Alfonso sails around the world

Monday, 17 July 2006 04:45

A book more than 100-years-old has been the inspiration for a French sailor who stopped off on Thursday Island last week on his around-the-world adventure.

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Alfonso Pascual said the book, written by American sailor Joshua Slocum in 1898, had given him the courage to attempt the solo navigation feat in his 26ft yacht Kouros, named after an ancient Greek Olympian.

(Joshua Slocum was the first person to circumnavigate the world from 1895-1898. His book - Sailing Alone Around the World - was published in 1900.)

Alfonso left his wife, Nathalie, and their home in the French Mountain Alps of Chamonix on September, 2004, to begin his odyssey, and expects to return home in May/June next year.

Speaking faltering English, Alfonso says he is normally a mountain guide and ski instructor during the winter months at Chamonix (population 10,000), the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics.

The 42-year-old is a relative newcomer to sailing, having taken up the sport only five years ago.

His journey has taken him from his base in the Mediterranean Sea to Gibraltar, Canary Islands, Carribean and the West Indies, Panama, Galapagos Islands, Marquises, Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, and then 22-day journey to Thursday Island.

He arrived last Tuesday and left last Friday, en route to Darwin, Christmas Islands, Red Sea and home.

Alfonso says Nathalie understands his dreams and is always with him in thought. “However, I miss my wife.”

(Alfonso says he will tell Nathalie to read about him on the Torres News website – www.torresnews.com.au)

His wife also is an adventurer – they spent 38 days climbing the Pyrenees Mountains in early 1997.

He says he has been relatively lucky during his journey, with a broken automatic-pilot sustained six days out from Thursday Island in the Coral Sea in strong winds his most-difficult problem.

“I had to steer by hand and could sleep only for one hour at a time.”

He paid tribute to the staff at Mura Workshop who were “very helpful” in helping him repair his disabled yacht.

“That is the worst problem I’ve had so far although I live in fear of a major equipment failure, such as breaking a mast. But I’ve never been worried.”

Alfonso also said he had enjoyed meeting Jim Prescott (from AFMA) during his short stay on Thursday Island.

“He was a brother of the sea to me.”

Alfonso carries few provisions – living mainly from the sea across which he sails.

“It’s just me and the ocean, although many seagulls come at night and rest in the sails at night. I am king in my 26ft kingdom.”

Alfonso also pays tribute to Australian sailors – Kay Cottee (the first woman to sail solo around-the-world in 1988), John Sanders (sailed around-the-world solo three times non-stop from 1986-88), and David Dicks (circumnavigated the world when aged 17/18 in 1996).

“They gave me the faith to continue to do this.”

He continues to work on improving his English. “I’m learning by reading (literary classic) The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. It is a very hard book to read.”

Alfonso’s interview with the Torres News was his first with the media during his journey.