Pirates or fishermen…solo sailor frightened

by ABC News Online / Event Media on 10 Nov 2005 Queensland solo sailor Margaret Williams has not caught a lot of sleep over the first three weeks of her world record-breaking 7,000 nautical mile journey around Australia.

She’s been too flat out battling severe storms, eluding massive tankers in busy shipping lanes and trying to avoid the possibility of confronting pirates along the way. One fishing boat looked like it was going to board her vessel leaving Margaret a little shaken.

Margaret is now west of Darwin and says she is travelling closer to shore after consulting Customs and naval officers.

Ms Williams says one encounter with an Indonesian boat was particularly frightening.

‘A boat came quite close and kept heading towards me, despite me changing the course and then a higher speed boat from that boat came around and circled me and it was very frightening because I thought I was going to be boarded,’ she said.

She says she has also been afraid of pirates but now believes she is in safer waters west of Darwin.

‘I felt very vulnerable and I have to say that I had my little EPIRB handy, I just didn't know what to expect.

‘It's close to Indonesia and you just don't know ... I've been assured by the Customs and the Navy to come closer into Australian waters and I haven't had any more problems.’

Ms Williams set out in her 12-metre sloop ‘Against All Odds’ on Wednesday, 19 October from Mooloolaba, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, with hopes to become the first woman to complete the trip, non-stop and unassisted. She hopes to return to Mooloolaba after about 80 days sailing anti-clockwise around the continent.

When she sails past the finishing line she will also be the first officially recognised solo male or female sailor to circumnavigate Australia in accordance with the World Sailing Speed Record Council.

By the end of her eighth day at sea, she will have covered close to 1000 nautical miles (or around 1830 kilometres), which puts her north of Cooktown.

Landlubbers will be able to track Margaret’s progress through her official website at www.solosailoz.com.au

Margaret said she has embarked on the one of the world’s most dangerous passages to both fulfil a long-held dream and to help raise the profile of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guards.

‘Fortunately, I’ve never had to use their services but, through my long association with the sea, I do admire the people involved in this totally volunteer organisation who are not only volunteers but also have to raise funds themselves to keep this vitally important service going,’ she said.

Last year Australia-wide, the Coast Guards logged almost 1.2 million man hours assisting 4574 vessels and 11,006 people.

The seasoned sailor is also very indebted to her sponsors who have come to her rescue by supplying equipment, including: Harken (yachting hardware) Pixelenium (graphic design and website support), Real Estate Investors Network (funding), Eclectic Energy & Power Protection Solutions (wind generator), Mooloolaba’s Downunder Iceboxes (freezer), Coursemaster Autopilots (autopilot), Satamatics (satellite communicator), Kiwiprops & Solas Propellers (propeller), Oz Spy (camera equipment), Bright Sparks Educational Toys Cottontree, AST Australia (discounted satellite phone rates), and Gill Clothing.