‘I was in a state of delirium’
Have you heard the phrase ‘through hell or high water’? I’ve been through both, simultaneously.
In January 2020, after the year-long restoration of our 1970 S&S Swan Elixir, my friends Max, Harry and I set off on the first stage of our circumnavigation.
We undertook a few trial sails, but never in foul weather, and I had less than 30 hours’ sailing under my belt.
The Biscay crossing started out as almost plain sailing, watches and the lack of sleep were a new routine to adapt to, but an accepted part of the process. We ate, napped and passed each other like Elixir passed the ships through the night.
Slowly we became used to the rigmarole of undressing and redressing into our endless layers
