SOS Ocean Racing to depart 10am May 5th (Tomorrow)

by Ian Thomson on 4 May 2010 All the preparations onboard Save Our Seas Ocean Racing are done. The food is loaded and it is time to go. Save Our Seas Ocean Racing is heading off from Airlie Beach at 10am tomorrow in an endeavour to break the world record for sailing non-stop solo around Australia.

In order to set a new world record Ian Thomson, a commercial skipper from the Whitsundays will need to sail around in under 68d:8h:30m. Ian however plans to go around in under 50 days.

The world record is one thing however Ian wants to bring to every one's attention the damage plastic bags are doing to the environment and in particular the marine environment. It all started after pulling a turtle out of the water with a plastic bag for a stomach. Ian became more and more passionate about getting rid of plastic bags and believes the only way to do this is if the government changes regulations. 'We need to get to the heart of the problem and that is the supply of them, if they are there, they will be used' Ian said.

After years of planning and months of actual preparation SOS Ocean Racing is now ready to depart. Tonight she sits quietly in the marina pen at Meridien Marinas Abel Point Marina however tomorrow morning she will be towed out to Pioneer Bay and the sails will be set and then it is off, on a mission to smash the existing record.

She will be under tow as World Sailing Speed Record Council regulations require the gearbox to be isolated to ensure no propulsion is used. A small but friendly group of boats will be out to farewell Ian as he sets off northwards to try and break out through the Great Barrier Reef at Tiger Reef before sunset tomorrow night.

You can track Ian's progress on his website through the OceanTracker.net system and there will also be live streaming video footage from approximately 0930 EST through to 1030 EST. Visit www.sosoceanracing.com for all the latest news, videos and galleries.