Our Story
Planning a Circumnavigation
What is behind your plan to sail around the world?
This seed was sown at a very early age and it remained dormant until a few years ago when having completed the Atlantic crossing it became clear to me that with planning and thoughts of retirement that I could make it a reality. I have been working towards this ever since and although it sounds corny but when people say, “You only live on this earth once”, I believe there’s some truth in that. I felt that I needed to do this when I was young and fit enough to be able to do so. I am now 60 and plan to start when I am 61.
How have you planned for the trip?
In addition to keeping fit there is a huge amount of reading, research and preparation which is being undertaken. Preparation is the key and it took me a year to prepare for the Atlantic and I am well advanced in terms of my planning for this new trip. The Cruising Association (CA) lectures have been very helpful with certain members having completed parts of my proposed trip and other practical seminars and materials. It was also very useful to hear Jimmy Cornell recently speak at The CA about his update on weather routing. I pay tribute to him for his books and the help that he has given fellow sailors like me, planning such trips with the study of weather patterns throughout the years. I really enjoyed reading his recent book “Sail the World With Me” which I would highly recommend.
Work continues on Stormbird with the inevitable planning of spares, equipment, sail plans, medical supplies, anchors etc. Jimmy Cornell’s book provides many helpful tips on this experienced over his 4 circumnavigations. In addition to many courses over the years that I have attended, I recently been on a week’s Boat Maintenance course and Ocean Navigation which included Astronavigation.
There is a lot of useful information I have gained on Noonsite, talking to other sailors, reading books and watching some fascinating YouTube vlogs on boats currently circumnavigating, which is very informative and exciting. I cannot wait to visit some of the places that I have seen online but I need to complete the planning process first to ensure the plan goes as smoothly as possible.
When did it all start?
My grandfather had a 1934 wooden Harrison Butler Z4 tonner called Treize which was moored in Dartmouth and I was seven went he taught me to sail. I loved it and spent a lot of time on the water during the holidays. One day whilst rowing a dingy along the quay in Dartmouth, a man asked me for a lift to his boat British Steel III moored in the river. He turned out to be Chay Blyth, famous for his 1970/71 circumnavigation of the globe the wrong way (i.e., from east to west, against the prevailing winds and currents). He completed this voyage in 2,092 days and it was described by The Times as “the most outstanding passage ever made by a man alone.” His feat inspired generations of ocean voyagers and adventurers especially me and as a reward for the lift he showed me around the boat. I then read as many circumnavigations books as I would find at that time including those by Sir Francis Chichester, Sir Alec Rose and Robin Knox-Johnston. The seed was therefore sown.
What is behind your plan to sail around the world?
There are so many different options, namely the World ARC, Oyster Rally and so forth but what has become clear in my reading is that you need to have time to spend in the nice places and not rush the journey and not to have to work to too much of a time schedule. In my reading I became inspired by Alan Phillips’ book “Around-the-World Sailing Guide” in which he describes his route as the Milk Run route. He says this is the easiest, warmest and safest route and which should provide the maximum pleasure and minimum of hardship. It is a three-year circumnavigation. Many go round the world using different routes but in about 15 to 18 months but that limits the time you can spend in the various parts of the world such as the Pacific, hence why I have decided on three years with breaks at the end of each year.
How have you planned for the trip?
Stormbird went into the water in mid January 2023 to prepare the boat further and sailedd with friends, wives and other future crew members before setting off in August 2023 for the Canaries, via Southern Spain, Madeira and a tour round the Canaries before preparing her for the start. The circumnavigation will begin in early January 2024 from the Canaries and I am counting down the days.
I believe this is going to be an experience of a lifetime, sailing, seeing some beautiful and fascinating parts of the world, and meeting interesting people from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures. It will be a fantastic personal challenge for me to skipper a boat, sail and maintain her and to look after her and the crew and cope with whatever nature throws at us.
Nick Hine is a Yachtmaster Offshore. He particularly likes one of Jimmy Cornell’s quotes “Life is like an ice-cream, enjoy it before it melts”