The first Whitbread Round the World Race (now the Volvo Challenge) took place in 1973-74. When the fleet pulled into Cape Town South Africa, I was mate aboard the 50' cutter Active, built in Hobart Tasmania, 1947 (a good year!). As sailing instructor with the Offshore Sailing School, I spent 6 days a week living aboard, teaching mostly South African and Rhodesian businessmen 'the ropes'. Just by chance, at the time of the Whitbread fleet stop-over, Active was moored at the Cape Town Yacht Club for some refit work, so for a couple of weeks I was enveloped in the atmosphere as crews and supporters readied the yachts for their foray into the Great Southern Ocean. Exciting times!
When the fleet sailed out of Cape Town heading for Auckland, Penny & I drove onto the lower slopes of Table Mountain to view the start and share a picnic lunch. Sitting there in our VW Beetle, Pen turned to me and said "You'd love to be out there wouldn't you!" I raised my eyebrows and grinned.
Unbeknown to me, in advance of the second Whitbread Race in 1977, Pen wrote to the organizing committee at the Royal Naval Sailing Association to enquire about getting a crew position. (By this time we were living in London.) Pen was told that the RNSA kept a list of wannabe crew members, made available to skippers on request. I sent off an application and resumé, and thought no more about it until, out of the blue, a letter from British Adventurer John Ridgway. I've never forgotten his opening line: "Dear Peter, We are looking to stiffen up our foredeck crew for the Whitbread Round the World Race..." Of course my heart leapt! I subsequently joined about a dozen other invitees for a week long try-out at the John Ridgway School of Adventure at Ardmore, Scotland. Somehow I was the lucky bloke, thus beginning the adventure of a lifetime.
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| Our crew ready for the adventure of a lifetime, August 1977 |
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| Departing The Solent, August 27, 1977. Photo - Beken of Cowes |
