AYE, AYE, SKIPPER: Len Surtees salutes as he sails by on his catamaran, Zeavard. Len is now around Cape York and well on his way to setting a new world record. Photo: Julie Hartwig
IT WAS frustratingly slow going for former Tamworth man Len Surtees as he made his approach to Cape York this week on his round-Australia Guiness World Records attempt.
On Wednesday (day nine of his voyage) aboard the catamaran Zeavard, Len said he’d been running under spinnaker and at times, drifting along at 1-2 knots.
And it wasn’t all plain sailing either, as he had to navigate his way through 200 nautical miles of reef to the shipping channel at Cape York, which he expected to reach late on Thursday.
After clearing Cape York, Len was approaching Arnhem land yesterday afternoon.
Although his record attempt entails being the oldest person to circumnavigate the country solo in the smallest craft, he has had a bit of company in the steamy tropics.
“I’ve been finding flying fish on deck in the mornings, varying in size from 2cm to 20cm, and each evening I’ve been visited by two or three albatrosses, who hang around for the night and leave in the morning,” Len said.
“It’s very hot. I’d love to have a bit of rain so I can have a deck shower and top up my water tanks.
“I’m consuming about three litres per day, which is a little bit more than anticipated.
Follow Len’s progress by visiting Surtees Multihulls and clicking on the OceanTracker. There are also links to Len’s Twitter page and the web pages of his major sponsors and supporters.
Len aims to raise $10,000 for cancer research. To donate to Len’s I CAN Sail
for Cancer’campaign, click on “make a donation” beside the Cancer Council Queensland logo on his home page.