This is my first time writing a blog so please bear with me as I find my stride. I’m generally not one to put my

There’s something so satisfying working with your hands. Its task-based work with a clear start and endpoint and immediate feedback on whether you did it

I didn’t plan to set off in a storm. It just, well, happened. I’d been watching the weather all week and each day the forecast

The wind remained strong and steady overnight at 20knts, though thankfully no squalls so I was able to find some rest as the boat was

Today’s blog won’t be too long as 6 of my 10 fingers are bandaged so it’s tough to type. My wounds from day 1 became

The day started relatively benign. Winds of 15knts from 215deg with a true wind angle (TWA) of 120deg so plain sailing. I did my daily

What a difference a day (and an ocean) makes! I watched the dawn emerge from the companionway at 6am through hazy eyes and a happy

I definitely had 3 squalls today. It may have been 4, but I’m not too sure whether the one at 2am was a dream or

Everyone needs a rest day. Today was mine. I’ve been operating on 3-4 hours sleep for almost a week now and as I looked at

I’ve heard people say little happens in a day, not much in a week but what can happen in a year is remarkable. While at

The South Westerly Monsoon winds have carried me much father into the Pacific than expected and certainly more than is forecast for this time of

After a night of fitful sleep, I dozily put my head through the companionway to view the day’s conditions. The first thing I saw when

I’m wedged in my bunk. One foot against the wall, pushing my back into the cushion so my position is secure while the boat is

It’s just after sunrise, and while the wind had died down from the previous night’s blow, the seas were still very messy and Ahyoka was

I used to be able to read for hours without interruption when I was younger, getting lost in the world my mind was now a

The first rule of sailing (unlike fight club) is safety. Alcohol is seriously frowned upon at sea for all the right reasons. I simply can’t

You know those days when nothing seems to go right? When you’re frustrating and can’t seem to make any progress? When if something is going

There were no major mishaps today, at least while the sun was up. Just what I needed. A solid day’s sail on or above the

Today was a wet weather jacket, shoes, PFD and glove day. That is to say, hard, wet sailing. The wind was 12knts at dawn and

I’ve been able to have a restful day getting in a couple of naps to rebuild my strength from the previous few days. The islands

It was a simple mistake. It was also a stupid one. One that could seriously affect the success or failure of this mission, making my

I awoke before dawn, eager to get myself and Ahyoka sorted. Thankfully the sky was relatively clear, so after a strong coffee and some muesli,

At approximately 04:30am this morning I passed the halfway mark. Given I’ve been sailing for 3 weeks this felt somewhat anticlimactic as rather than feeling

It was a relatively calm morning, at least to begin with. I sat in the cockpit enjoying my coffee, looking out to sea, soaking up

The first thing that greeted me this morning was a dull ache in my hands, fore arms and lower back. I tried to get out

In many regattas, certainly ones with multiple races, sailors are able to drop a race from their overall points score, so even if they do

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. Last night I needed to whatever it took to get some restful sleep. The engine was

Today was a day I’d been looking forward to for some time. At some point, depending on wind speed, direction and my course I’d be

The light this morning seemed different. Clearer. Full of colours. Dazzling, almost.  It was a contrast of blues and yellows that I’d always imagined seeing

I was warned about the doldrums. The tropical conversion zone where the wind goes to die. I don’t think anyone who spoke to me about

The breeze freshened after breakfast and by 9am was blowing a constant 20knts, you guessed it, exactly from where I wanted to go. A localised

Because I’m navigating near land and have various islands and the risk of fishing boats and nets with no AIS nearby, I haven’t slept longer

I awoke feeling stronger and more energised than I had in days, thanks to my saviour, sleep. Sweet, restful, wonderful sleep. It’s almost as good

There are many “non-calendar” ways for knowing you’ve been at sea (and away from the internet) for a month. The length of your beard. The

(written from a windy and bumpy Coral Sea) I awoke with the feeling of butterflies in my stomach. You know the ones you feel before

As I sit here and watch the waves roll by, cup of tea in hand (my coffee ran out weeks ago) the seas building and

While it may be bumpy and blowy out here, it’s a blistering pace we’re setting, with a new record today of 165Nm in a 24-hour

How do I put into words what it feels like to be home? To be safe. To have finished my journey. When I sighted land

“Heart” and “Disease” are two words you don’t want to see together. They certainly don’t look good sitting side by side on the screen in

One last squall, entering the southern hemisphere, welcomed by dolphins and the deepest blue seas and skies in the doldrums.