On the 2nd June at 12:30 I set off from Brighton marina on my attempt to set the record as first female and first disabled person to complete a solo, non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation of the UK and Ireland. Slowly as the support boats peeled away and I left the crowds behind it was just me and Fear. There was an enormous sense of peace as after all the hard work we were finally doing it.
Heading off into a strong south-westerly to make progress I had to tack upwind. As the breeze was getting up I mis-timed a tack and dropped the winch handle cracking the screen of my chart-plotter. It still worked but from then on it didn’t like getting wet. This wasn’t ideal seeing as I was potentially spending the next 8 weeks at sea. It was only then that all I could think was what the hell am I doing?
My first week was characterized by a series of breakages: first the chart plotter, then the electronic compass, followed by the water tanks and finally the windows started leaking. By the time I reached my first anchorage off Falmouth on day 5 I was exhausted and feeling pretty low.
The time at anchor allowed me to re-set and refuel as well as carry out repairs as best I could. By day 7 my weather window opened for my crossing over to Ireland and I was itching to get going again. The crossing gave me my first real taste of offshore sailing, with nothing in sight there was a real sense of freedom. You ate when you’re hungry, slept when tired and always kept sailing, no real sense of passage of time.
Passing Fastnet on day 11 was a monumental moment for me. When I started out yachting 3 years earlier, I had been told that doing the Fastnet race was something someone with my disability couldn’t do. So, to pass Fastnet and to do so in a way that was trickier, being solo, felt like the first affirmation of maybe I can just do this. It also marked the first time the wind went behind me meaning I made rapid progress up the west coast. I reached St Kilda on day 14 marking my halfway point at 1200nm.
After a brief anchorage to rest and re-fuel, I pushed on up to the Shetlands. Seeing Muckle Flugga, the northernmost point of the British Isles come into sight on day 19 was incredibly emotional, a mixture of sheer disbelief and excitement that id made it that far. It meant that all the miles from then on would take me south and closer to home.
Passing down the east coast marked the biggest change, with shipping increasing drastically and the navigation getting increasingly complex. At times it felt like I was slaloming between oil rigs, wind farms and tankers. With strong winds the North Sea generated a short, sharp chop that was uncomfortable to sail through. All of that meant very little sleep was got.
It was as passing Felixstowe and Dover where the whole trip nearly ended. Tacking inshore to escape the strong tide, I fell asleep and accidentally ran the boat aground just outside Folkestone Harbour. My initial though was just panic, that I’d destroyed her and that it was all over so close to home. Once I’d assessed there was no significant damage, it was a case of formulating a plan, with the coastguard, RNLI and my shore team.
The decision was made that I would attempt to refloat her independently, using two anchors, one off the bow and one off the stern to pull her into deeper water as the tide came in. Sounds simple but crawling two 10kg anchors 40m across rock was hard work. Still the plan was successful, and I was able to refloat her successfully, meaning the record still stood.
The last 50nm back home was torturous, with light winds and strong tide, it was slow going. I was so close and yet so far. Crossing that finish line on the 1st July at 13:30 just outside the marina was incredible. It was made even more special by the number of people who came to support me that last bit. It was the first time I really grasped just how far Project Fear had gone.
The best part of it all is the incredible amount of money raised for Newhaven and Seaford Sailability. The money raised will enable me to support other people with disabilities to get access to sailing. As well as supporting existing sailors to develop their sailing ability.
The question on almost everyone’s lips is what’s next? Honestly, I don’t know. I have some grand ideas about an Atlantic crossing but there are a lot of things still to work out. For now, my priority is fixing up Fear, giving her and me some much-needed rest and TLC. I’m sure there will be more adventures but for now I’m still getting over this one!