15.05.2006
News Release
CAFFARI ONLY 72 HOURS FROM CLIMAX OF ASTONISHING ROUND-THE-WORLD VOYAGE
Solo yachtswoman Dee Caffari is battling for every mile towards the finish line after another serious autopilot failure
After 175 days of sailing non-stop round the world against the prevailing winds and currents, solo yachtswoman Dee Caffari, 33, is now approximately 72 hours from realising her dream of becoming the first woman ever to successfully complete what was once called “the impossible voyage”.
Dee Caffari onboard Aviva is expected to cross the official finish line* on 18 May 2006.
Caffari has sailed 28,560 miles and aims to complete the circumnavigation by crossing the finish line south of The Lizard, UK. She must cross within sight of the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) observer**, so the circumnavigation and new world record can be officially ratified. Then she will make her way to Southampton, UK to celebrate her triumphant homecoming with family, friends and supporters in Ocean Village.
However, another serious autopilot failure on Saturday ensured it will be a fight to the very end. The fault occurred in rough conditions making a repair attempt impossible, so Caffari was forced to steer manually through the night. Far from reflecting on the voyage in the closing stages, the solo sailor now faces sleep deprivation and exhaustion as frequent alarms force her to steer the yacht herself. Caffari, who set out on 20 November 2005, commented:
“I didn't flap at all even with Aviva turning circles in 30 knots of wind last night and being buffeted by wind, waves and rain all night long, I held it together. Instead I sat on deck considering the last few days and how they might be endured. I have thought about these final miles many times over the last six months and none of my thoughts considered being stuck at the helm, unable to do much else.”
Discussing the fast-approaching climax of her marathon voyage, Caffari continued:
“When I was sailing against the winds deep in the Southern Ocean and the horrific conditions forced me into survival mode, I often visualised the finish line to keep going when the storms seemed endless. But I couldn’t possibly have imagined the cocktail of emotions I am experiencing now that I am so close. Life at sea has become the norm for me so I will miss having the ocean to myself but at the same time I feel overwhelmed with excitement about the prospect of achieving the circumnavigation.”
Dee’s personal coach Harry Spedding, who has closely monitored Dee’s psychological condition and analysed her performance throughout the voyage, commented:
“This is a strange time for Dee; she is desperate to see her family and friends after a period of such extreme isolation and is gradually coming to terms with the magnitude of what she has achieved. But she has also adapted to a solitary life aboard Aviva and the prospect of returning to the hustle and bustle of urban life is in some ways frightening. Just as she prepared herself for the isolation before departure, she is now preparing for the culture shock of living in close proximity to other people again.”
In an interview for an Aviva Challenge podcast, David Hempleman-Adams, one of Britain’s foremost adventurers with a host of world-firsts and solo expeditions to his credit, said that returning to your previous life can be a daunting transition:
“Psychologically it might be easier these days than it was, say 20 or 40 years ago because you can get on the satellite phone or send emails but adjusting when you get back can be difficult initially. Using the satellite phone or emails is completely different from a one-to-one relationship, so it can be extremely hard. Not the first few days because the euphoria is there, but after the first week it starts to get difficult and it can take three or four months to get back to normal life.”
*Rule 26(a) of the WSSRC rules 2005-2008 states that to sail round the world, a vessel must start from, and return to, the same point. As Dee began the voyage at The Lizard, UK, she will return to the same point to officially complete her circumnavigation.
*The World Sailing Speed Record council (WSSRC) is the official body authorised by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to provide impartial ratification of claims to timed records. An observer will be present to witness Caffari crossing the finish line so the circumnavigation and world record can be ratified.
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MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS FOR CROSSING THE OFFICIAL FINISH LINE
Updates and expected timings during the last 72 hours of Caffari’s voyage will be posted on www.avivachallenge.com. Further email updates will be sent out when she is 24 hours, 12 hours, 6 hours and 1 hour from the Finish Line.
PRESS BOAT TO THE OFFICIAL FINISH LINE CROSSING
For information contact: Caroline Ayling +44 207 202 2840/+44 7801 351950 or Dan Wedgwood +44 207 202 2846/+44 7787 521995
NEWS POOL SERVICES
TV footage/VNR - APP will feed broadcast footage taken from the ‘official finish line crossing’ together with archive footage and relevant interviews. For further details contact; Carrie Tooth, APP +44 1865 260200 or Caroline Ayling, Karen Earl Sponsorship 0207 202 2840/+44 7801 351950.
Photography - onEdition will provide royalty-free pictures for media use. Contact Dan Towers +44(0)7973 859602 or Matthew Dickens +44(0)7836 299301 or images can be downloaded from the Aviva gallery at:
Radio - An audio package for radio will be produced and syndicated. For details contact Steve Ancsell, Airwaves, +44 1489 578850/or cell +44 (0)7860 446003 or Caroline Ayling, Karen Earl Sponsorship +44 (0)207 202 2840/+44 (0)7801 351950.
POST CROSSING THE FINISH LINE
Once she has crossed the line Dee Caffari onboard Aviva will come into safe waters to take a crew onboard at sea and then sail to her homecoming celebrations at Ocean Village in Southampton.
Based on current progress Dee Caffari is expected to arrive at approximately 12 noon at Ocean Village, Southampton on Sunday 21 May 2006.
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Contacts and further information:
Caroline Ayling, Karen Earl Sponsorship
+44 207 202 2840/+44 7801 351950. (TV and Radio)
Dan Wedgwood, Karen Earl Sponsorship
+44 207 202 2846/+44 7787 521995 (Print and Online)
Notes to editors:
Aviva and The Aviva Challenge
· www.avivachallenge.com includes a voyage tracker, Dee’s daily logs, an image library, profiles of Dee and her shore team, the yacht Aviva and further information about The Aviva Challenge.
· The current world record for a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation of the globe against the prevailing winds and currents is 122 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes and 49 seconds and is held by Frenchman Jean Luc Van Den Heede.
· Aviva is the world’s sixth largest insurance group based on gross worldwide premiums and market capitalisation (at 31 December 2004), and is one of the leading providers of life and pensions to Europe, with substantial positions in other markets around the world.
· Aviva’s principal business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales* of £35 billion and assets under management of £317 billion at 31 December 2005.
· The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes images, company and product information and a news release archive.
Challenge Business
· Challenge Business is the organiser for ‘The Aviva Challenge’, co-ordinating the shore team and logistics behind Dee Caffari’s solo, non-stop circumnavigation.
· Challenge Business is a market leader in creating, managing and promoting World Class events - providing the opportunity for ordinary people to do the extraordinary, for the professionals to reach for the extreme and visionary businesses to achieve amazing results.
· Challenge Business uses the participation and passion of adventure sport to create integrated marketing programmes for innovative businesses and has a sponsorship community of many hundreds of blue chip companies worldwide.
Alarms going off, Dee determined not be defeated
'It was never my intention to have this much drama right up to the finish line, I was more than happy to sail up to the finish savouring every last mile of Aviva and I together and generally enjoying it. Someone clearly had other thoughts on the subject.
'Last night was absolutely miserable, dark, wet, windy and cold. I felt very lonely sat on deck. Fortunately in the early hours the situation started to improve, now I probably get an alarm every 45 minutes. That has at least allowed me to visit the heads, without running back for the alarm.
'The weather has abated and I am now hoping that this rain will stop as the warm front goes through in a few hours, then I will be able to open up the box of tricks at the back and try and work what we hope to be air through the system.
'Having a little more time has also allowed me to eat some food. I did have a boil in the bag dinner on the go last night but I had to stop and start it so often that I got to the point where I couldn't remember if it had been boiling for long enough, so I just gave up. So the food I have just eaten was the first since lunch yesterday and it never tasted so good.
'Despite the desperate conditions I found myself in last night we kept the boat speed up. I wasn't pushing my luck, although I knew slowing down would only mean we would see even worse conditions from the system passing us to the west. I had reduced sail to a bare minimum but Aviva wouldn't slow down, she knows she is nearly home.
'My life is ruled by alarms at the moment and at one stage last night I had not only the pilot alarm going off, but also the radar alarm was sounding for a squall it had picked up, then the battery alarm decided to go off at the same time to remind me to put the generator on to charge and then for good measure the SatC had an urgent message and sounded an alarm to let me know. It was like an alarm orchestra. I looked around and apart from my watch there were no other alarms left to go off. I was on the verge of sitting, curled up and rocking back and forth on my heels repeating the mantra, 'There's no place like home.' Instead I chose Robbie Williams at the top of my voice and as loud as the stereo could take it. There was no way I was going to be defeated this close to home.
'I am now just waiting to try and bleed the system and remove the air when the weather allows.'
Dee & Aviva
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