The final Broadly Boats Special in the Alpha Global Expedition series is now available as a free download from: tinyurl.com/59vkxp
The book “Over The Top” by Adrian Flanagan will be launched by Orion in October 2008.
HMS Mersey will be following the fleet. Above, earlier this year when HMS Mersey welcomed first vertical (bi-polar) cirumnavigator Adrian Flanagan back to British waters after his transit of the Russian Northern Sea Route
The Tall Ships’ Races 2008 got off to a flying start yesterday as the race got under way just off the northern coast of Northern Ireland. The Royal Navy provided three start vessels for the race team, including HMS Mersey who will now be following the fleet all the way to Maløy in Norway. On board is the race communications team who will be contacting the fleet twice a day for updates.
Mir ahead of Morgenster and Alexander von Humboldt at the race start
The first morning report, conducted this morning at 0600 GMT (0700 local time), saw Christian Radich (Norway) leading the fleet on corrected time, with fellow Norwegian ships, Statsraad Lemhkuhl and Sorlandet in second and third respectively both in Class A and overall. On the water Mir (Russia) is leading having already passed the first waypoint, with Christian Radich and Dar Mlodziezy not far behind.
pictured left to right: Mark Giles, Andy Whitmore, Adrian, Paul Molyneux and Warren Beresford
On Wednesday Adrian & Louise met with four members of the Territorial Army who are taking part in Exercise Midnight Sun which is the Royal Signals TA expedition to Greenland, one of the planets last great unspoilt wildernesses, in August 2008. The crew of 14 will be sailing the Challenge 67 ft yacht Adventure from Gosport to Greenland, with a second crew flying out to sail her home. The purpose of the meeting at the recently opened Gurkha Tavern in Long Crendon was for Adrian to provide advice on clothing and equipment whilst the Project Officer Captain Mark Giles discussed support issues with Louise. You can follow the progress of Adventure and read the crew blogs at http://blog.mailasail.com/adventure
Exercise Midnight Sun will take 82 personnel from all units within the R Signals TA (including attached Arms), and will see these officers and soldiers involved in mountaineering, sailing and sea kayaking. Coming at the time of the 100th anniversary of the TA, the expedition celebrates all that the TA is about; demonstrating the opportunities available to the TA, and helping to train robust, resilient soldiers for the demands of today’s army. It will be the biggest TA expedition thus far and is believed to be the largest expedition to Greenland since 1884. The yacht crew are a mixture of experienced and novice sailors and there will also be a bespoke communications package provided by the BT Emergency Response Team (ERT), as part of the Defence Career Partnering. Further information on the expedition can be read at http://www.midnight-sun.org.uk/
We’ve finally made it home after 2 weeks on the Hamble. And what an incredibly memorable 2 weeks they have been. Of the many hundreds of pictures taken on the 21st May, these are two we particularly like. The family portrait is taken by our good friend Tina Hadley, the other by Sara Coombes of TKZ.
Picture - copyright Tina Hadley www.tinahadley.com/
Below are a selection of family photos taken over the past couple of days - please feel free to use them. For publication purposes, a photo credit will suffice (Louise Flanagan)
.jpg)
-1.jpg)
-1.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
-3.jpg)
-1.jpg)
Reading The Times at breakfast on Thursday morning!
Below are a selection of family photos taken over the past couple of days - please feel free to use them. For publication purposes, a photo credit will suffice (Louise Flanagan)
.jpg)
-1.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
-1.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
-1.jpg)
1.jpg)
The smile that said it all - (photo - Louise Flanagan)
The Alpha Global Expedition ended at 11.00am on Wednesday 21st May when Barrabas crossed the start / finish line between Calshot Spit and Hillhead in the Solent. Adrian Flanagan became the first single-handed sailor to achieve a ‘vertical’ circumnavigation of the earth. Below, in his own words, Adrian describes the end of his epic voyage.
“30,825 miles. That’s what the log read when I tied up at the Royal Southern Yacht Club in the Hamble River just after 11.00am on Wednesday 21st May. I had crossed the finish line, a transit between Calshot Spit and Hillhead a few miles before, crossing my outward track - ‘tying the knot’ as it’s called. Events had overtaken time - too much happening to take in, not enough space to accommodate all the images and emotions which time had swept and heaped and stored at this place, the end of the Alpha Global Expedition. Barrabas sailed beautifully from the Dover Strait to Selsey Bill just east of the Solent, so well and fast in fact that we arrived in the eastern Solent late on Monday evening. I decided to find a protected anchorage where I could rest up. I found it in the aptly named Chichester channel. This was a chance at least for me to sleep (I had been on the go for 60 hours) and to spend some quiet time with Barrabas. At midnight on Tuesday I sailed to Gilkicker point and dropped the anchor again to await the arrival of HMS Trumpeter, a fast patrol boat of the Royal Navy. Sailing up the Solent with the wind coming from astern and the sails goosewinged under a warm sun seemed majestically surreal. I remembered sitting at my desk three years before thinking about a name for the expedition and coming up with Alpha Global and now here I was completing the first single-handed vertical circumnavigation of the earth. Thoughts made real - a dream made concrete. HMS Trumpeter pulled alongside and one of her crew handed me a cup of tea. Many boats had joined the convoy, some carrying press and TV crews, others carrying well-wishers. Louise and the boys came out on a yacht crewed by friends. As they came alongside, Barrabas breached the finish line. Job done! There is still so much to say, so many people to thank. Tim Thornton and Ian Johnstone-Bryden have been outstandingly supportive on this homeward leg. I received a fantastic welcome at the Royal Southern Yacht Club before moving Barrabas onto the public quay so that anyone interested could come and have a look at her. Many visitors came by to say hello. I took Louise and the boys for a short sail in the Solent yesterday. Other yachts sailed past waving greetings.
My immediate priority now is to complete the manuscript of ‘Over The Top’, my account of the Alpha Global Expedition which will be published by Wiedenfeld & Nicolson (Orion Group) on 9th October - an opportunity to share the many aspects of the voyage which I never related through the blog.
Barrabas is now at Hamble Point Marina. She will be hauled out on Tuesday. My magnificent boat is for sale - I can barely conceive of life without her. “
Adrian and Louise wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who have helped to make this voyage of circumnavigation possible, to those who sent messages of support as Adrian prepared to sail away, to those who wrote and emailed during the trip, to all of those who came to make the conclusion such a memorable event today. From Adrian’s preparations, through the voyage he has been deeply touched by the generousity and good will of all those he met - to all those new and much appreciated friends.
Today has been an incredible experience for Adrian and his family. It was not until 15:30 that they were able to enjoy lunch as guests of the Commodore of the Royal Southern Yacht Club and there is a busy afternoon and evening ahead.
Below is a set of photographs very kindly supplied by the British national newspaper the Daily Express, photographer Steve Reigate.
The cup that refreshes - courtessy Royal Navy
A great adventure but great to be home
Family celebration
Adrian with two very proud sons
Maybe its worth going round again just for a welcome like this
Over the coming days an weeks there is a task ahead to sort through the images of this outstanding achievement of an ordinary man doing something extraordinary, living a dream.
Anyone wishing to rendezvous with Adrian at sea made their way to the EAST BRAMBLE MARK (50 47.2 N, 1 13.7 E) between 9:30am and 10:00am today.
Spectators
Spectators were able to watch Adrian as he proceeded up the River Hamble between 10:00am and 11:00am. Viewing from either the Hamble or Warsash side of the river. Adrian is scheduled to arrive at the visitors’ pontoon of the Royal Southern Yacht Club at around 11:00am.
Today will be a very full day for Adrian Flanagan as he ends a unique voyage - an outstanding achievement.
Perhaps the final course chosen was a gentle build up to today. Originally, Adrian considered leaving Norway and heading South and West around the Shetlands and the Scottish islands, along the West coast of Ireland and round the South West tip of England to reach the Solent. That would be a longer journey but probably his last in Barrabas before she is sold. After looking at all the options, including forecast weather and timings, It was decided that Adrian would take the shorter route into the North Sea and through the Channel to his finish line.
By taking this option, Adrian encountered progressively heavier traffic as he crossed ferry routes and approached the incredibly busy Channel. For most of his 31,000 mile voyage, he had been out of sight of land and rarely saw another ship. Company was the occasional whale, dolphins, flying fish, sea birds, walrus and polar bear - a solitary existence. Today he will be the centre of attention and surrounded by boats and people. It will be a very busy day.
For Expedition Manager and ex-wife Louise, the activity started yesterday with a full schedule of interviews and planning meetings in preparation for today.
Inevitably, this blog will not keep up with the day’s events and so many things are happening, but with the exact order still being finalized.
The Royal Navy have sent a fast patrol vessel out to meet Adrian and to escort him to his moorings at the Royal Southern Yacht Club. The Daily Telegraph is due to publish the first of two articles in the edition today. There is a live interview with BBC radio for the Johnny Walker Show. Other interviews with the press, radio and television and a well deserved celebration of an outstanding achievement.