Today
John Sanders: 11th Round the World!
Yesterday, 81-year-old Australian John Sanders reached Cape Town, where he decided to stay for repairs and relaxation. As we previously reported, in early November, this incredible Australian veteran skipper set off from Fremantle on his ELEVENTH circumnavigation!
Sanders went on a hike on the yacht Perie Banou II, and the motto of his current trip is No Plastic Waste Voyage.
For our new readers who have not heard of Sanders before, here are some facts from our previous publications.
The Australian crossed the Pacific Ocean 12 times, the Indian – 14 times, the Atlantic – 12. Cape Horn went around five times, the Cape of Good Hope – 11 times. Seven times participated in the Sydney-Hobart race.
He generally loves racing. In 1979, he signed up for an offshore regatta in Rio de Janeiro. And after the race I thought: is it worth returning home to Australia in the same way – through Cape Town? And headed north to go through the Panama Canal.
So – unexpectedly for himself – Sanders made his first circumnavigation. Liked. At the same time, the second, which began in 1981, was non-stop, solo (like all subsequent ones), and, most importantly, double. That is, he made two straight turns in a row.
It should be noted: only five round-the-world Sanders were non-stop. In this century, he prefers to make a stop or two. Far from always, Sanders chooses classic routes. So this time, having left his native Fremantle, he first went to Mauritius, and then headed for the Cape of Good Hope.
In one of the notes about this incredible Australian, we gave a story that we will now repeat with pleasure.
On March 13, 1988, having circled the planet three times and spent 678 days at sea, Sanders returned to Fremantle. Friends feared that such a long loneliness would badly affect his mind, so they decided, going to the side of his yacht, not to speak with him first to understand whether he recognizes them or not. The sailor was the first to break the gloomy-silent solemnity of the moment, shouting to one of his friends in his usual style: “Hey, blockhead, have you put on this stupid hat again ?!”
20 Today # 9796
Chief Editor
11thJohnroundsandersworld
What do you think?