www.gipsymoth.org

The much awaited book charting Gipsy Moth IV’s restoration and second round the world voyage is on sale now.

The book is priced at £25 and although available from all good bookshops, if purchased through UKSA includes a £12.50 donation to the Gipsy Moth IV project, enabling more young people to participate in adventurous sailing experiences aboard Gipsy Moth IV.

For an exclusive look at The Restoration and Relaunch chapter of the book, click on the link below:

http://media.wiley.com/assets/1326/49/GMIV.pdf

To place your order and contribute to sailing experiences for young people contact the UKSA shop on +44 (0) 1983 294941 or e-mail Alan Elliott on alan.elliott@uksa.org

Thank you for your support.

Richard Baggett (skipper)

The day started with breakfast in the cockpit anchored off Yarmouth harbour under a blazing sun. We were soon being waved at by passing yachts moving on from the Old Gaffers rally. Around 1030, 3 more crew joined us & following safety briefs we proceeded to up anchor.

We were joined by various yachts from the UKSA fleet to proceed on to Cowes. Ellen MacArthur joined us via rib as we passed Yarmouth pier to the great delight of everyone onboard. We continued down the Solent under motor, main & mizzen with a growing armada of vessels in hot pursuit.

As we approached Gurnard Ledge the “Solent Scene” which had been chartered by the UKSA drew alongside packed with staff, family, friends & supporters of the project. It was fantastic to see so many people cheering & waving as they followed us in. Then we finally entered Cowes & on to the UKSA pontoon to a warm welcome home.

Well today is the final day of the second circumnavigation of Gipsy Moth IV & I for one will be sad to see it all come to an end. All involved in this project should be really proud of what they have achieved. The restoration of a national treasure, a circumnavigation of the globe, & more importantly the lives we have touched.

This for me is the best thing about this project, the people. The friendships that we have all made, the challenges we have all faced myself included & the young people that have been give the opportunity to rise to the challenge & learn that anything in life is possible if you push your boundaries as Chichester did himself did in 1966-67.

Gipsy Moth IV will continue to be used in this way in the future & hopefully many years to come.

Richard Baggett (skipper)

Today was a great day! The forecast was for light winds & sunshine with some fog patches all of which happened. We cast of in Weymouth at 0800 & headed for Lulworth Cove where we popped are nose in for a quick look. Motor sailed to Anvil point & across to the Needles. The fog was clearing in front of us & we where treated to a spectacular sight of the Needles being unveiled by the fog as the sun burnt it off. The sea breeze filled in & we had a beautiful sail up the needles channel under Cruising chute. We then had a rendezvous with the Gipsy Moth plan of the needles where we did a photo shoot before heading up to Yarmouth. It is the Old Gaffers rally in Yarmouth this weekend so there where no berth available so we anchored of & headed ashore to join in with the festivities. All in all a great days yachting.

Charlotte Pudney (Crew)

What a great day!!! The weather was good, but sadly we motored most of the way to Yarmouth. Today I went all the way to the top of the mast. It was such an amazing feeling. I could have stayed there for hours. I helped made lunch, and this afternoon we went round the needles with a plane taking photos of us. I feel glad that I have done this trip and sad that it is coming to an end. I feel a mixture of feelings at the moment but they are all good ones. Lottie.

Joe Aziz (Crew)

Once again today was awesome. It was a really chilled out and sunny day of motoring west towards the Needles from Weymouth. We made an early start and motored east along the coast. A few of us, myself included, were hoisted right up the mast whilst cruising along, which was a rush. That was followed by a hard day of sunbathing and drinking cups of sugar. I hope Chris enjoyed his sandwich.
Sugar Daddy.

Jackie Wigglesworth (crew leader)

I can’t take much more of this. It’s miserable! This boat, the weather and the company are enough to drive someone overboard…. In truth, I’m having a fantastic experience and loving every second of it. Another perfect day today. Loved going up the mast en route to Yarmouth, for a bird’s eye view, and enjoying the sights of coastal England from the sea. A Gipsy Moth plane requested a fly by to get some pics of itself with another (better known) ‘Gipsy Moth’. That was fun. Also, Ellen McArthur has confirmed that she’s excited about joining us on board tomorrow. All in all, like I said, it’s rubbish!

There’s a great freedom that comes with sailing and it nurtures resourcefulness which is, I think, my favourite quality in people. Basically if it were up to me, this trip would just keep on going for another few weeks, months….. I’m beginning to understand these nutters who just want to take off round the world. Good on them, and good on this boat. She’s a star.

Ps Skipper is a top chef too. No tinned corned beef on this voyage.

Across Lyme bay to Weymouth

Richard Baggett (Skipper)
An early start today, up at 0600 to sail out of Dartmouth in a light NE wind with clear skies. The forecast was variable 2 or 3 occasionally 4 but it turned out to be calm for most of the day. We motored all the way across Lyme bay & just mist the last of the flood to get round Portland. This meant getting in very close to Portland to get out of the tide, which is not the place to be in any wind. Me made slow but comfortable progress round to Portland Harbour & had a little incident with a fishing buoy which I will let the rest of the guys explain. Any way we are all in really good spirits a safely all fast in Weymouth for the night.

Charlotte Pudney (Crew)

Today has been a good day. The GMIV sea sickness bug has gone and it has been brill. We got up early and left Dartmouth. I have put a lot of suntan and sunburn cream but I still caught the sun. The weather has been calm today, and we have had to motor most of our way to Weymouth, it was not so good for sailing with sails on. I was in charge of the mizzen sail, I helped put up the hallards, (I think that’s what they are called!), and I helmed her for a while. I got her up to 12 knots!! YIPPEE! Lottie

Jackie Wigglesworth

This just keeps getting better! Had a brilliant day under the sun, the highlight being surfing some waves mid trip at 12 knots! (oh and watching Skipper Richard be heroic, knife in mouth, jumping in to rescue the prop from being strangled by ropes that Stefan decided to drive us into; naturally it was purely because he knew it would lead to much excitement. It was skilfully deliberate no doubt.)

My only concern is that I have well and truly caught the sailing bug, and I fear it might be incurable. I want to just keep on going round the globe, but have been warned that this new bug could be dangerous as it gets expensive.

Everyone on board is legendary and I couldn’t be happier. Here’s to more of the same…

Steffan Meyric Hughes

A great day. There wasn’t enough wind to sail, but the sea was the calmest I have ever seen it; until we reached Portland Bill that is, and reached the standing waves of the tide race. Surfing through those was thrilling: the log was pegged at the stop at 12 knots on some waves. Later, I was on the helm, and managed to run over a lobster pot, wrapping rope around the prop and killing the engine. This was bad. Gipsy Moth will not be completing its voyage, as Steffan Meyric Hughes of Classic Boat magazine killed it!! He what?! A very bleak picture of the next few days ran through my head in a flash. Luckily, skipper Richard Baggett jumped off, knife clamped in teeth and freed it. Now the engine shaft actually runs a lot more smoothly in its tube. Tomorrow, maybe I’ll snarl the prop again! In you go Richard, you know the drill… On a more serious note, my understanding of Francis Chichester’s achievement has grown a lot. You get no sense from reading his book of just how challenging his trip must have been. Indescribable.

Joe Aziz

Today was Awesome. Sun all day, relaxed journey, coffee, the works. It was my third day on the Gipsy moth and by far the best. We had an early start which soon turned into a chilled out session of motoring all the way down to the entrance of Portland by surfing with 13 knot waves and generally relaxing, until Steffan decided to end the peace by ramming into a buoy and destroy the propellers. Overall it as a fun chilled out day and I’m looking forward to the pub

Richard Baggett (skipper)

We had a great sail round to Dartmouth although there we had to endure the remains of the swell from the strong southerly winds we have had over the last couple of days. We had a nice welcome at Dartmouth (thanks Ben for the free berth) which I have almost come to take for granted. I know I have said this before but where ever you go with this yacht you are met with great interest. People come down & ask to just be able to touch it & we always invite them onboard, people bring presents, memorabilia & some fantastic stories. I am always amazed by what has now become know onboard as the Gipsy Moth effect.


Chris Whitwam (mate)

What a wonderful sail it has been from Plymouth to Dartmouth, it’s also been quite a treat to enter Dartmouth in daylight. I’ve been before but it always seems to be in the dark! We did some MOB drills and got the new crew used to hoisting and dropping sails whilst in the relatively calm of Plymouth sound, it was a shame however that quite soon after leaving the sound two crew members were struck by the GM IV seasickness bug. I say it’s a shame because it was an absolutely beautiful sail of around seven hours, if only it could have been like that for the last three weeks! Jackie seems to have taken to the water like a duck; I think she’s done this before! More tomorrow:’)

Joe Aziz

Today was my second day on the Gipsy Moth. The enjoyment of today was much larger than yesterday even though I felt sea sick most of the way. Thanks to Chris. I managed to overcome my sea sickness and try my hand at helming the boat itself. We also did a few man over board drills today which gave me some experience. Altogether it has been a fun and tiring day


Jackie Wigglesworth

Absolutely loved today! It was a real treat. I think I’d prepared myself for endless rolling and heeling over to vertical (am halfway through reading Chichester’s book,) and rain….However, the reality was so much better than I expected. She sailed like a dream and the sun was shining and the views of England from the coast were great. What was Francis complaining about!!! (OK, ok I do realise that we weren’t quite rounding Cape Horn, or working solo, but today I loved Gipsy Moth IV.) I spent the first few hours of sailing at the helm which I really enjoyed. I’m only sorry that a couple of other people were feeling pretty rough, we’ll do all we can to remedy that tomorrow.


Charlotte Pudney

Today has been one of two half’s. This morning we met Steffan and set the sails to leave Plymouth. We learnt how to put up and take down the sails, and we went out to do a few man over boards, which I enjoyed a lot. The scenery was wonderful! During the afternoon I caught the Gipsy Moth sea sickness bug, and my view wasn’t the nicest of things. It hasn’t stopped me from enjoying myself. I would like to do some helming tomorrow. I’m certainly going to sleep better than last night. I’m excited and thrilled to be here, yet at times it can be quite daunting. It has taught me that I am such a determined person. Lottie

Steffan Meyric Hughes

You know you’re on a famous yacht when everyone waves. Like minor, dishevelled royalty, we waved back, some with out head in sick buckets, as we made our way from Plymouth at noon, arriving in the beautiful River Dart. I’m on board GM4 with young participants Charlotte Pudney (18) and Joe Aziz (17). Also along for the ride is Jackie Wrigglesworth (crew leader – I am planning to start calling her Captain Bigglesworth tomorrow), and mate Chris Whitwam. Chris is from Yorkshire. Conditions were beautiful: a perfect 3 following, sunny skies, the lush coastline of Devon, and good company. A few of us suffered though. Charlotte was violently seasick, Joe was mildly seasick – and I confess I felt a little hollow and upset as well for a while. But I put that down to my early start and feeling tired Actually, I will call it sleep deprivation – it has a slight ring of the transatlantic. Super, cooked by skip Richard Baggett, beckons…

The last charge

Richard Baggett, Skipper
After a great reception at Plymouth we are now getting ready for the final-final leg. Chris Whitwam (the mate) & my self have spent the last to days cleaning the boat & getting here ready for the last hop up to Cowes; Gipsy Moths new home. The new crew arrived today & we have just finished dinner & safety briefs. It’s great to be back onboard as always all through with very mixed emotions as this is the last leg of the project. We are planning to make the trip interesting by stopping at Dartmouth then Weymouth, on to Yarmouth for the old gaffers rally followed by the last trip up the Solent to Cowes on Sunday.

Chris Whitwam, Mate
Well, here we are, two days after that overwhelming reception. On that note, can I just say a huge thank you to all involved, including all those up on the Hoe and all those in the armada of various craft. It made the previous three weeks struggle all seem worthwhile.
The new crew are now on board and we’ve just been treated to ‘Bolognaise ala Baggett’, which was divine! I’m really looking forward to this short leg down to Cowes; it’s going to be a rather more chilled passage than the last. More soon :’)

Jo Aziz, Crew
Today was the first day on the Gipsy Moth. I was introduced to the 4 members of the crew and went through all the safety routines and checks and had a general tour of the boat. Tomorrow we set sail for Dartmouth, so hopefully we shall have some good sailing weather. Joe.

Charlotte Pudney, Crew
Today I finally saw Gipsy Moth. She looks like a beautiful boat; I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. We’ve looked around her and been given our safety brief. There are a lot of things that are red on her, and with my visual difficulties it will be interesting. I’m looking forward to doing some sailing in her tomorrow, I’m nervous about sailing tomorrow, but I guess that is only natural. Lottie

Jackie Wigglesworth, Crew leader
Finally, here I am sitting at the bow of this famous (or perhaps infamous) yacht! It’s an honour to be here (despite the rainy forecast.) So this is the final leg of her epic round the world adventure. We’ll be taking her back into Cowes, hopefully to a roaring welcome. Rumour has it that Ellen McArthur might be coming on board to join us for the last sail into Cowes. Apparently she makes a good cuppa so she’ll be very welcome. Just kidding, would be amazing to meet her… More soon. Jackie W.