One Man, One Boat, 4000 Miles!!!

Tropic 4 Cancer Trans Atlantic challenge is an expedition to sail single-handed 4000 miles across the Atlantic, from the western seaboard of Africa to Antigua. The route follows a defined course along the Tropic of Cancer, which is a circle of latitude running around the Earth at approximately 23 degrees north, and which marks the most northerly position at which the sun may appear directly overhead. Find Out More

Day 16 – ‘Tropic of Cancer’

Posted on November 18th, 2013

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Today we reached the point on the ocean where the Tropic 4 Cancer concept was born! 8 years ago, Liz and I rowed across this piece of the Atlantic and first started talking about the idea of a circumnavigation of the world along the Tropic of Cancer.

The original plan was to do the full journey by land and sea, setting up or linking with a cancer related project in each country, with the oceanic legs being linked to Sail 4 Cancer.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the demands of normal life, family, business, and the harsh realities of world events made the original plan an impossibility for us. It’s still there if anyone fancies it….!?!?!

The voyage that I’m currently undertaking is a development of the original Atlantic Leg, but now driven by the very personal involvement that we’ve had as a family with Mum’s death from cancer.

This weekend also saw another milestone. To pass the time, I spend a lot of time counting things (number of meatballs in the pasta (16), number of clouds that look like rabbits (3), etc etc) and making lists (favourite songs, countries visited, etc), and during one random train of such thought, I was listing summer Olympic venues, when I recalled the rather damning view put forward by the ‘antipodean’ media that all Team GB’s medals are won in events where you sit down (sailing, rowing, cycling, etc). Obviously this is not the case, and it sounds like sour grapes to me!

Anyhow, that then got me on to thinking about the fundraising adventures I’ve undertaken in support of Sail 4 Cancer, and I realised that this weekend was the 100th day that I’d spent sitting on my butt doing such events!!

It started with sailing the Fastnet Race in 2003, followed by Liz & I rowing the Atlantic in 2005. I then did two cycle rides in 2007 (Raid Pyrenean) and 2009 (Route of the Tour de France), and now the Tropic 4 Cancer!! Depending on how long this crossing takes (the speed I’m going it may take 100 days itself!!!!), including the training and qualifying races for the Fastnet, I’ll have spent 100 days at sea in support of this fantastic charity.

I first got involved with Sail 4 Cancer when one of the founders Andy Hayward came to see me when I worked for the British Offshore Sailing School in Hamble. Andy was keen to see if BOSS would take some people linked to the charity on a yacht in the Fastnet, which I ended up skippering.

At that point, although in our extended family we had been affected by cancer, I had no particular desire to support a cancer charity, but I was hugely impressed by the passion and the integrity that Andy had for what he is doing. I also saw the benefit of using sailing as a means for offering respite to those affected by cancer, as there is a natural tendency to leave the burdens of everyday life behind when you go sailing.

The relationship with the charity continued when Liz and I decided that we wanted to have another purpose to our transatlantic row, and raising money for Sail 4 Cancer seemed a logical choice. The first cycle event in 2007 also followed this line of thinking, and I cycled with Richard Groome, one of the Trustees at the time, and who was keen to develop the range of ’4 Cancer’ activities.Sadly, by the time we set off to ride the route of the 2009 Tour de France, Mum had already been diagnosed with lung cancer, and the bike ride became much more of a personal crusade.

And so I find myself right back where we were 8 years ago – older, wiser and a bit more saddle sore!! It’s been hugely rewarding to be able to have supported such a great cause – by simply sitting down for a jolly long time!!! Everyone involved in Sail 4 Cancer is fantastically passionate and motivated about what they do, and they genuinely make a huge difference for people affected by cancer.

In marine life news, I found a dead flying fish on one of the solar panels this morning – by the accident of a badly timed jump, the poor little thing went from flying fish to frying fish in the change of a letter!!

For those participating in Movember, as we have been on the same tack for a few days now and thus tipped over on the starboard side, Haskapa’s ‘Mo’ has become a bit lopsided – being kind one might say ‘jaunty’, or being honest one might say ‘wonky and a bit silly’!! Plus there seem to be a couple of random bits experiencing bionic growth rates. Should be able to plait them soon!! Or I might just change course and see if it all drops off……!

More happily, no rubbish to report.