Embarking on a lifetime opportunity...

November 2011

Several months ago my friend Sasha Fauchereu posted on her
facebook wall that she was sailing to New Zealand and did anyone want to go
with her? Me who has always had the romantic notion to sail around the world on a yacht jumped at the opportunity and said that I would love to sail with her.
I have since learnt that Sasha thought I was joking... At first Sasha wanted to do a solo sail to raise awareness for Child Abuse, but unfortunately didn’t get the sponsorship she required, so after much consideration on her part she has allowed me the opportunity to join her on this epic adventure. I have never sailed a yacht in my life before.

Since the decision was finalized there has been so much to get organized as you can imagine for a 60 voyage at sea! I have had the most incredible response from family and friends with so much support emotionally, financially and help with loaning me items I may need. To all of you that have made a contribution financially I am ever grateful. Every contribution has gone into something necessary for the trip. (ie – foul weather gear, sailing boots, warm clothes, food, airtime for the satellite
phone, supplies, fuel, equipment etc)

My biggest hurdle so far has been trying to get my Visa in time... There is so much red tape and everything seems to be done at snail’s pace, I find it incredibly frustrating because I like to have everything in order and things done in my own time but it is just not happening!! I hope to get the darn thing before I
leave! If I don’t, my husband, Chris will bring it to me when he meets me at the finish...

Let me tell you more about that and the plan for the trip... We plan to set sail on 17 December – weather permitting. (We don’t want to leave in a gale force South Easter). Our journey will take us from Simonstown (False Bay Yacht Club) where we
plan to sail South West (to miss the Agulhas current) to 38 degrees south where
we will then head East towards Tazmania.
Our plan is to stop and rest at St Paul which is a small Volcanic Atoll in the South Indian Ocean – I am sooooo looking forward to seeing that and to experience a place so few people have had the privilege of visiting. It will take us approximately 20 days to get to St Paul. We were initially going to stop there for a day or 2 to sleep and recover, but I think Sash and I are of like mind to press on to our destination. We will not get off the yacht at St Paul, but merely take sails down and rest.

From St Paul we head on to Tazmania. Weather and yacht permitting this should take
us another 40 days. Our destination is Hobart where Chris will fly to meet me.
I am so pleased that he will be there to greet me at the finish. My sister who lives in Perth – June – will accompany Chris to Hobart and will also be there to meet me at the finish. I have not seen my sister for nearly 3 years since she immigrated to Perth. The decision to take on this journey was largely based that at the end of it I would be able to see her and spend a little bit of time with her in Perth before I come home.

So that is the plan, Chris and I will spend a couple of weeks with June and her family in Perth before we make our way back home to South Africa.

My captain Sasha, will continue on her way to New Zealand where she plans to make a new life for herself and her family. I am sure the journey we will share will create a bond like one I have never experienced.