No Plastic Waste Voyage update
by Stephen Davis 25 Dec 2020 05:13 PST
Honorary OCC Member Jon Sanders is renowned for avoiding publicity. He has received many awards including the Ocean Cruising Club Lifetime Cruising Award. He is the recipient of an OCC Challenge Grant © Paul Beutel
Jon Sanders departed Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron on the morning of 24th December 2020 on the last leg of his historic 11th circumnavigation.
Dear Voyage Supporters
After clearing Sydney Harbour Jon sailed further offshore into 13kt easterly winds before heading south. Jon will continue south through Christmas Day and Boxing Day when the southerly winds are predicted to abate and be replaced by a moderate northerly wind that will carry Jon to Bass Strait.
Planned stops in Eden NSW and Portland VIC have been cancelled as Jon would have to undergo 14 days quarantine at each port. Jon's has been granted a G2G Pass to WA based on his estimated non-stop sailing time from Sydney to Fremantle of 21 days.
Jon's progress can be followed on the Nebo tracker
With our thanks to Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron for hosting Jon during his stay in Sydney. As Jon said, "Terrific hospitality, and what a view".
Jon will open his Christmas package courtesy of Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron tomorrow. He might do a little better this year than Gingernut biscuits at sea as it was last Christmas at sea.
The microplastic results are starting to roll out and we are looking forward to detailed results from Curtin University over the coming weeks.
Thank you for your support for Jon and the voyage throughout 2020... like most things this year, the voyage has not quite gone to plan. But any way you turn it, this record-breaking voyage has been a remarkable achievement by an 81-year-old sailing legend and will be our first reliable global baseline of the level of microplastics in our oceans.
We trust you will all enjoy a safe and happy Christmas.
Stephen (for Jon and the team)