Scarborough Sailor Guy Waites has been speaking to This is the Coast about his circumnavigation of the globe.
The Scarborough Skipper set sail from France in September last year as part of the Golden Globe Round the World Yacht Race.
The 16 competitors were each hoping to sail solo around the globe, using just the technology of 1967.
In the end just three sailors finished the race, Guy himself was forced to withdraw from the race in January after problems with barnacles slowed him down.
After suffering from an infestation of barnacles, Guy put into port in Cape Town (South Africa) in December to remove the barnacles. That port call saw him moved from the main race to what's called "The Chichester Class", but the delay also meant that Guy missed getting to Hobart (Tasmania) before the January 31st cut off date. That lead to him be removed from the race.
But despite being out of the race Guy vowed to complete his circumnavigation and sailed on.
In February he suffered further issues when a severe storm knockdown ripped the lifeboat off his vessel forcing him to make a further port call in Hobart.
But Guy pressed on and in May he became one of an elite group of sailors to navigate Cape Horn single handedly, last month he completed his circumnavigation in the Mid-Atlantic when his return path crossed his outbound path.
Yesterday Guy arrived back at his starting point of Les Sables d’Olonne in France.
Speaking on Paddy @ Breakfast, Guy explained what it feels like to have made it back to France.
Guy told Paddy about the low points of his 288 day voyage including that huge storm and the dreaded barnacles.
Guy says the experience of sailing so far, alone in the vastness off the oceans is really difficult to describe.
In addition to experiencing some amazing sunsets and clear night skies, Guy says he encountered some amazing wildlife on his journey.
The one constant in Guy's voyage was his trusty vessel, Sagarmatha, Guy says the boat performed really well despite not quite being ready when he set sail.
Paddy asked Guy about what he felt were the biggest challenges during the voyage
Now safely back on land in France, Guy says it's taken him a little while to find his land legs.
Guy says he's looking forwards to getting back to Scarborough and being able to tell his Yacht Club colleagues about he adventure
For Guy there is now a period of rest and celebration in France before a busy summer, he also says he's hoping to find a buyer for Sagarmatha who will enter the vessel in to the next golden globe race.
After completing the challenge of sailing solo around the world Guy says it's been an amazing experience to be able to take on the adventure.
Posted by Guy Waites Sailing on Monday, June 19, 2023
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