The Golden Globe: a Retro Challenge for Solo Sailors

IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN FOLLOWING THE UNIQUE and quirky 2022 Golden Globe Race, it has just concluded. After 277 days at sea, solo skipper Jeremy Bagshaw arrived in Les Sable d’Olonne, France as the last participant in the 2022 race to finish. The race, for traditional, full keel boats without marine electronics, digital charts, GPS or sat comms, is modeled on the original non-stop around the world race that Robin Knox-Johnson won in 1969. Coincidentally, Knox-Johnson’s time was also 277 days at sea.

This year’s GGR was won by South African Kirsten Neushcafer, who sailed her 36-foot Cape George Cutter Minnehaha non-stop around the world, eastabout by the five great capes in 236 days, a remarkable voyage. Of the sixteen solo skippers to start the race, only three made it around non-stop, while two more finished having made one stop along the way. The rest of the fleet retired.

In this technological age, there is for these skippers and many like them, a certain appeal or even romance to sailing the old-fashion way. But, what is the charm of this type of sailing? For me, it is the deep need for self-reliance and fundamental seamanship. Relying only on dead reckoning, a taffrail log and celestial for your daily position puts you in harmony with sun, moon, planets and stars in a way like no other. Without weather forecasts, you have to rely on your barometer and your knowledge of wind, waves and clouds. When something breaks, you either fix it or live without it. Alone for eight or nine months, you have to trust yourself and be comfortable in your own company. When you sit at the chart table reducing a sun sight, you are sitting next to the likes of Capt. Cook, Nathaniel Bowditch and Robin Know-Johnson. Not bad company when you need someone to talk to.

winter 2023

Blue Water Sailing, LLC 747 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown, Rhode Island 02842USA phone: 401.847.7612 web: www.bwsailing.com

Editorial

Editor & Publisher George Day george@bwsailing.com

Editors-at-Large John Neal

Contributing Editors Bill Biewenga, Rebecca Childress

Advertising Sales/ Production

Art Director Sandy Parks 401-847-7612/ sandy@bwsailingcom

Advertising Sales & Marketing Consultant tomcat911@comcast.netTom Casey

Circulation

Published quarterly. Issues available at issuu.com

For questions about your subscription email the publisher. george@bwsailing.com

Blue

ISSN#1091-1979