The Clipper Challenge
The Clipper challenge involves twelve 70ft
yachts racing around the world. The yachts
are skippered by professionals but sailed by
novices who can sign up for the full circumnavigation or for individual ‘legs’.
Clipper represented my dream challenge
but I’d never seriously considered it until I
hit a low point and then, on a whim, applied. The risk of rejection due to my condition was high but I had to try. I was out to
prove to myself that Long QTS didn’t have
to stop me from doing things. I was ready to
draw a line under what had been a
difficult few years and immerse myself in
a new challenge.
I was ecstatic when my application was
accepted, but that was dampened when
the insurance company declined to cover
me in such a physically demanding environment. I persevered for 5 months. I gathered
input from numerous cardiac consultants
and prepared for every eventuality. Days
before my first training commitment I got
the green light! After three intense weeks of
training I set off for Australia to sail from Albany to Brisbane.
Life on the sea isn’t always easy. When you
sleep it is for just a few hours at a time in a
confined bunk. You rotate the cooking and
when it’s your turn, you’re required to provide for 17 people using a very basic