Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / ENGLAND
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

15:02 GMT, Friday, 24 October 2008 16:02 UK

Crew 'happy' on wooden boat trip

Spirit of Mystery (Pic:

A team of West Country sailors en route to Australia in a wooden fishing boat have all been sick, but are as "happy as a bean", says their captain.

Pete Goss, his son Eliot, brother Andy and brother-in-law Mark Maidment, set off on Monday from Newlyn in Cornwall in Cornish lugger, Spirit of Mystery.

The journey was inspired by seven Cornishmen who sailed to Australia in a similar boat, called Mystery, in 1854.

Mr Goss's crew said they hoped to make it to Australia by the end of February.

They hope to make it to Cape Town, South Africa, by Christmas.

Like the crew that inspired them, the Goss crew is relying on just a sextant and the stars to navigate.

But it has not helped them overcome a lack of wind, as they are still in the Bay of Biscay.

'Spirits high'

Mr Goss told BBC News: "When we left it was not perfect weather and the first night was pretty wild, but we wanted to make Cape Town before Christmas to be with our families.

"Everyone has been seasick - I am always seasick for the first 24 hours - but spirits are high."

The crew is on 24-hour watch, taking it in turns to rest.

"We have all been tired, but we are starting to get into the rhythm of it," said Mr Goss.

"And we always make sure we have breakfast, lunch and supper together."

A log entry from the 1854 voyage said: "Our gallant little boat rides the mountains of sea remarkably well."

Mr Goss said his boat had proved "very strong", but did not sail well into the wind, which combined with light winds, had meant slow progress.

"But we are as happy as a bean," he said.

"Yesterday we saw lots of dolphins. I don't think the camera has a wide enough angle lens to fit in Eliot's grin."

The trip has been raising money for the charity Mr Goss is patron of, Cornwall Playing for Success, which provides out-of-hours activities for children.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Goss slips anchor for epic voyage (21 Oct 08 |  Cornwall )
Wooden boat ready for epic voyage (23 Jun 08 |  Cornwall )
Star sailing wooden boat unveiled (20 Jun 08 |  Cornwall )
Goss plans wooden boat trip to Oz (18 Dec 07 |  Cornwall )
Goss team regrouping for Fastnet (09 Aug 07 |  Cornwall )
Yachts dismasted during sea race (09 Jun 06 |  Cornwall )
Goss postpones polar mission (13 Nov 03 |  Devon )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Pete Goss blog
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©