The following winter I started to look for a way I could fulfil these dreams and whilst “studying” in the medical school library I found an advert online for Global Challenge 2004-5. I applied and the following spring had an interview and got a place subject to completing the training sails and raising my berth fee. Over the following 4 years I spent all my holidays and a lot of weekends sail training off the South Coast. I often returned to my “day” job as a junior doctor battered and bruised after bouncing round the Fastnet and western approaches in gales and storms through the winter months. I completed my day skipper practical and yachtmaster offshore theory courses and also clocked up 5000miles in preparation for Global Challenge.
Global Challenge is billed as “the worlds toughest yacht race,” due to the fact it is the only round the world yacht race to circumnavigate the globe in a westerly direction. I was a core crewmember on board “Team Stelmar” one of 12 identical 72ft purpose built steel racing yachts. In the course of 35000 miles and 10 months ocean racing I learnt a lot: how to helm a 72 foot yacht in up to 50 knots of wind through southern ocean waves of over 30 feet, sail trim, team working, flying spinnakers, repairing sails, stripping and greasing winches, provisioning a yacht for 18 hungry sailors, I also learnt about weather patterns, ocean currents and the complex tactics involved in ocean racing. Spending 10 months at sea you see some amazing sights, from storms and massive waves with the southern lights dancing overhead, to mirror flat calms where all the stars are reflected in the waters surface making you feel like you are suspended in space, to beautiful sunsets and sunrises, to the wildlife; dolphins and whales, petrels and albatross. All in all it was an incredible experience.
The call of the Scottish Hebrides, however, is still strong. Some 10 years on from my first Westbound Adventure (having been rather landlocked for the last couple of years) I found myself heading back out to Barra to join Paul and his yacht for another weeks course.
So did the Scottish Hebrides have anything left to challenge me after a 35,000 mile circumnavigation? In ocean sailing there is not a great call for detailed coastal navigation especially with a dedicated navigator on board. On Westbound Adventurer Paul helped me put my theoretical knowledge into practice during the week’s course with night navigation exercises in the sound of Harris, navigating into hidden anchorages and a blind navigation exercise. He also helped me work on my close quarters boat handling skills, again something I didn’t have the opportunity to do on Global Challenge (when coming alongside in a 72 ft yacht the helm is taken by the skipper). We also had an amazing weeks cruising, I can’t believe I have been lucky enough to visit St. Kilda twice and this time we visited the Monach Isles and rounded Mingulay too. I was really delighted to achieve my Coastal Skipper certificate at the end of the week.
I would highly recommend a course on Westbound Adventurer, Paul is a great teacher, patient, experienced and has great local knowledge. The Outer Hebrides are a really beautiful and challenging place to sail. Who knows where a trip on Westbound Adventurer might lead you!
Ruth Newton
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