Sailing

television

adventure

books

speaking

contact us

biography

They also sponsored Debra to compete in the Southern Ocean leg of the Global Challenge Round the World Yacht Race, and gave her other opportunities at various high profile events including:

Rolex Antigua Race Week on Pindar Alphagraphics Volvo 60 May 2006

Start of the Volvo Ocean Race in Vigo on Pindar Volvo 60 Nov 2005

Les Voiles De St. Tropez on Pindar Volvo 60 Oct 2005

Round the Island Race on Pindar Alphagraphics Open 60 Jun 2005

Global Challenge Leg 2 – Argentina around Antarctica to Nov 04
New Zealand on Pindar 72 to Jan 05

Rolex Round the Island Big Boat Race on Mari Cha IV 140’ Jun 2005

Les Voiles De St. Tropez on Mari Cha IV 140’ Oct 2004

Debra loved every minute of sailing around Antarctica during the Southern Ocean leg of the Global Challenge. She hated the cold but loved the power of the Southern Ocean and being able to harness it in the sails rather than having to pull against it with a pair of oars! It gave Debra her first rounding of the infamous Cape Horn and her second Christmas at sea.

Debra had the opportunity to be part of both watch systems on Pindar and therefore worked many positions on the yacht but it was her role in the bow team that she found most rewarding. Completing headsail changes while constantly being washed down the deck by freezing cold walls of water was where Debra felt most content. She found the sheer exhaustion of headsail changes in 30+ knots of wind deeply satisfying and would return to the Southern Ocean in a heartbeat. This is very apparent when reading her journal entries, which she wrote throughout the six week expedition. Her journal included some Top Ten lists. This one seems to sum up how much better she was finding sailing to ocean rowing!

Debra could not get the thought of going back to sea out of her head. She gave into temptation and turned to sailing in 2005 to satisfy the cravings. This has, without a doubt, been one of the hardest adventure sports Debra has turned her hand to as she had no previous sailing experience and modern boats are incredibly technical.

But help came in the form of Pindar, who are well versed in sponsoring female sailors, after Debra met Andrew Pindar (Pindar’s Chairman) at the Southampton Boat Show in 2004. Through Pindar Debra hooked up with UKSA (United Kingdom Sailing Academy) to receive excellent training, culminating in her gaining her RYA Yachtmaster qualification in 2006

“If I had been sailing prior to signing up for the Atlantic Rowing Race I never would have signed on the dotted line. Going sailing made me realise how ridiculous ocean rowing is! In a yacht, even when there is a head wind, it is still possible to make some forward progress, albeit in a zigzag pattern. It was a real revelation to me as anything more than a force 3 headwind in a rowing boat sends you straight back to where you have just come from.” Debra Searle

Pindar also gave Debra access to money can’t buy sailing opportunities on their Open 60 and Volvo 60 yachts and with phenomenally skilful sailors such as Emma Richards (of Around Alone fame) and Mike ‘Moose’ Sanderson (skipper of AMN AMRO One – winner of the Volvo Ocean Race).

SAILING

THE SOUTHERN ocean

To read Debra’s journal from this 6000 mile journey please CLICK HERE.

10. You do not get boils, rashes and salt sores on your bum from sailing the Southern Ocean.
9. Christmas is a lot less lonely when surrounded by a crew of 18.
8. The food is far superior as the boat is big enough for an oven and ample food supplies.
7. My calf muscles haven't wasted away as there is enough deck surface to walk around.
6. We have a loo! Although it's more comfortable, there was something rather nice about the view from my 'bucket and chuck it' on deck system.
5. The speed is awesome. It's hard for me to understand the frustrations of the crew if we are bobbing along at 4 knots. I hardly ever managed those kinds of speeds and would often row for 3 days to cover 30 miles, then over one night could get a massive headwind and be pushed back 40 miles and have to start again rowing what I'd just covered in the previous 3 days.
4. It's ONLY going to take us about 38 days to sail to NZ, as opposed to 111 days rowing alone.
3. I can sleep at night during my off watch in the knowledge that I am not going to get run over by a container ship because there is always someone on watch keeping a look out and we have radar systems and all sorts of high tech gadgets. Consequently my 'I'm going to die' stress levels are considerably lower!
2. We are only 200 or so miles behind the leaders, which seems nothing - certainly redeemable. I was over 2000 miles behind the NZ men's team when they won the Atlantic Rowing Race.
1. The crew. I'm surrounded by a fantastic group of people. We have laughed and cried together and (importantly) there is always someone there to give you a big hug on those days when you desperately miss your loved ones back home.

Top Ten reasons why sailing the Southern Ocean is better than rowing the Atlantic solo!