Vendee - Flying visit for solo sailor Dee Caffari

by Sail-World on 29 Dec 2008
On day 49 of the Vendée Globe round the world race Dee Caffari and her Open 60 yacht Aviva received a flying visit from an old friend as they passed below New Zealand’s South Island. This is the first time Caffari has seen another human being since the first day of the race on 9 November.

Wellington based Westpac Rescue winchman Dave Greenberg arranged a special fly-by to keep with the tradition of Caffari’s previous circumnavigations when she passes New Zealand.

In 2004/05 Greenberg was the winchman involved with the medi-vac of one of Caffari’s sick Global Challenge crew members as she skippered a crew of 18 amateur sailors around the world. From that moment on Caffari and Greenberg forged a strong friendship so when Caffari passed New Zealand on the Aviva Challenge in 2006 Greenberg flew over in a helicopter to collect some video tapes.

Now, as the solo skipper aims to become the first woman to sail both ways around the world Greenberg has again returned to the skies to bid Dee and Aviva good luck for the rest of their voyage.

The fly-by has certainly lifted the mood onboard Aviva this morning as Caffari reported:

‘It was awesome to hear a familiar voice and see people in the plane even if I could not see their actual faces. It was quite murky still and the wind was gusty but I sat on deck grinning like a Cheshire cat. It was very cool and it seems that I’m destined not to pass New Zealand without a visit from Dave in either a plane or a helicopter. Still it made Aviva happy as she is after all a Kiwi!’

Dave Greenberg added: ‘Being a tiny wee small part of Dee's amazing adventures means a lot to me and it seems to mean a lot to her too!’

Dee’s latest diary received on Monday 29 December at 05h20 GMT:

‘I couldn't wait any longer to tell you about my day so far.

‘I passed south of Auckland Islands last night and had a pretty bumpy ride during the night time hours. When dawn broke I had a call asking for my position out here in the middle of nowhere in the Southern Ocean. Three hours later a call came again with a familiar voice and asked for my position again. Ten minutes later a plane was overhead and Dave Greenberg with three buddies were flying around Aviva and saying 'hi'.

‘It was awesome to hear a familiar voice and see people in the plane even if I could not see faces. It was quite murky still and the wind was gusty but I sat on deck grinning like a Cheshire cat.

In 2004/5 on the Global Challenge, Dave was the winchman involved in the rescue of a sick crew member on New Year’s day. Then again in 2005/6 on the Aviva Challenge, Dave flew out off the South Island of New Zealand and collected some video tapes from me on Valentine’s Day.

Now here we are again in his neck of the woods and he came and took some photos of me and Aviva. It was very cool and it seems that I am not destined to pass New Zealand without a visit from either a plane or a helicopter. Still it made Aviva happy as she is after all a Kiwi!

‘As the guys left today the sky started to break up and clouds appeared rather than the blanket grey cover that we had had since the fog lifted yesterday, and now during my afternoon there is a blue sky with those clouds, so those guys really were a good omen.

‘I chatted with Brian today on Bahrain Team Pindar and we discussed where the halfway mark was now the course has been lengthened and we are sure we have passed it so every mile now is a mile taking us home. Next goal is to cross the date line so we become west and watch our longitude decrease.’

Caffari is in 11th position sixty miles behind fellow Brit Brian Thompson.