WA yachting legend Jon Sanders sets sail on final circumnavigation of globe
What an extraordinary bloke. :notworthy:
West Australian yachting legend Jon Sanders has set sail from Fremantle, south of Perth, on his 10th, and most likely final, circumnavigation of the world.
Despite undergoing open heart surgery last year, Mr Sanders said he felt in good health leading into his year-long journey at sea.
"I went in to see the surgeon the other day and he said my blood pressure was good and my heart's beating OK so I'd better go somewhere," he said.
"Right now it's the 400th anniversary of Dirk Hartog bumping into WA so I'm doing that yacht race to celebrate that first."
From there Mr Sanders will continue west to South Africa, taking part in the 2017 Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro race, before completing the circumnavigation.
"It will be my 10th circumnavigation but the real reason I do it is to get off the bar stool back home — otherwise what else does one do?" he said.
The seasoned yachtsman will be accompanied by a crew during the races, but the majority of the journey will be done solo.
However, Mr Sanders said his 26-year-old yacht, SV Perie Banou II, kept him company.
"You get very attached to your yacht," he said.
"They are, in effect, a living thing, when you've been with them so much.
"I enjoy having crew but I can always sail by myself and be by myself, equally as happy.
"There's always something to do, and the constant perpetual motion of the boat keeps you pretty fit."
West Australian yachtsman Jon Sanders
PHOTO: Jon Sanders has already set a world record for the longest distance sailed by any person or vessel. (ABC News: Briana Shepherd)
Sanders says trip will be 'more relaxed' than record-breaking sail
The 77-year-old yachtsman made history in 1988 when he completed the first solo, non-stop, triple circumnavigation of the globe.
He made the 71,000-nautical-mile journey in 658 days — the longest distance sailed by any person or vessel.
SV Perry Endeavour, Mr Sanders' vessel on the record-breaking journey, is displayed next to the 1983 America's Cup-winning Australia II in the Fremantle Maritime Museum.
However Mr Sanders said this trip would be a little different.
"This time I'm going more relaxed. I'm well known for non-stop, but not this time," he said.
Crew pay tribute to 'inspirational journeyman'
Gareth Owen-Conway, a crewmate of Mr Sanders for part of his journey, said the yachtsman was an inspiration.
"He's pretty amazing, I haven't seen anyone at 77 who can still do what Jon can do," Mr Owen-Conway said.
"The last race we went on a couple of years ago he was doing things on the foredeck that I can't even do."
Another crewmate, Robin Morritt, said despite his own concerns, he did not expect Mr Sanders would be nervous at all.
"Jon will do this one casually, it'll be just a casual go around and he'll just soak it all up and enjoy it, I imagine," Mr Morritt said.
"It's just another day in the office for Jon, this (yacht) really is his home, that's where he's most comfortable."
While it will most likely be Mr Sanders' last round-the-globe trip, nothing is set in stone.
"At 77 years people seem to think that might be the end of things," Mr Sanders said.
"But even someone joked the other day, he's off on his second-last circumnavigation."
WA yachting legend Jon Sanders sets sail on final circumnavigation of globe - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
