number of sponsors without whom I it would not have become a reality. And a final thankyou to all the people that supported me as I went around Australia and gave their valuable time to make sure that I felt welcomed and that the boat was well prepared and safe for me to continue on my way. You guys made the trip fun and I really enjoyed meeting new friends who were fantastic people - that was actually the highlight of the trip for me, besides coming home! The willingness of strangers to support what I was doing shows our Aussie spirit of mateship is still alive a well and made me proud of the country I live in. We are so much alike in the way we think from one end of the country to the other. The people I met really valued life and living it to the full, and want good futures for their children and children's children.

Something that has come to light over the last few days is the time it took me to get around the country and the distances covered. For your interest, we are still calculating the exact distance but the last leg from Darwin looks like it was around 2000 nautical miles, I may be just under that, may be just over it but whatever it is it will be a new world record for a quadriplegic sailing solo unassisted. The sailing time to do the circumnavigation taking the stops out of it was 57 days. The current record was set about a month ago by Ian Thompson from Airlie Beach at 42 days, before he broke that record it was 68 days! So, I am ecstatic that I've managed to knock 11 days off the old record that had stood for years. Damn you Ian!

This is possibly the last blog for this voyage. I'm still in shock that I have completed the trip and am still alive and in one piece! I'm sure I have a guardian angel that was looking after me, there were a number of extremely close calls. I keep looking at the tracker page with the red line circling around the whole of Australia and I just can't believe that Spirit and I made that track!

For those that are wondering about the plans for a world trip, well its back to the drawing board on that. It's not a goal that will disappear out of my life but it would not be a possibility in Spirit. There is too much to maintain and I have some major issues with the extreme cold and heat which were the two things that nearly took me out due to the thermoregulatory issues of being a quadriplegic. I have some very long term ideas to explore, I think it is possible but of course its a matter of finance and support. After this eight year project I know how long things can take and quite honestly it might be quicker to take over the world than try to sail around it!

Photos of the finish

2010-07-25T20:16:00.001-07:00

Coming Home

2010-07-23T06:24:00.001-07:00

Jamie is now making his way back to Rockingham and expects to arrive at the Val St. jetty around 2PM this Sunday 25th July. He has been making good progress over the day and is now not far north of Jurien Bay but a fair way off the coast. He's extremely fatigued after being at sea for so long, and has been unable to get much sleep the last couple of nights due to being bashed about by the southeasterlies that come in overnight.. He's also coping with pressure sores on top of being generally a bit battered and bruised, so its definately time to come home. He has however managed to sail non-stop from Darwin and by the time he reaches Rockingham that will be a distance of over 1900 nautical miles, breaking his own previous record of the longest distance sailed solo by a person with quadriplegia. Typical Jamie is, however, disappointed that he probably won't have cracked the 2000 nautical miles!

If anyone is interested in welcoming Jamie home to congratulate him on completing the circumnavigation please feel free to come down to the jetty by about 2PM on Sunday.

Probably passing Geraldton too

2010-07-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well I'm not passing Geraldton just yet, but it won't be too far off. I've been making really good ground over the past few days, averaging 6 - 7 knots, and am thinking I don't have any great reason to stop before getting home now. Yes I'm tired, sore, uncomfortable and can't wait to get off the boat but I'm only a few days away from home now. I can almost smell it - well there's actually a lot more unpleasant things I'm smelling now but I have a good imagination! It's as if there's a magnet sucking me down southward, although it's probably just that I have been using the big jib instead of the storm jib and Spirit has taken off. That, and being in the Leeuwin current. There's been some very good sailing in the mix of some really tough times, particularly at night when the wind seems to pick up and it gets really rough. I have had quite a bashing. In fact my trusty little Spot (my tracker) cradle, finally blew a hinge after all this way and I just managed to save it from going for a dive overboard. The "McRaedle" as I call it, has a story attached. The Spot tracker was kindly donated by Richard Evans from Underwater Video Systems just before I left WA. On the trip to Albany I found it very difficult to attach to any good position in the cockpit and nearly lost it several times. In Albany I explained the difficulty to Mark McRae (from Southern Ocean Sailing, who has been a fantastic support to me all the way around the country), who went away and came back just 45 minutes later with what I call the "McRaedle". This has kept Spot in position attached to the tiller, always facing the sky - until now! Well Mark, it so very nearly made it all the way, I've managed to tie it up but it no longer swings with the movement of the boat.

I've possibly now passed my previous sailing distance record which was from Albany to Hobart, if not I would be close to doing so. In the next day I will also pass my own record of sailing time spent on Spirit, beating the 15 day trip to Hobart. Unfortunately I seem to now be getting more south easterly than easterly in the wind, so think I'm in for a bit of a slog to get back. But not too far now thank goodness.

Passing Exmouth

2010-07-19T02:47:00.001-07:00

Today was Decision Day in terms of continuing on down the coast or pulling in at Exmouth and having a rest. The next possibility for me in terms of stopping is not until Geraldton, several days sail away. The west coast is nothing like the east coast, in that marina's are few and far between - actually none between Darwin and Exmouth - and I can't anchor or attach to a mooring due to the whole disability thing. Based on the forecast weather, which is in a favourable pattern to get me down the coast, I've decided to go for it. If I pulled in at Exmouth I may miss this weather window and I don't know when it would come through with these easterlies again. I don't want to have to be bashing into southerlies or southwesterlies all the way down the coast, it would do me in. Apart from nursing a very sore backside from dragging it around, I'm not in bad shape and neither is Spirit. I'm still having issues with the batteries holding charge so am having to run the genset a lot more than I would like. She is also still taking water in through a fitting in the stern, and the bilge pump is playing up. Today I had to pull the floor boards up to get to it which took me forever, but was achievable. Have had some good sailing and made some good distance over the past day or two. Have passed a couple of oil rigs - massive structures - one of them was sitting in over 3000 metres of depth, which means that's how far down it was drilling, the mind boggles at the engineering involved.

I currently feel like I'm in a sailing garbage truck. Spirit stinks. Of course I don't throw anything overboard, and my stored rubbish and food scraps really went on the nose going through the heat. She's going to need a good airing by the time I get back! I imagine I probably smell similar by now. Good thing I'm on my own.

Just like to make mention of Josh Bell who owns the fibreglass repair business Greg's Marine outside of Fremantle. Josh first learnt to sail when he was crewing for me in races, on my Adams 10 "Caramia", several years ago. He had a baptism of fire on his very first time out when I managed to lay the boat on its side, mast in the water, in the course of the race. Out of 8 crew, only 3 were still on board when the boat righted itself - and one of them was Josh! He returned for more after that, and I knew he was a sailor at heart. Anyway, Josh managed to find time out of a very busy work schedule to send a couple of his staff down to do some urgent repairs to Spirit to enable me to get away on this trip back in March, for which I am very grateful. He's a great bloke who runs a good business and I wouldn't hesitate recommending him to anyone needing some fibreglass repairs done.

Attack of the Flying Fish

2010-07-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

Most Australians know how big the trucks on the road get in the north of the country -you know those massive road trains that are up here? Well I've seen the equivalent in ships! There seems to be a bit of traffic going in one direction, I'm assuming its Port Hedland, nowhere near me thankfully. Yesterday I saw the biggest ships imaginable - even from 8 nautical miles away, I could still see the bridge on them. Saw one and was astounded at the size, then another came on the radar and I swear it was a third bigger again! I'm assuming these are giant iron ore carriers probably heading for China. Wouldn't want to be in that shipping lane...

Nothing much else to report, other than a thwack on the side of the head by a rogue flying fish. They usually only jump about two feet off the water, so this one must have been on fish steroids because it hit halfway up the back stay before bouncing into my head and flipping back into the ocean. All in the space of a split second, leaving me slightly stunned and having a "what the?" moment. Other than that, winds have been light so I have had to work hard to keep the boat moving and its also still really hot.

As I draw closer to home I am thinking of the many people who volunteered their time to make this journey a reality for me, and just how grateful I am for their efforts. At this point I'd particularly like to thank Tim Dallas from South of Perth Yacht Club who put together and ran my tracker page, as well as maintaining the website. He's just returning home from hospital after serious illness, and even from hospital was still working on it! Thankyou Tim, that tracker page has been focal point of the website and crucial to people following, its just been fantastic.

Stars in My Eyes

2010-07-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

Since my last post, the wind has picked up and become more consistent again, ranging between 10 - 20 knots, coming mostly from the south east. I did change course slightly and moved further west away from the coast, to try to stay in better breeze and perhaps that move has paid off. The sea state is a bit lumpy and I'm having to adjust to it hitting me side on, I'm finding it pretty uncomfortable. Fortunately the edge has been take off the heat by the wind, so I'm no longer feeling like I'm being baked in a slow oven. I have Geoff Smith at Airlie to thank for installing the 12 volt fan in the cabin for me back there, in anticipation of warmer climes. Without that fan I don't think I could have carried on, it probably made the difference in me being able to complete this trip - well keep going anyway, I guess I've still gotten a way to go!

So, what's been happening over the past few days? A couple of things to report - when I was becalmed a couple of nights ago and sleeping out in the cockpit, I experienced a total glass out of the ocean. Not a breath of wind, the ocean had not a ripple on it, there was no moon and a clear sky so all the stars were reflecting off the ocean. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, like drifting in a sea of stars. Shame I was on my own, it was very romantic. Then the next night I came across a couple of boats fishing (I think) but with no nav lights on and not responding to my radio calls. I kept my distance and kept an eye on them on the radar.

This whole area past the Kimberley coast is just teeming with wildlife, so encouraging to see it. All kinds of fish, both flying and swimming, pods of dolphins everywhere, and plenty of birdlife too. I've seen a whale, not sure what kind but it had a dolphin type look to it. Today I've been sailing through weed of some kind, its gotten quite thick in some parts. Its a golden colour and I don't know where it comes from.

Baked, Boiled and Fried

2010-07-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Drifting in a south westerly direction, with a few deviations backwards or sideways, is about all I managed today. Sailing is becoming a bit of a distant memory, as I had my first "glass out" of the trip up here for hours today. No clouds, no swell, and nothing on the horizon. No wind either. Bit disconcerting, certainly makes you feel a bit insignificant and alone on the wide blue ocean. Fortunately I have another lot talking books to keep my mind from wandering too much. Did see some wildlife to distract me though. A pod of dolphins swam by, including one that somehow managed to stick himself out of the water down to his fins - head up at a bit of an angle - and then propel himself along looking around as he went. Quite intrigued as to how he managed it. Was also followed by a shark and a few fish. Tried to lure him to the surface for a better look with some of my packaged food, but I should have realised that wouldn't be very tempting. At another stage the boat sailed, I mean drifted, through some kind of fish ball. The water was literally boiling around the boat with fish, never seen anything like it. They were all moving so fast I couldn't get a good look at any, so don't know what they were.

The heat is really starting to make life very difficult for me as I battle to keep cool. Today was stifling - 42 degrees in the cabin, and not enough shade in the cockpit. Fortunately a slight westerly breeze sprang up at around 2 this afternoon, which just took the edge off the heat and meant I did in fact start sailing again for a while until it dropped out again this evening. It is such a relief when the sun goes down. I am going to try to sleep in the cockpit tonight to stay out of the heat in the cabin. Despite doing everything I can to keep cool, I am finding it exhausting and am only hoping some decent wind comes in soon to push me along a bit and give me some relief.

Engulfed

2010-07-09T07:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a fairly uneventful and pleasant sail across the Bonaparte Gulf to the Kimberley Coast since leaving Darwin on Wednesday. Winds were light at first but settled into a steady 15 knot southeaster all day today, with not a lot of swell to contend with either. All in all it has made for great sailing - except for the heat! There is just no escaping it out here, due to the direction I'm sailing and the angle of the sun I'm not getting much shade in the cockpit and inside the cabin is stifling. Once again the difficulty my body has in regulating body temperature is causing me a few problems. Basically my body no longer has a functioning "thermostat", so my body temperature doesn't regulate itself as it should and instead takes on the temperature of the air around it. This gave me great difficulty dealing with the cold in the Southern Ocean, in trying not to get hyperthermia and now in the north I have to work to cool down so I don't overheat. My technique of buckets of cold seawater tipped over the head helps. It's lovely to come outside during the night and enjoy the cooler night air. I've seen the most amazing night skies of the trip up here - lovely clear skies full of stars. I've also seen the phosphorescence on the water that other sailors have told me about, which is a treat. Like little patches of LED lights sparkling under the surface of the water.

Nothing has come up on the radar out here, no other boats at all - just another couple of customs planes buzzing me but I'm getting used to that. I did see three sea snakes slithering past yesterday, I'm not too comfortable with that as I do worry about them landing onboard in a wave. Otherwise lots of flying fish, and a large submerged metal object covered in barnicles that floated by. I only knew it was there because a bird was standing on it, which was lucky because if I'd have banged into it there would have been some damage done.

Thankyou to my daughter Bella who is now back in Perth after following me from Port to Port and giving me lots of support on the way around. Couldn't have done it without you Bella, and thanks for your lovely message on the blog. Look forward to seeing you again in a couple of weeks!

On the Road Again

2010-07-06T16:22:00.001-07:00

By about 2PM today I should be heading out of Darwin harbour. I've been doing quite a bit of homework for this leg as to what to expect, basically I think the rest of the trip has prepared me for this final leg. Albany to Hobart prepared me for the long distance hauls, Hobart to Sydney prepared me for dodging ships, Sydney to Airlie taught me a lot about the little squalls that come through and the kind of wind that goes with them and basically from Airlie to Darwin all about current against wind and navigating through reef. This next leg will have a bit of everything, but I intend to stay outside all the reef.

I need to do some big thankyous to some individuals, starting with Tony and Jan Somerville for their fantastic support while in Darwin. I couldn't have gotten the boat ready without Tony. To Bailey's fuels for the fuel-up while I'm here, thanks Glen, WA. Manager, and Josh who runs Darwin. Darwin Sailing Club for their hospitality - David Omnes and all the flag officers there. To Kevin, Neil, the two Tracey's and the rest of the team from the TCYC (local Rockingham Yacht Club) who are up here with the kids competing in the Minnows Nationals. It was great to see some friendly faces and thanks for the moral support, look forward to catching up when I get home. Make sure you keep those Ouzo's cold for me Kevin! And finally Beau and his family - Beau has trained with me on the Sonar's at Royal Perth and we bumped into him yesterday. I really appreciate your support, a big thankyou to you and your family.

Complacency has definitely not set in with me, I know that anything can happen on this leg particularly with the length of time that I will be out on the water, but its now time to finish the circumnavigation and I am looking forward to getting Spirit of Rockingham and myself home.

video blog day 2 Cairns to Darwin outside the Reef in the Coral Sea

2010-07-04T19:10:00.000-07:00

Having a Cracker of a Time

2010-07-02T00:16:00.001-07:00

Been working on the boat with Tony Sommerville, getting it ready for the next leg. Thanks again Tony, as he is actually the one doing all the work as per usual. When I entered the Marina the other day, coincidentally a couple of well known Perth sailors Peter Robinson and Mark Loder were there having just brought a boat up from Fremantle so I had an unexpected welcome. Mark was kind enough to offer to dive on the boat and inspect the keel for me as well clean the hull while he was at it. The report from him was some gel-coat and anti-foul scraped off the bottom, but the lead keel was perfectly intact which was what I expected as I know how strongly Spirit has been built. I'm very grateful to Mark for doing this task for me and putting my mind at rest, also considering the genuine crocodile risk in the Marina (I kid you not!).

Was fortunate to be in town this week and so be here for "Northern Territory Day". I lived in Darwin for a year when I was 11, its not quite how I remembered it, a bit like "the wild west gone north". This is the one day of the year that Territorians can purchase and let off their own fireworks. We went to the local Mindil Beach Markets where they had the public firework display over the beach. Very impressive and atmospheric. Driving back however was another experience again, basically a bit like being in a war zone with explosives and rockets going off everywhere and in all directions as people let off their own private stash - from apartment balconies, carparks, the street verge - wherever. We took cover in the hotel and watched the action.

After a few of the blog comments recently, and some frustration from followers perhaps at wanting more frequent blogs than I have been putting on here, I think the logistics of putting the blogs on needs to be explained. Basically due to my disability I can only type with one finger. I do have voice recognition software on the computer but it won't work on the boat due to background noise of bangs, sloshes, screeching booms, ropes etc etc. The logistics of a one finger typist churning out daily blogs whilst keeping balance in a bucking bronco is difficult to say the least. My sponsorship deals don't extend to internet connectivity and satellite phone coverage, so I only have limited email and satellite phone capability whilst offshore due to the exorbitant cost. We've been doing the blogs when at sea by me telephoning Jo on the satellite phone and as briefly as possibly telling her the information to go in the blog. Jo and I have a good connection and she writes it exactly how I would have done it, except in a much more literate and educated way! The problem with the last leg was that the sat phone wasn't working properly and only limited information came off the boat. There was quite a bit that happened in the first part of the last leg that didn't make it onto the blog because of the poor communication, some of it would make your hair curl.

Looking at leaving next Tuesday 6th July at this stage. After the last leg, I have a much better understanding of what the sea state is like with wind against current, which is very taxing on me trying to move around the boat. I'm realising that I might have to stop at Exmouth to have a break which means I won't be able to break my current world record of some 1500 nautical miles but I do want to get myself and Spirit back in one piece. I'll make the decision based upon how the first part of the trip goes, as to whether I go in at Exmouth or not.

Locked In

2010-06-29T05:30:00.001-07:00

First night in Darwin, arrived with the high tide at 8.30 this morning. Thanks to Tony Sommerville, another ex-Rockinghamite and David Omness from Darwin Sailing Club who kindly ventured out in a boat at 6.30 this morning in order to get me through the lock into Bayview Marina. I've never seen a lock before and it was an interesting experience. Just a recap on the last few days as I haven't had a good satellite phone connection to be able to update the blog. Three nights ago I had a ship come on the radar about 3AM, their usual time to visit, this was a bit different in that it was coming from the north heading towards me. Every time I altered course it followed me and I was starting to think that maybe it was pirates coming to do a raid. Armed with my mate Mal's leatherman that he left on the boat in Townsville, I was ready to take them on! I hope you can picture me with a leatherman in my good right hand ready for the fight. I radioed to see what their intentions were with no response. They still drew closer. I then turned the deck light on so I was completely visible and a minute later I had a call on the radio and it was just a customs boat trying to sneak up on me. I had quite a few encounters with customs or marine patrol boats all the way across, its actually good to see the north of the country under a very watchful eye.

I also seemed to always have the company of a dolphin over the past two days, quite a small species. A couple of nights ago with the full moon I was sitting on deck and it leapt out of the water a few times, really high, right in front of the moon. It was as if it was staged, quite beautiful to be out there watching it.

The final part of the trip into Darwin had yet another surprise in store. Going past Bathurst Island, I hooked into a tidal flow that was running with me, but against an opposing wind. Went flying down the side of Bathurst Island at times doing over 8 knots but with an absolutely out of control sea state. Waves rolling over the boat from bow to stern, it was just like going the wrong way up rapids really fast. It was a one hour thrill ride I'll never forget!

Will do a blog in the next couple of days with my plans for the next leg. I have to have a rethink on how I tackle it as the situation with wind against current in these northern areas is extremely taxing on myself as well as the boat. In fact, there were times when I wished I was back in the Southern Ocean and I never thought I'd say that. I probably had only four hours sleep in the last two days out there.

Saunas and Sea Snakes

2010-06-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

It has been a wonderfully uneventful sail across the gulf, I can't believe the consistently strong winds out here, dropped a bit for a while yesterday to around 15 knots then picked up again. No drama's with Spirit, except she decided to go for a surf when I was trying to cook my microwave dinner, swearing at her didn't seem to help. Also the autohelm isn't working, went out on me when I was going through the reef so the windpilot has saved the day. The main wildlife out here seem to be sea snakes and flying fish. Yesterday when I had a wave dump on me in the cockpit (don't really mind that up here, it cools me down) I had a thought that I wouldn't want a sea snake coming in that way and just at that moment I saw a brilliantly yellow and black striped specimen slither past the hull. On the outside fortunately. Earlier on I saw a really fat one glide by.

My cabin has now turned into a sauna in the heat and moisture up here. It has rained every day while crossing the gulf, so inevitably water comes in as I go in and out of the cabin, and it all just steams up inside. I can't open the windows, because I won't be able to close them again so I am getting used to living in the equivalent of a sweatlodge. I cool off outside in the wind and rain.

I was buzzed by a customs plane the other day, scared the life out of me. Heard it coming before I saw it fly what seemed to be just above the mast. They then made contact on the radio "Spirit of Rockhampton. Spirit of Rockhampton" - set them straight on that one and then answered a million questions before they happily went on their way.

At this stage it looks like I may make Darwin on Monday or Tuesday next week, depending on the wind and also the tides to get me in there.

Playing Footsie With the Reef

2010-06-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

Just as I thought I was through the worst of it, the reef decided not to let me pass without having a more up close and personal encounter to remember her by. Last night I was almost through the channel around Cape York, open ocean literally within view, when I noticed that the boat had stopped dead! My worst nightmare really (or one of them). In keeping to the edge of the channel to get out of the way of the many ships passing through, the bottom of the keel ended up scraping on a small piece of reef, bringing Spirit to a standstill. I was probably stuck for about an hour before the incoming tide lifted her clear. Apart from the very bottom of the keel, the rest of the boat is fine and I managed to sail off and continue. I will have to get someone to dive on her and check out any damage in Darwin. I guess the whole incident was the result of a couple of really intense days sailing with very little sleep. I have noticed how much fatigue will cloud my thinking, and I feel really fortunate to have escaped the incident so lightly. My state of mind after that was not so great, and I'm just glad I am now out of there. Today I managed to get much needed rest, put the boat back to rights after everything was thrown around the cabin in the swell and surf of the previous couple of days and get my head back into gear to focus on the rest of this leg.

Winds have eased off a little, as has the swell, I have put up the storm jib to balance the boat better and Spirit continues to make good time toward Darwin. It's as if she knows she's rounded the corner and is heading for home, and is almost sailing herself there!

To Cape York via the Southern Ocean

2010-06-22T03:52:00.000-07:00

I think the aliens have been playing with me again. Went out the reef from Cairns on Saturday, had a bit of a snooze and when I woke up I could have sworn I was back in the southern ocean. 35 knot south easterlies along with 6 metre swells, grey overcast skies, the only difference was the air temperature which was decidedly warmer than the southern ocean. Wasn't exactly what I had been anticipating, but Spirit is built to handle those conditions and handle them she did. She had no trouble in doing speeds of 7.5 - 8.5 knots even though I was trying to slow her up a bit, had no jib up and only half the main. Did a fair bit of surfing too, managing to clock up to 12 knots when going down waves. I had to alter my planned course through the reef as it would have put me square in front of the wind, I actually ended up in the shipping lane heading north. The strong winds have been unrelenting and combine the following swell conflicting with an opposing tidal current and you have to experience it to believe it. Lets just say I haven't had a lot of sleep.

Am now just rounding Thursday Island and am looking forward to getting back in open water. The winds, although easing a little on the western side of Cape York, are forecast to continue for the next week so I expect to be in Darwin much faster than anticipated.

Next Stop Darwin

2010-06-19T04:10:00.001-07:00

Yes I know it's Saturday and I said I was going to leave Friday, but I had forgotten yet again about the dangers of leaving Port on a Friday, remembered just in time - well maybe I was also held up by Jo and Bella who decided Friday was a good day to do a day trip to the reef, so all in all Saturday just seemed a better option. Finally got away today after dealing with a concerning leak in the toilet flush, which meant that the toilet wouldn't stop filling, but that got sorted (hopefully) and I was away - thanks to Joe at the Marina and a couple of other helpers who untied and helped push Spirit in the right direction. As I was heading out the Marina, eagle-eye Jo noticed that the main halyard was still tied up to the stay, which we had done to stop it banging the mast in the wind and annoying the neighboors. So I had to turn around and come in - Joe held the boat while Bella did her monkey act and climbed up to untie it. It was a real relief that it was spotted before I tried to pull up the main sail, or it could have been really disastrous.

Am feeling well and prepared for the next leg. I do feel very much like I'm venturing into the unknown so although I am anxious about it, I can't help being just a bit excited at the thought of rounding Cape York and heading across the north of the country. So far today I have been averaging 6.5 knots in steady 20knot southeasterlies, which has meant a quick passage out through the reef and back into open ocean. I should have a couple of days of straightforward sailing, keeping the reef to port, until I have to head back through it up towards the tip of Cape York. My plan is to get as much rest as I can in the open ocean before needing to be alert to navigate around the Cape. If these winds stay consistent it should be a fast passage around and out the other side.

Good Training Run

2010-06-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

Made it in to Marlin Marina in Cairns first thing yesterday morning, after a good practise run for the next leg in terms of negotiating reefs, Islands and other vessels. Going in to Townsville I had a lot of trouble getting the main down on the furler and decided to get it looked at while I was there. Yet another ex-Rockingham couple, Mal and Kay Wilson met me at the jetty. It was great to see them, I haven't seen Mal in years. Thanks for all your help Mal, and also Les who was on the boat next door to me. Between the two of them they knocked off a lot of jobs for me. Les was a great bloke to meet, he had fantastic lifestyle living on his boat and he'd done some amazing adaptations on it. Mal had a look at the furling system for me and while we were trying to get it working better it was that tight that it ripped the main sail. I then decided to get the professionals in to sort it out, which now included repairing the sail as well. Michael from Hood Sails was good enough to drop what he was doing to repair my sail, and John the rigger pulled the furl boom apart for me and got it working properly. The problem was the build up of salt in the cog system from all the water that went over it from the trip, and I should have really had it serviced back in Airlie. It's now working better than it ever has, thanks to John. So that done, I was underway that afternoon on the next high tide. The staff at Breakwater Marina were really helpful and friendly people and certainly made it easier for me with their support in coming in and out of the Marina. Thanks Graham for making sure I didn't end up in the mud!

Besides dodging the reef and a few boats it was another fantastic sail with the wind up my backside all the way. It got to the point towards the end of the trip that I wanted to slow Spirit up so as not to get in at Midnight, and despite taking down the headsail I still couldn't go slower than about 6 knots. Once I got around Fitzroy Island into the bay, I furled the main and drifted until morning. I ended up being dragged up the coast in the current and had a two hour sail back to Cairns in the morning. Not that I minded, as it was a beautiful view. This was the first Marina I ventured into without my shore team of Jo and Bella to assist - they deserted me in favour of another night in their rainforest hut at Mission Beach. I can't blame them, I'm not the nicest smelling person when I get off the boat and it did sound magnificent where they were. Joe and the guys at Marlin Marina in Cairns were great at helping me in, about 4 burly blokes materialised on the pontoon to tie me up (or rather tie up Spirit, not me) as well as an old friend of Wally Patten in Rockingham, Peter Battle and his mate Tim.

Will spend the next few days preparing Spirit for the next leg and will head off again this Friday 18th, weather permitting, this time for Darwin without stopping.

Great Sailing Up to Townsville

2010-06-08T03:42:00.000-07:00

Arrived safely at Breakwater Marina in Townsville at about 3.30 this afternoon. Had a wonderfully uneventful trip from Airlie, although didn't get any sleep last night - needed to stay on watch for ships of which there were many moving up and down the channel. Winds started off about 24knots south easterlies, easing down to next to nothing just before getting into Townsville which thwarted my intention to sail all the way in. Beautiful sailing out there all morning - cutting through a flat ocean in a well balanced boat doing around 5 knots with sunshine and lovely views. Was followed by a pod of dolphins just to top off the experience.

Have now decided to do another short hop up to Cairns on my way to Darwin, before heading outside the reef and going around Cape York. Does it look like I'm practising avoidance perhaps? Yes I think I am! Maybe its also a part of the world that I'm struggling to tear myself away from just a bit. Plans are to leave here on Thursday morning, arriving Cairns Friday sometime. I will spend a few days going up the coast in the car with Jo and Bella before leaving to sail to Darwin.

Arrival at Airlie

2010-06-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of Spirit arriving at Airlie Beach, with John Carrol on his boat "Tropical Dream".

Anxiety Level: 10

2010-06-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

Am now psyching myself into leaving for the next leg around Cape York to Darwin, leaving Airlie Monday morning 7th June around 10am. Am almost wishing it were the Southern Ocean again (well not really)- at least down there there was nothing except the odd whale to bump into, not like up here with the reefs, endless boats, and tidal currents - none of which I'm familiar with. It won't be the longest leg of the trip, but it will be by far the most challenging. Have been working out the best route to take and have decided to do a short jump up to Townsville, stopping there for a few days to have a look around, and then go out through the reef just north of there where there is an easy passage through to the outside. I will then stay well outside the reef until I have to come in again around the top of Cape York and that is where things may get a bit hairy for me. I've heard it is beautiful sailing up there, I just hope I can be relaxed enough to enjoy it.

Airlie is just a great place to hang out, it really is hard to move on from if you are into sailing. Also it was great to see some people from home who popped in to say hi - Helen and Don, Norm who I used to sail with back home years ago and his wife Monica, Steve and Lillian, and of course Mum and Dad who have been here for a few days now helping with the boat and giving Bella a welcome distraction from us! . Rodney, the skipper of Zig-Zag which was parked next to Spirit in Fremantle is also here at the moment and dropped by yesterday. Rodney was always a great help when needed, and I look forward to catching up again in Darwin. Have had some work done on the boat, hopefully have solved the electrical issues I was having and I had the engine and gen-set serviced - thanks to Steve Smith - which was fortunate as the impeller on the engine was breaking, and bits had fallen into the heat exchange unit. This could have been disastrous as the engine is crucial to charging my batteries, more so than the gen-set.

Rod and his team at Meridien Marinas in Abel Point are a fantastic bunch and I am extremely appreciative of their support for my stay here. I had numerous offers of assistance from other boaties in the Marina, and even was hosted to a free breakfast from the Abel Point Kiosk at the Marina. Great bacon and eggs, lovely people. I also have to thank Tania and Steve Watson from the Whitsunday Sailing Club for all their help both onshore and in coordinating my arrival. The Sailing Club here is fantastic, really active part of the community and they serve a great meal up on their veranda overlooking the bay. Airlie truly lives up to its motto of being "a drinking town with a sailing problem"! I'm sorry it doesn't look like I will be able to catch up with Ian Thompson (sosoceanracing.com) who by the time I get to Darwin should be in the record books for doing the fastest circumnavigation of Australia. I definately want to get back here so we will catch up then.

I'm in Yachtie Heaven

2010-05-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Firstly apologies for not reporting in for a few days. It's nice to stand down after getting in to catch my breath (and sleep). I've also been wandering around in a daze in paradise here in Airlie. A few sailors from Rockingham have come over to Airlie beach over the years and never returned. Now I know why. Perfect sailing conditions, perfect weather and great sailing location with the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef at your doorstep. Thanks again to Meridien Marinas at Able Point for their kind hospitality - its a beautiful Marina with first class facilities and friendly locals.

I'd like to respond to some of the bloggers comments. Firstly to Judy, Rob and Michael who trekked all the way to Sydney and missed me - really sorry I didn't get to catch up! If you can make it up here to Airlie I promise to be here for you! And the added bonus is you would be out of that awful weather you must be getting about now. To "anonymous", the fish scale left on my windshield was about the size of a five cent piece. To Richard from Maryland - I couldn't tell if the pole dug in and pivoted the boat during the knockdown as I was pinned down in the side of the boat, but the pole is joined at the mast at the bottom, not at the standard position of a metre and a half up. This allows for greater angle and height out of the water. The boat is over-engineered to allow for such instances given that I can't manoeuvre around to fix things quickly. To Susan from Oregan - in response to the suspected alien interference around the Islands up here, I would say that would classify as "outside assistance"! However without any evidence I should be OK.

Have been getting some maintenance done on Spirit. A big thankyou to Geoff Smith who braved pulling apart my toilet to get to the screw stuck in the emulsifier, it was a much bigger job than we thought but the toilet is now operational thanks to Geoff's work. I will also try to get the electrical problems sorted out this week. Am currently planning the route around to Darwin and will blog again in a few days when I am clearer as to the timing of leaving here. I've noticed that I'm not getting many handshakes here - just to let all and sundry know that I did thoroughly wash and disinfect my hand after it got stuck down the toilet before getting here!

Rocketing to Airlie

2010-05-26T22:48:00.001-07:00

Airlie Beach is almost in sight as I round the top of Hayman Island. The last couple of days have provided me with extremes in terms of good and not so good sailing conditions. The night before last I had no sleep at all as I had to hand sail around a couple of Islands, dodging shipping as well, in light breezes with tidal currents. I must say at that stage morale was not particularly high - I was so close, yet with the wind dropping out on me and the currents going against me I felt I could have been days away. Fatigue certainly has a way of altering your mindset, however things picked up yesterday - I got into some good westerly winds that took me where I wanted to go, I managed to keep clear of the shipping lanes get some much needed rest. Then last night I still wasn't sure if I'd make Ailie today or tomorrow, but overnight I picked up speed again. Had a few hours of sleep and when I woke up and checked where I was I was astounded at the progress - felt as if I must have been picked up by aliens when asleep and deposited within easy reach of Airlie! Today is a beautiful day, beautiful sailing weather, am surrounded in Islands and blue blue water, fair breezes and one tack all the way in. Can't wait. Many thanks to Tania at the sailing club and the kind folk at the Marina for organising my berthing and support when I arrive. I look forward to meeting all of you.

One other event that didn't improve my mood yesterday was getting my hand stuck down the loo. What the?? I hear you ask... well what happened was when the boat was bobbing around a lot - my toilet in the bow is a bit like a bucking bronco - and in grabbing hold of a rope to steady myself on the way in the screw came loose and dropped into the bowl. Uh oh, didn't want that flushing into the emulsifier below so reached in to get it, boat moved suddently as it does and my hand got firmly wedged in there. Thoughts of being found in this way a few days later were not good, eventually managed to free myself but the screw did get into the emulsifier unfortunately. Good thing I'm almost in Port.

Great Sailing

2010-05-24T05:04:00.000-07:00

After finally getting far enough north to escape the grip of the rain storms, I managed to get some good consistent winds from the south east, 20-25 knots, and cruised along on the same sail setting for at least twelve hours. Managed to hold speeds of six and a half to seven knots which helped to feed my appetite for speed and make up some distance from the previous days. I'm now heading down the Capricorn Channel toward Airlie - and have noticed that when I'm sailing through Marine Park waters I don't see the fishing trawlers, which makes sailing a little more relaxing for me. Have hardly seen any boating activity at all for the past day or two. I am starting to witness the effects of the tidal currents, as my wind dropped out to about seven knots today but my speed stayed up around five knots. I know that Spirit can't do five knots in just seven knots of wind, so I'm sure the tide was helping us along.

Other reportable events - well I nearly ripped off my big toe today, but I did manage to patch it up. I'm getting a bit of practise putting bandaids on my big toe out here, am getting quite good at it! Also I was visited by some sort of marine life today, didn't get outside to see what it was but sounded like a big fish hit the deck just above my bed, flopped around frantically then managed to flop itself back off the boat. When I went outside I saw it had left a mark and a fish scale on my windshield where it must have bounced. I'd loved to have seen what it was.

I also want to let people know that there is someone else out there currently circumnavigating Australia ( bit like sharks circling really). Ian Thompson from Airlie Beach, who took the time to contact me and help with contacts in Airlie for when I arrive. A really nice guy, attempting a speed record for circumnavigating Australia solo non-stop and unassisted. He is doing fantastic time, left Airlie about 20 days ago, and is currently trying to pop down around the corner of WA (the dreaded Cape Leeuwin), my home turf. You might like to check out his website - www.sosoceanracing.com

Cat Strogonoff

2010-05-21T23:28:00.000-07:00

Its been a fairly exhausting couple of days, with wind going all over the place and almost constant rain for 24 hours, meaning that until today I had very little rest. I haven't been able to put the guard zone up on the radar because of all the storms coming through so have been on almost constant watch for ships. I racked up a couple of firsts for the trip - in the midst of the rain and storms I experienced a perfectly flat ocean and had a beautiful sail on it for a couple of hours doing 5.5 knots before the next lot of swell came through. Reminded me of Cockburn Sound back home. The other first was the sheer volume of water coming out of the sky on top of me at one point - including a fairly scary lightening strike that was a bit too close for comfort. Unfortunately I also paid the price of being lazy. I needed to head more east to pick up a northward moving current and thought I might get lucky and the wind would get me there without having to pole the jib to help her along. It's quite an effort to get the pole out, and what with all the rain I put it off meaning that by the time I realised I wasn't going to get there without it, the wind was hard on the nose from the east and it was a slog to get where I wanted to go. I'm learning a lot of lessons out here! The wind also backwinded the jib again - although this time didn't lay the boat completely over like it did last time and I also had a bit of warning when I heard the sails starting to flog and was already halfway out the cockpit so managed to right things in time.

I knew the day was likely to be a tough one when I opened the days food bag and discovered my selection for dinner was my favourite (not!) "cat" strogonoff. For some reason its called beef strogonoff on the packet but there's nothing in there that looks or tastes like beef. Was making my way through it in the evening when I came across a foreign body (even more foreign than the rest of it) in the gravy. Gingerly picked it out imagination going wild (cats nose? Paw? Claw?) when I realised the gravy was congealed around one of my used ear-plugs that must have dropped in unnoticed. Then last nights dinner that I was actually looking forward to, managed to get flipped out of the microwave and splatted all over the companionway. The distance some of it travelled was unbelievable. I've been picking bits of meat out of cracks and crevices ever since, and wiping gravy off rough non-skid surfaces is just a nightmare.

Things have improved today, the rain has eased off and I have been able to get things dry and set the sails with a degree of certainty. I have also managed to catch up on some sleep.

A knockdown, Ear Plugs and Suicidal Fish

2010-05-19T04:49:00.000-07:00

Well I was moving in front of the breeze quite nicely yesterday - 10 to 15 knot south easterly, had the jib poled out to help me along. Rain was coming in intermittently, and as it was coming from behind I needed to keep the washboards in to stop it blowing inside. Was down in the cabin keeping dry when next thing I find myself spreadeagled over the plotter on the port side. Wind had gone from 12 knots to 35 in the space of minutes, hit the jib and knocked Spirit onto her side. Although your instincts are screaming "danger" at you in those moments, and it is certainly very scary, logic does kick in as I know how tough Spirit is and the very reason I chose the S&S design was the safety factor in difficult conditions. I knew that she would right herself again, but it did take a little while. There was nothing I could do - no way I could move from the position I was in. I have some control over my arms but my legs are a hopeless case and go pretty much wherever gravity and the odd spasm takes them, so spreadeagled over the plotter I stayed until the wind backed off a bit and sure enough Spirit righted herself as I knew she would. No harm done to either boat or myself, and I reset the sails and unpoled the jib to avoid that happening again.

I discovered the joys of using earplugs when I run the genset for the microwave and to charge the batteries. I still seem to have a problem with the batteries holding power, we thought we might have solved it by isolating one of the batteries but unfortunately there is still a problem. The noise from the genset was doing my head in, so the earplugs seemed just the thing. Until I ate an apple that is! Have you ever eaten an apple with earplugs in? Every crunch is like an explosion in your head - tried a carrot, same deal there.

The only sea life I've seen today was some strange looking little black fish that has decided to keep me company all the way to Airlie - in the cockpit that is. Poor little fella, I think he may be a little on the nose by the time we get there.

Farewell to Sydney Town

2010-05-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

I finally sailed out of Sydney Heads on Sunday, wrenching myself away from shore yet again to continue on my way. There is not just the physical adjustment of getting re-established as a boat dweller on the high seas, but the emotional adjustment is just as hard in having to leave everyone behind and again have to get used to my own company 24/7. I don’t know that I enjoy my own company for that length of time! I had lots of help in getting away – thanks Brendan, Campbell and Helen and sorry to Fran for dominating Brendan’s time like I did, but he was doing such a great job helping me stash stuff! Also thanks to Colin and Jane who appeared with some home cooked meals for me to take, meaning I can put off using some of those microwave meals that I am starting to dread. I was farewelled out of the Harbour by Tish and her daughter Pip who followed on their boat, which was fortuitous as it turned out as I needed Pip to climb on board and close the front hatch for me as we motored out. A lesson learnt for me there to make sure I go over the boat myself with a fine-tooth comb before leaving the jetty.
Whist in Sydney yet again I was supported and welcomed by a range of people. Thanks to Steve and Louise Churn for having us to dinner, and to Steve for being the official record-keeper for Sydney. Another big thankyou to CYC as well as RANSA for letting me keep the boat there. Commodore Matt Allen and Manager Mark Woolf for their great support. Thankyou to Kevin Loyd-Thomas who picked us up from the airport and helping me on the boat during my Jessica Watson rehearsal run - also for organising support to help me get away for the next leg. A very big thankyou to Max, boatman from Alpha Romeo, for helping me to prepare the boat for the next leg and designing and fitting a boom retainer - which has already proven a winner, and I no longer have to listen to that infernal screeching sound.
I was accompanied out the Harbour not by dolphins this time, but by a school of fish jumping out of the water around me. Don’t know what they were, but it was a speccy sight. I’ve been heading east as much as possible to get away not just from the shipping but also the current that runs down the coast here. The winds have been consistent 20-25knots from the south, but with constant shifts making it difficult to keep a sail setting which is quite tiring. Am hanging out to hit some warmer climes as I head north!

In response to your blog comment Demmi about getting on board for sponsorship - please contact Jan Davies whose contact details are on the Home Page of my website, email jansolo1@iinet.net.au Any support is greatly appreciated. It's also possible to make a tax free donation through the "Support the Spirit" button on the right hand side of the home page - just click on it and it takes you to the site. Many many thanks to those of you who have already donated, I feel very humbled by peoples generosity and more determined than ever to make this trip a success.

Thankyou to the Watson family

2010-05-15T00:53:00.000-07:00

Have just returned to the hotel after spending an unbelievable day at the Opera House watching the arrival of Jessica Watson. We feel very honoured to have been included in the VIP section along with family and friends for her arrival, putting us right in the thick of things. It was great to finally meet Jessica and her family, albeit briefly. I was blown away by her confidence and maturity and how articulate she was in front of such a crowd. I get off the boat after two weeks completely rattled and incoherent, she gets off after seven months and presents as potential Prime Minister material! I haven't seen such a great role model for other young people since I don't know when. I was struck by how down to earth, friendly, and unpretentious her whole family are and can see how Jessica has turned out the way she has. After seeing how she conducted herself today, I hope that some of the "knockers" that have been out there will now understand that she is quite an exceptional young woman who was very focused and extremely well prepared for the challenge that she set herself.

So what have I been up to in the past week? After the last blog we had to get out of Sydney for a while, due to budgetary constraints and Jo doing her head in trying to drive here. Before leaving, we were entertained for lunch by Sue Crafer - a top international sailor as well as a sailing physio, and the best in the world at what she does. Thankyou to Sue and her husband Noddy, as well as Dr. Steve Wilson, one of the Paralympic classifiers, for a great afternoon down on middle harbour in an absolutely beautiful spot at Noddy's wooden boatshed over the water.

We spent much of the past week exploring up in northern NSW - what a top spot! It is such a different landscape from WA. It was excellent to catch up with my Uncle Reg and Susie, and a big thankyou for having us stay there. We returned to Sydney Friday morning in order for me to do my bit for the "Jessica Juggernaut". I was requested by Channel 10 to take them out on the harbour on Spirit to do a dress rehearsal for them so they could get some practise getting on and off the boat and get all the timing and technical details well prepared for. And no, I did not have to go so far as to paint the boat pink and wear a blonde wig! It was a great day, I had Jesse Martin and the English teenage solo sailor Mike on the boat with me which made for some great conversation. And I got to tie up at the Opera House, right where Jessica pulled up today. Great experience, will never forget it.

Am planning to leave Sydney tomorrow, or if final preparations take a bit longer then it will be early Monday morning. Also just want to mention one of my American "bloggers", Janell from Oklahoma, who is visiting Sydney and took the time to come and find Spirit, leaving a lovely note for me that is greatly appreciated. Janell if you are reading this, I'll be down at the boat tomorrow morning at the CYC, leaving about 11AM.

Dodging Sharks, Ferries, Ships and Sea-planes

2010-05-03T04:49:00.000-07:00

Well Spirit and I arrived safely in Sydney according to plan last Friday. The last two days getting into Sydney proved to be some of the most stressful sailing I have had for the whole trip, basically because of all the traffic out there that I'm not used to having to deal with. I couldn't work out where the shipping lanes were so I could avoid them - because it seems to be a free-for-all out there in terms of ships just being everywhere. Consequently I really didn't get much sleep for those couple of days and was constantly on the alert. I did in fact have a pretty close call with a ship, despite seeing it on the radar and going out and physically looking for it, it still managed to sneak up on me seemingly out of nowhere, setting off the AIS (which alerts me if I am on a collision course) and giving me the fright of my life by coming much too close for comfort. I had a bit of time to kill when I made good time on the approach to Sydney so did manage spend some time sight-seeing on my way in. Trouble is I was so fatigued by then that I found the Harbour traffic a bit overwhelming and not at all what I'm used to. I found myself dodging all manner of vessels from ferries to sea-planes. I was even circled by a shark! It swam with its fin sticking out of the water, just like in the movies. I was told that they didn't really do that but now I've seen it with my own eyes - and in Sydney Harbour what's more! Won't catch me swimming there...

Thanks to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia for their generosity in letting me berth Spirit there. I should be leaving Sydney around the 15th, I'm hoping to be here to be one of the thousands that will welcome Jessica home. Then I will leave for the next leg of the trip - straight to Airlie Beach in Queensland. I anticipate it taking about 2 weeks to complete, all going well.

Oh yes and I had quite a thrill this morning - picked up the phone and it was Therese Reine (Prime Minister's wife) on the line! She'd heard of my exploits and rang to wish me well and congratulate me on getting this far. I quite admired Therese after seeing her interview on the Seven Thirty report a few months ago. She has a genuine understanding of what a person in a wheelchair has to deal with on a daily basis through growing up with a father who was a paraplegic. She was very easy to talk to, down to earth and really personable and if my daughter ends up with the same sort of mindset I will be a very happy man. I think she will actually, she is very special.

Sydney arrival

2010-04-29T00:55:00.001-07:00

Jamie has had a great run up the New South Wales coast to Sydney, and is planning to come in and tie up at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia at Darling Point, tomorrow (Friday 30th April) at 1PM. Anyone who has been following his voyage and would like to come down to see him in tomorrow, you are very welcome to do so. Look forward to seeing you there!

RAINED AND HAILED ON

2010-04-27T05:55:00.000-07:00

Conditions have varied enormously as I have either crawled or flown across the Strait - but I have managed to get far enough north to avoid the worst of the weather expected there. I've either been in no wind when its been forecast for 30 knots or been in 20 knots when its supposed to be 5, and it has varied between all of those strengths in the space of an hour at times. Just as I was relaxing into sailing with all on board systems functioning well my toilet stopped flushing. Now I not only have to drag myself to the toilet, but I have to cart a bottle of water with me as well or things could get a bit smelly in there as I still have a few days to go out here. Aah the pleasures of life on board!

Earlier on this evening I had a bit of excitement when I noticed a storm coming at me literally like a dagger on the radar pointing straight at Spirit! After setting off the alarm on the guardzone and setting the hairs on the back of my neck on edge, it was on me in fifteen minutes. Rain sheeting down like I'd not seen before out here, and not only that but hail as well. The noise was unbelievable - like Spirit was under attack and being stoned! The shape of the storm on the radar went from dagger to human, with arms wrapped around Spirit and legs trailing, and it then decided to stick around and didn't move off for a good hour or two.

Photos from my "bloggie"

2010-04-26T01:17:00.000-07:00

These are a couple of shots I took on my way across the Southern Ocean to Hobart - actually my first view of the southern coastline of Tasmania. Sony generously gave me a "bloggie" which I have found very easy to use - the difficult bit is getting the pics on my website! I have also taken some short video blogs. I have much greater expertise around sailing boats than around technology, so please bear with me. Jo has managed to load one on Youtube - follow this link to view:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H707euawTTo

Into The Tasman

2010-04-25T00:54:00.000-07:00

I've decided I don't want to come into too many Ports as I go around the country as it is too difficult to keep saying farewell to the people I've met. Left Hobart yesterday morning as planned, under grey skies with a smattering of rain and only light breeze. Was accompanied for a way down the Derwent River by Ian Brett with Jo and Bella in his boat "Allumination" and Michael Vaughan on "Eximious". Steve Logan also came with me a short way, to check that everything was working before he jumped off onto Ian's boat. Thanks for the company guys - it seems to settle the nerves a little as I head off, or perhaps just delay them! Once they left me to my own devices, a pod of dolphins settled in around me and stayed for the duration until I was out in the open Ocean again. What a way to go. The winds stayed light until I was almost across Storm Bay, but I didn't quite get through unscathed and was spat out into the Tasman in 35knots of breeze. Spirit managed her fastest times yet of 8-9knots in those conditions. I must admit that I am pushing Spirit as fast as I can up the East coast for two reasons: one is the cold, the quicker I can get into more northern latitudes the better I function. And secondly there is a low expected in Bass Strait around Tuesday/Wednesday so I am trying to get north of it by then. I do tend to love a bit of speed, and today I've been flying up the east coast in 20 knot following winds, with sunshine on my face, and managing 6-7 knot speeds in much reduced swells compared to what I've been used to. In short, great sailing.

The photo above was take by Jo as I was on my way out the Derwent. The boat behind is Michael's "Eximious".

Bass Strait Here I Come!

2010-04-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Yet again, I've landed in Port not knowing anyone from a bar of soap and been welcomed by the friendliest and most supportive bunch of people you could come across. I have spent the last few days ironing out and fixing the problems experienced on the last leg - when I say me, I actually mean Ian Brett who is Hobart's version of Albany's Darren Russell. Extremely experienced world sailor who specialises in rigging, exactly the person I needed to sort out the problems I had with the boom brake. He thinks out of the square and jobs that I thought were going to be a nightmare he's solved in minutes. He's simplified the main sheet system and done some fine-tuning on the self-steerer. Steve Logan, my initial cotact in Hobart, has been extremely supportive of us while we've been here and is a really nice guy. A big thankyou to the Bellerive Yacht Club in particular to John Mills, Vice Commodore, for hosting us for dinner last night and donating the proceeds of the meat raffle to the trip. I've been so fixated on the goal of getting around Australia, but I'm realising that maybe the best part of this trip is the people I'm meeting along the way and the locations I'm going to. And no, I haven't gotten a sponsorship from Tasmania tourism, but you have to put this place on your must visit list - its simply stunning. Wish I had more time to explore. And speaking of sponsors, still chasing that ellusive major sponsor. I started the trip without it being fully funded because if I didn't go now there was a good chance it would never have happened - sometimes we have to have a leap of faith that things will work out OK. Maybe leap is not the best terminology for me but I'm sure you know what I mean. In reading the blog comments along the way I'm glad that other people are getting something out of this trip too, it is making it all worthwhile.

I am planning to leave tomorrow (Saturday 24th) morning at 9AM to head for Sydney. We have been closely watching the weather which in this part of Australia can be quite wild and unpredictable. There are a number of nasty lows coming through, I'm timing my leaving between them but I know it won't be a walk in the park. I can't help thinking of that tough young woman Jessica who is out there in the thick of these fronts that I am trying to avoid! Time for Dunross to man up! Not that I enjoy a beating but the potential is one low after another down here and you have to go sooner or later. That Bass Strait is one hell of a Pot Boiler!

Breathtaking Arrival

2010-04-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

Arrived safely at Constitution Dock in Hobart this afternoon at 4.30. I was extremely excited today at seeing Jo and Bella for the first time after two weeks, but had to contain my excitement a little as it was all unfolding in front of media cameras. The day's trip coming across the bottom of Tasmania and up the Derwent River into Hobart was just surreal. It is such a beautiful and unspoilt part of the world. I haven't seen coastline like it anywhere - very "lost worldish" and oozing with life. Birds and seals everywhere. At one point I saw what looked like about 50 seals all surface at once, then disappear on mass and I didn't see them again! Unless fatigue was getting to me and I imagined it, but I'm sure they were real. Also saw some huge Albatrosses, biggest ones of the whole trip, Sarah you'd have loved it. But there was such variety and quantity of birdlife out there. Just amazing.

I'm now adjusting to being back on land and in the chair again, instead of dragging my backside around the boat. Will try and be back out on the water in about a week, there's not a lot to be done to the boat but some essential repairs have to be completed before I take off again. A big thankyou to Steve, Hugh, Ian and Michael who came down to help me tie up. I have enjoyed the champagne and pizza - thanks for that guys!

Eternal Vigilance

2010-04-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Things slowed up considerably for me yesterday, as you would have seen from the tracker. It doesn't mean however that the swells also settle down, they seem to be mountainous no matter what, influenced by the lows that move through further south. The flogging of the sails in the light winds with the movement of the boat is a real worry with the chafing of the ropes that goes with it. I've had to really keep an eye on the rig, particularly the boom and main sheets, have had to redo my makeshift boom brake a couple of times and then I noticed the main shackle the main sheet runs through had come undone! Had next to no sleep during the night as it kept on coming loose requiring me to go up on deck five times to sort it out. I've now cable tied it so it can't happen again and re-run the lines to keep the boom more secure, at one stage it was banging around so much I thought it could do some damage to the mast. Will have to get it seen to in Hobart. At this time I'm reminded of a saying of an old boss of mine, from my very first job years ago. He migrated to Australia after the war, and every day he used to say to me "what's the price of freedom Jamie?" and I knew to answer "eternal vigilance, boss, eternal vigilance". I've never forgotten it and in order to safely complete a voyage such as this, eternal vigilance is definately the way to go! If you don't pick up and fix the small things, they inevitably lead to bigger issues that can take you out. I am now approaching Tasmania and am expecting only light winds for the next couple of days. At this stage, I think I'll get to Hobart sometime on Sunday. Can't wait to see Jo and Bella, looks like they will beat me there after all. Damn these light winds.

A big hello to all the residents at Dalkeith hostel in Traralgon Victoria, I am very honoured to have become their pin-up boy, and glad they are enjoying following my adventure. I hope you all keeping Naomi on her toes!

Truckin' along

2010-04-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

Well Spirits been flying through the waves at a consistent 5-6 knots, in steady 15-20 knot south westerly winds. At this rate I should make Hobart on the weekend at some time.

I've been really enjoying the blog comments, so comforting to know how many others out there enjoy discussing things with themselves. Out loud. Strangely comforting. My latest challenge now is coping with the cold. I needed to get the second washboard in place to try to keep whatever warmth there was inside the cabin. This turned into a mammoth task in trying to line up the washboard with the track while the boat was rocking all over the place. It involved me tying myself into the lifting chair so I didn't go flying, and getting into positions that I didn't think was possible. Amazing what you do when you have to. Task was achieved successfully. The cold does have the potential to take me out - my damaged self does not do a great job of self-regulating body temperature. I do need to minimise the time spent outside, and I have found that my semi-functional right hand (the left one isn't worth bothering with) gives me about 4 minutes of work before the cold shuts it down. I am able to warm up back in the cabin and I have increased my eating - its like stoking me with fuel and helps my body to generate its own heat. I have been able to get plenty of rest - the only thing that sets my radar guard zone off out here is rain squalls, and there haven't been any of those for a couple of days. I'm realising how much fatigue can take you out mentally, and how important it is therefore to get some sleep.

I'd also like to acknowledge and send a big thankyou to those people who have very kindly sent donations through my website. This is an expensive project and I am beholden to the companies and individuals who have contributed to make it possible. The expenses continue as I sail around the country so all contributions are very much appreciated. Also, the army of friends and community members who have volunteered their time to help with all the preparations and work around the boat. I would never have been able to set sail without their efforts and support.

2010-04-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

The wind has settled again to a fairly gentle 5-10knot sou-westerly. Although I really appreciate having a break from the tough conditions of a couple of days ago, its still no walk in the park. With next to no wind to keep the boat steady, she flops around all over the place in the mountainous swells that are a fixture out here. The conditions have been constant for a while now, in fact I had over 12 hours without having to alter the sail settings at all! With no more dramatic events to report (yes all the fun does seem to happen at once), I'll try to respond to some of my blog followers: the reference to bananas on board was simply alluding to the maritime myth that bananas on board brings bad luck. I believe it now. No the boat does not have an extra heavy keel so it is more stable in the swell. The boat, an S&S 34, is designed for heavy ocean sailing. I do have a slightly smaller rig, including a storm jib that I use in conjunction with a reduced mainsail area and I find that balances the boat really well in the heavy seas and winds. Yes the 12 volt oven does use a bit of power but I need to eat proper meals or I'll never last the distance! My hands don't work well enough to be able to prepare meals on a stove. (Great excuse to get out of the cooking). I have a genset on board, which I use when the oven is on and it also charges the batteries. How do I keep my balance? With great difficulty at times! My damaged big toe and destroyed microwave is evidence of this. The inside of the cabin is deliberately designed to be very uncluttered, without things that may cause me damage if I happen to bounce around. Its a bit like a padded cell really. I have developed techniques to handle myself with the movement of the boat and am now finding that as time goes on my movements are becoming more "natural" and less thought through and I have less likelihood of coming adrift. I do have particular positions where I can wedge myself safely. Of course I am always attached to the boat with a safety harness when outside. The toughest part of being out here is the isolation and not having anyone to talk to and bounce ideas around. Yes Geoff, I do talk to myself! I probably shouldn't say too much here or I might be met by men in white coats when I get to Hobart, but I do get into conversation with myself. I'm finding I am taking on the characters in the talking books which is quite entertaining! My daily satellite phone call in the evening is the high point of my day. I struggle to comprehend how the likes of Jon Sanders, David Dicks and others in times past did without modern communication and managed to stay sane. I'm in awe of them.

Riding the Storm

2010-04-10T23:28:00.000-07:00

Well all is fine now, but it has been a pretty wild 24 hours. Was dealing with winds up around 40 knots and swell to match. Along with that it was a little too action packed for my liking. Had to get on deck a couple of times in the night to sort the mainsail. Of course I was always firmly attached to the boat but it was still a daunting experience each time in those conditions. I came back to the cabin thoroughly drenched each time, but I’m finding the wool blanket amazing in its ability to dry me off by drawing moisture away from me. I also find that eating lots is essential in making sure that I can generate body heat. Also had an unfortunate chain of events set off by a wave, that kept me occupied with the cleanup for ages afterward. Basically I had the “double tap”. Braced myself for the wave, thought it had gone through and at the moment I let go of my hand hold it came back for a double wammy. This saw me fall onto the microwave which is on gimbals so tipped me off into the companionway. In the process I broke the glass microwave door with shards going everywhere. In the clean-up I managed to cut my big toe – blood everywhere, more cleanup required, and bandaid for big toe. There really ought to be a video camera on board to capture some of this stuff. Gave me ideas for new paralympic sports – eg.” Watch the quads put bandaids on toes whilst in a moving boat amongst glass shards” now there’s a challenge!
I did, eventually, manage to pick up all the glass and it took me an unbelievable amount of time but I did get the bandaid on the toe as well. The wind started to settle to a more manageable 20-25 knots at around 2AM and is continuing to decrease. I have sorted out and re-stashed everything that was adrift on deck and below and am feeling back on top of things. Alas the microwave will never recover. As for all systems on the boat, I had a backup and it is now in action – a 12volt travel oven – takes longer to heat the food but does the job fine.

Feeling the cold

2010-04-09T18:47:00.000-07:00

I have to start by thanking all the followers who have come to view my exploits from following Jessicas blog, and thank you to Jessica. I am still amazed at what she is doing, she must have the mental strength of someone twice her age to cope so well with what she faces every day on her own. I have only been out here a week and mentally its tough going. All my little everyday struggles do seem to have a point to them when I read some of the blog comments. Thank you for such positive thoughts coming my way, it really lifts the spirits and keeps the fire burning within. And believe me its bloody cold outside so fire anywhere is a good thing! Yes the icy Antarctica winds were blowing my way at around 20knots yesterday, the boat has been sailing along beautifully but I have been needing to restrict time spent outside due to the icy cold wind and rain. Hence the cockpit floor is covered in a mess of ropes currently as a consequence of my poling and then unpoling the jib. I am sure sorting that out will be my days task. What might take an able bodied person 10 minutes to do may take me a few hours so all these little jobs do add up. One job that kept me busy yesterday was rigging up another boom brake as the rope on it broke. Dragging my backside up on to the deck is very slow going. I have found that I am far better to take my time in thinking through solutions to any challenges that come up than panicking and wasting energy in not coming up with a good solution. The boom brake was one of those times. The less I have to get up on to the deck the better, so when I do I want to make sure it will work so I don't have to go out there again. Did manage to get out and rig up a boom break of sorts, it works, I'll have to keep an eye on it.

Have now journeyed below forty degrees. Yeehaa, almost halfway (or the point of no return!)

Settling In

2010-04-08T05:31:00.000-07:00

I Have been thinking the last couple of days what a great start I have had to this leg from Albany- I have had the luxury of being able to settle into a good routine on board, with the light winds experienced so far. For those of you that know me well, rest assured the racing beast within has been beaten well and truly into submission! I have become extremely conservative in my sail settings and would far rather be under- powered than get into a situation where I have too much sail out. I understand very well the need to sustain myself and the boat for the long haul and not be trying to set speed records. There is also something good for the soul in being forced to slow down and take in the world at a different pace. I have been watching out for wildlife (no Minke whales unfortunately) and had an Albatross land on the water to the rear of the boat, the first I have seen land. Also been tucking into the tucker, though not the moths- thanks for the recipe, but I might pass on that one! Scallops and sauv blanc in Hobart is definitely something to look forward too. In tackling my microwave dinner last night I could not help thinking that I seem to be able to single-handedly sail hundreds of nautical miles out to sea but cannot manage to get the lid off my dinner! Pathetic really, took me a good half an hour to open but at least this one did not end up all over the cabin like the baked beans did.

Had some trouble with the boom today when the wind changed direction, it did not swing across as it should have. Slowed my progress for quite a while until it finally went across, the screeching noise it made reminded me of Spesh on a Friday night if there was no fizzy and chips in the pantry. Phone rang last night - Jessica Watson called up for a chat! She's only a few hundred nautical miles behind me. What an amazing 16 year old and a fantastic inspiration to other young people. Go Jess! Nearly home now...

Meeting the Locals

2010-04-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

I had some company on deck today. A giant moth of some kind flew in from nowhere, rested up on my leg then took off again. Followed by a flying beetle! Bit amazed at where they came from, almost 300 nautical miles from the coast. Otherwise, apart from a most beautiful fiery red sunset, it has been a slow and frustrating day, with very little wind. When my speeds were dropping to around the 1 knot mark, I could not help thinking of you Sarah, rowing across the Indian Ocean and making better time than that! The windpilot self-steerer managed to hold Spirits course in whatever small breeze there was, without it I am sure I would have drifted in circles. I decided I would have to make my own wind and opened a tin of baked beans, managing to flick a quantity of them over myself and the cabin with the lid in the process. The clean-up kept me busy until the wind finally picked up in the afternoon and I was underway again. Jay, I've been enjoying your talking book which kept me company for the day.

Getting a suntan

2010-04-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I've been enjoying some lovely sunny weather up on deck. The past 24 hours has been pretty uncomfortable with choppy swells and wind that turned to come from the south east which meant I was again beating into it. But all is well otherwise and I've been managing to heat up my meals and eat well. Darren's work on the boat has made a huge difference to my comfort and safety in the boat. Not a drop of water is getting into the cabin now, and his setup for my electric kettle works like a dream. Even Spot (the tracker) is more comfortable, he keeps me company in the cockpit in his nifty little gimballed cradle, always facing the sky no matter what tack I'm on. No more sloshing around the bottom of the cockpit like he did on the last leg! I am making the most of the sunshine today after getting rained on for about 24 hours over the past two days.

Heading for Hobart (Again!)

2010-04-04T00:54:00.000-07:00

The decision to delay a day and leave on Saturday definately paid off, as I headed out into a south westerly breeze yesterday that got me off to a great start in the direction of Hobart. Despite supposedly being in gale force wind yesterday evening, I flopped around out there for a while in next to no wind which did slow me up a little. Picked up again after midnight and I have had some great runs. All is well with both Spirit and myself, managing to conserve energy this time taking advantage of the good conditions at the start to get myself into a good routine and well prepared for the not so good conditions that I am sure will come along at some stage.

Round Two Continued

2010-04-01T23:18:00.000-07:00

On advice from the locals, I'm delaying leaving Albany until tomorrow morning to let the weather settle into a more favourable weather pattern. We had quite a storm down here last night so the sea state is very messy, and the south westerly is now not arriving until during the night sometime. So despite somewhat chomping at the bit to get going, I will accept the local wisdom and wait another day. Also Friday is not viewed as a favourable day to leave port, and I am not inclined to tempt fate this time around. Having taken bananas with me on the trip from Rockingham despite being advised that that was inviting trouble, I am not prepared to take such risks again. Hence no bananas from now on, and no leaving on Friday either.

I have really appreciated reading the comments that have been left on my blog page, its great to know I have support out there and advice received is always appreciated. So please keep them coming!

Round Two

2010-03-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

Well thanks to Darren at Emu Point boat yards, Spirit is once again ship shape and ready to go. Both our bumps and scrapes have been repaired or healed and the winds are heading our way. I am now in Albany doing a final clean up and repack and unless something dramatic changes in the weather forecast I will be heading out first thing tomorrow morning, Friday 2nd April. I am looking forward to getting back into open water and underway again, although the unscheduled Albany stop was probably a blessing in disguise in terms of better preparing both myself and Spirit for the rigours of the Southern Ocean. For example, preparing food onboard has been one of my major difficulties in being offshore for long periods and Darren has rigged up an ingenious little pendulum system to hold my electric kettle over the sink when full of boiling water, making it much safer for me to manage. Big thanks to Allen and Will and Mum and Dad for trekking down to Albany to help sort the boat, also to Murray and Mark and Darren in Albany who have been so supportive. Their local knowledge and expertise has been invaluable.

Round One

2010-03-24T00:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, the tracker does not lie, I did come in at Albany on Tuesday afternoon after the most challenging sail I have had in my life. I caught the edge of the storms that hit Perth and had it classified a natural disaster zone. My weather forecasting did not predict these conditions, everyone was caught by surprise including me. It certainly tested myself and the boat. I managed to fix a few problems that had arisen. I had to get up on the foredeck three times to sort out knots in the jib sheets, they were that tight I had to pull them apart with my teeth. I started to make good ground after passing Cape Leeuwin. Then I found water in the side compartments that was sloshing out over the whole middle of the cabin. It was getting worse and I realised I would have to bite the bullet and go into Albany. And that is when the fun began! Basically I then had a three day slog into a 30 to 40 knot sou easterly, bashing into it all the way. Yet again Spirit proved to be a tough little ship, sometimes launching off waves and coming down with an absolute smash. The boat was constantly pounded by king waves going over the top. One particular wave felt like the boat was dropped from a 20 story building. As it fell I went airborne and was up against the ceiling of the cabin. I must have looked like spiderman! When the boat hit the bottom of the wave the jar was that hard that it smashed the toilet in the front of the boat and these conditions stayed the same all the way until I entered King George Sound at Albany. I was quite battered and bruised when I got in but no major damage. Darren, the shipwright at Emu Point in Albany, has successfully found a number of leaks in Spirit in both the deck and one of the water tanks and is able to seal them up. Luck was on my side in finding Darren, not only a world class shipwright but also a wealth of knowledge with thousands of sea miles of solo sailing under his belt. Because of Darren, the boat will actually be in a better condition than when I left Rockingham. Once a new toilet is installed she will be ready to go and I anticipate being able to continue the journey in around one to two weeks time, depending on a favourable weather pattern to get me safely to Hobart.

On the Ocean at last!

2010-03-21T01:39:00.000-07:00

Set sail according to plan at 11AM on Thursday 18th March, it gave me a real lift to see all the supporters and well-wishers who turned up to see me head off into a stiff south-westerly and was a great start to the journey. I can't thank you all enough for the assistance I've had to get me offshore - a number of people pitched in over the last few days to get it happening and I know that as a result the boat couldn't be safer and more seaworthy than it is now. I finally set my Spot tracker properly into tracking mode, sometime after Garden Island, so you should able to see where I am pretty accurately. The going has been a bit slow as I flog it into the wind, Also needed to drag my mouldy carcass up on deck to sort out the jib sheets which took me some time to get out there and back, but it was a successful expedition. Have now rounded Cape Leeuwin and feel like I am at last getting my sea legs and into a routine.

About bloody time!

2010-03-12T05:08:00.000-08:00

As per usual the date that I say I'm leaving never normally happens but I think this time its a goer - the family and other various supporters are going to tie me to the boat and tow me offshore, pointed in the direction of Tasmania. If all goes according to plan this time next week should see me out in open waters at last. Did a final shakedown sail a few days ago, found a few more problems as usual but nothing that can't be rectified fingers crossed. Thankyou to all the smaller sponsors that have come on board over the past couple of months. Thanks to Tim Dallas from South of Perth Yacht Club who has introduced me to a new tracking system which we are getting onto the website, with Tim's company designing the new tracking page. It looks Hot! Should be up on the website in the next couple of days.

GFC kept me out of the sea

2010-02-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

Well things haven’t panned out exactly as I would have liked, largely due to lack of sponsorship funds to complete the preparation of the boat and for the financing of the circumnavigation of Australia. Damn the financial downturn! So I’m down but not out. I’ve been at this way too long to stand down now. My plan now is to leave at the end of February, I have decided to sell my firstborn – sorry Jacko, he doesn’t know that yet – he has good teeth and is strong, hoping to get a nice price and find him and a good home as well. The good news is I’ve had Spirit out for a few sails, and besides the bits of equipment I need for the circumnavigation she is ready to go.

The other good news is while twiddling my thumbs I decided to go out to do the WA State keelboat titles on the Sonar, with my old mainsheet hand Jeff Milligan and Rachel Cox, Silver medallist at Beijing. We had one training session before the States and it was a pleasure sailing with both Jeff and Rachel as they are both true professionals. We ended up winning three of the four races taking out the State titles.

Congratulations to Graeme Martin for putting together a great regatta.

At Christmas time we put a Sailability team together made up of six team members, myself, Graeme Martin, Rachel Cox, Russel Boaden, Rocket and Mark Bagby. We went and did the Cockburn Sound regatta, rotating the sailors on Graeme’s boat Sandcrabs Disco and the Sonar Noel Robbins. Graeme won division four, and we won division two and three and also came second overall for the whole regatta. We all had a great time and hope to do it again next year.

I’m now planning a big sail on Spirit at the end of January as a final training run before leaving at the end of February.

Fighting Fit!

2009-08-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

It has been hard doing much on the boat due to the typical winter weather so I have been working on my physical strength and ability as I have found that fatigue is my biggest enemy when sailing Spirit mainly in big swell due to the G-forces that are put on the body with the extreme movement of the boat. I have gone through a rigorous medical and physio screening, and have been working out at the gym and swimming three to four days a week.

I'm happy to report that I've never been fitter or stronger in the last 20 years since being in a wheelchair. There is one more big sail planned for Spirit before the circumnavigation of Australia.

I intend to go out for over a week and try breaking my current record of 420 nautical miles solo unassisted. This time the goal is 1000 nautical miles. This should happen late September and early October. So watch this space!

Spirit comes home

2009-06-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

I had decided to leave Spirit in Albany until there was a good window of weather to bring her back.

It took nearly 2 months before the right weather pattern formed. Finally about mid June everything looked good and I brought Spirit home, having an almost perfect sail back to Fremantle.

Hugging the coast to stay out of the Leeuwin current it took two days and seven hours for the return trip which was under half the time to get to Albany.

Thank you to Andrew Hammond, Rockingham Council CEO, for the use of his boat pen while Spirit was in Albany.

The sea has it's ups and downs

2009-04-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the clich'e title of this post. I just heard the sound of hundreds of rolling eyes.

I broke my own world record by sailing to Albany taking four days and 18 hours! I was doing 420 nautical miles nearly doubling my previous record of 227 nautical miles when I sailed from Perth to Geraldton late last year.

The trip was going quite well until Spirit hit by a squall off Cape Leeuwin for about six hours. I used a lot of my energy getting the boat back under control and drew on previous experience when he was caught in a similar situation last year and hove to for about five hours while I rested.

The following evening at about two in the morning there were some technical problems with the autohelm and it switched itself off. I had to go on deck to get control of the boat and try to work out what went wrong. This took about two hours during which time Spirit was hit by a King wave which came straight down into the cockpit filling it up and of course soaking me, I'd compare it to someone pouring a family size swimming pool straight down on top of me. A big thank you to Murray/Karenne Deere and the Princess Royal Yacht Club for their warm welcome and hospitality.

There are some pictures of Jamie's arrival in Albany and a short documentary of the trip in the gallery section.

Finding Sarah

2009-03-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

In March I sailed out over 100 nautical miles off the coast to see how Solo UK rower Sarah Outen was going.

She was attempting to become the first woman to row across the Indian Ocean solo and unassisted from Fremantle to Mauritius.

She was caught in the Leeuwin current and swept down south of Bunbury. I found her over hundred nautical miles off the coast and it like trying to find a needle in a haystack, I eventually tracked her down using her automated tracker (which gives her longitude and latitude once every hour) - this got me close to Sarah and then I used Spirit's radar to pinpoint her position.

PS: Sarah is an inspiration, keep an eye on her travels too.