Update: Single-handed in small boats
25 June 2012 Jenny Crickmore-Thompson/Ewan Southby-Tailyour
They left Plymouth on Sunday 27th May in light winds and encroaching fog; the last to arrive in Terceira, Azores were OCC member Trevor Leek in the iconic Jester
on 27 June and Edward Zajac in Holly on 1 July, by this time very short on both food and water! 29 little boats between 20 and 30 feet, singlehanded, set off to the Azores in the biennial Jester Challenge non-race. Problems and unusually bad weather forced 13 retirements: Federwolke’s skipper had to be rescued. All boats now back in their home ports, with Jester and Holly having been the last to arrive in Azores after a long long trip. Well done!
Sitrep from Ewan Southby-Tailyour http://www.oceanracetrack.com/newsbrws.aspx?id=35
ORDER OF ARRIVAL
1. Roger Fitzgerald in Ella Trout III
2. Tony Head in Triple Venture
3. Paul Mead in Independence 2
4. Denis Gorman in Lizzie-G
5. Thomas Jucker in Marta
6. Nick Bridges in Dolphin
7. Howard Chivers in Sandpiper
8. James Stock in Fly
9. John Apps in Glayva
10. Andy Lane in Bula
11. Basil Panakis in Jaba
12. Tim McCoy in China Blue
13. David Knowler in Headway III
14. Nigel Stillman in Greta L
15. Trevor Leek in Jester
16. Edward Jazak in Holly
RETIREMENTS (in reverse order, I think – in other words the latest at the top)
Chris Garbett in Jasabe
Bill Churchouse in Belgean
Peter Pochon in Merganiser Too
Howard Brown in Mary Ellen
Jonathan Hopper in Francesca
Peter Evans in Federwolke
Ken Docherty in Solo
Tony Stattersfield in Contessina
Paul Turner in Lasten
Philippe Hautfenne in Libid’eau
Jean-Jacques Lassale in Grigou
Chris Cowlard in Roulette
John Margarson in Muffin
This is part of a signal I have just sent to Yachting Monthly in answer to a point made:
As we all know you should not get off a yacht until you have to climb up into the life raft: in Peter's case there was a growing (and imminent) danger of hypothermia/exposure compounded by exhaustion so I still believe he did the correct thing under those particular circumstances. Not an easy decision to make - indeed a terrible decision to have to face - but at least a life was saved. (…and so was his yacht!).
Moons’ls! Ewen Southby-Tailyour