michael's round the world adventure
what I'm doing, and why I'm doing it!
I'm taking part in the Clipper 09-10 Round The World Yacht Race. On September 13th 2009, I'll set off from Hull in the UK on one of 10 identical racing yachts. Over the following 10 months, the fleet will travel over 35,000 miles to circumnavigate the globe, arriving back in Hull in July 2010. To say I'm excited about it would be something of an understatement...
The 10 identical 68' racing yachts have been designed specifically for the race, and are definitely designed more for speed than comfort... Each yacht is sponsored by an international city or region, and I'm delighted to have been selected to sail on the Cork yacht - the first time there has been a yacht representing an Irish region in the race. With our excellent Skipper Richie Fearon in charge, we hope to do the nation proud!
So, what qualifies me to take part in this race? Well, not a lot really if I'm honest! The Clipper Race is the only Round the World yacht race set up for non-professional sailors - like me! Each yacht has a professional skipper, but for the rest there are no pre-requisites as regards sailing experience. 40% of crew members in the last race had never sailed before they started training for the race! I have sailed before, mainly in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, and Cork. And mainly in small dinghies, with a few short races in yachts about half the size of the one I'll be racing round the world. So to say it's daunting would be an understatement!
Some crew will be taking on individual legs of the race (it's divided into seven legs), with just under 100 taking on the full Circumnavigation. That brings me to the next qualification - a certain amount of insanity. I have signed up to spend the full 10 months at sea sharing a 68' yacht with 17 relative strangers! So, the preparation started back in April - I've quite a bit of updating to do, which will follow in the next couple of weeks. The preparations will get more intensive in a few weeks time, when I begin a year long career break and concentrate totally on this. I feel incredibly privileged to have this opportunity, and I really intend to make the most of it.
I am particularly lucky, as while I suffer from Epilepsy, it is controlled well enough that I can do this. I'm hoping to be able to bring some attention to the organisations that help with research into Epilepsy, and who support people whose daily lives are really affected by this condition. Brainwave in Ireland (www.epilepsy.ie) and Epilepsy Action in the UK (www.epilepsy.org.uk) do a lot of work in this area, and I'd encourage you to check out their websites. You can also make donations online at www.mycharity.ie/event/michael_lewiss_event/ or at www.justgiving.co.uk/lewisroundtheworld/.
So, that's it for now. More information will follow, I'll get things right up to date, and then hopefully keep it that way all the way round.
Keep an eye on www.clipperroundtheworld.com for more race information.
Slan agus beannacht!
Michael.
The 10 identical 68' racing yachts have been designed specifically for the race, and are definitely designed more for speed than comfort... Each yacht is sponsored by an international city or region, and I'm delighted to have been selected to sail on the Cork yacht - the first time there has been a yacht representing an Irish region in the race. With our excellent Skipper Richie Fearon in charge, we hope to do the nation proud!
So, what qualifies me to take part in this race? Well, not a lot really if I'm honest! The Clipper Race is the only Round the World yacht race set up for non-professional sailors - like me! Each yacht has a professional skipper, but for the rest there are no pre-requisites as regards sailing experience. 40% of crew members in the last race had never sailed before they started training for the race! I have sailed before, mainly in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, and Cork. And mainly in small dinghies, with a few short races in yachts about half the size of the one I'll be racing round the world. So to say it's daunting would be an understatement!
Some crew will be taking on individual legs of the race (it's divided into seven legs), with just under 100 taking on the full Circumnavigation. That brings me to the next qualification - a certain amount of insanity. I have signed up to spend the full 10 months at sea sharing a 68' yacht with 17 relative strangers! So, the preparation started back in April - I've quite a bit of updating to do, which will follow in the next couple of weeks. The preparations will get more intensive in a few weeks time, when I begin a year long career break and concentrate totally on this. I feel incredibly privileged to have this opportunity, and I really intend to make the most of it.
I am particularly lucky, as while I suffer from Epilepsy, it is controlled well enough that I can do this. I'm hoping to be able to bring some attention to the organisations that help with research into Epilepsy, and who support people whose daily lives are really affected by this condition. Brainwave in Ireland (www.epilepsy.ie) and Epilepsy Action in the UK (www.epilepsy.org.uk) do a lot of work in this area, and I'd encourage you to check out their websites. You can also make donations online at www.mycharity.ie/event/michael_lewiss_event/ or at www.justgiving.co.uk/lewisroundtheworld/.
So, that's it for now. More information will follow, I'll get things right up to date, and then hopefully keep it that way all the way round.
Keep an eye on www.clipperroundtheworld.com for more race information.
Slan agus beannacht!
Michael.
