Sanders heads for 10th circumnavigation
Australian sailor Jon Sanders set off in October on his tenth circumnavigation, departing from Fremantle and heading for Cape Town, from where he is planning to cross the South Atlantic to Rio – and onwards.
Sanders, 77, has previously completed two consecutive non-stop round the world trips, and a three-times consecutive non-stop circumnavigation. This 71,000mile journey took 658 days to complete. It is the longest distance ever sailed continuously by any person or vessel.
The third time he went round, he sailed westabout ‘to break the monotony’. He has circumnavigated nine times in total, five single-handed.
This latest trip will not be solo, nonstop or unassisted as he plans to include the Dirk Hartog Island Race, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the landing by Dutch voyagers on Australian shores, and to take crew for those parts of his journey. He also planned to join the Cape to Rio Race across the South Atlantic, but his 1971 S&s-designed 39-footer Perie Banou II is unlikely to complete the course within the time limit of the race.
“This time I’m going more relaxed,” he commented. “I’m well-known for non-stop, but not this time. I enjoy having crew but I can always be by myself and am equally happily. There is always something to do, and the constant motion of the boat keeps you pretty fit.”
Last year, a yacht he was delivering from Darwin to Fremantle began sinking after the deck was holed and two skin fittings were blown out during a severe storm. Despite Sanders’s attempts to seal the holes and set emergency pumps he was forced to call for help. “I have had little bits of trouble like when engines fail or sails blew out, but nothing like that,” he commented.
Sanders also had open heart surgery last year, but is back in good health. “My heart’s beating okay so I’d better go somewhere,” he said before casting off.