fromSWD
The crew of disabled and able-bodied sailors, sailing on WOT EVA, headed out of Sydney heads under grey skies at around 2.30 pm yesterday afternoon in the start of the world record attempt for the Sydney to Lord Howe Island passage. The event is raising awareness of the strength and abilities of people with disability and the work of SWD. The crew are scheduled to round Lord Howe Island tomorrow morning between 6 - 7 am. If you are on Lord Howe Island,

6.30 am update, 23 November: "There are a few minor injuries on WOT EVA but everyone is ok. Major props to George Johnstone and Markie Mark who've skippered throughout the night. It's too rough to use the stove so crew are hungry and hanging out for hot coffee."

6 pm update, 23 November:"There's more water inside the boat than in the ocean," said David Pescud when he called us on the sat phone. The crew decided to sail north of the sea mounts instead of over them. They're past them now and heading east to Lord Howe Island. The wind instruments blew off the top of the mast and they think it's blowing about 20 knots of wind.

They having seriously rough ride, right on out backyard .

SWD, instead of having one big boat should probably have a fleet of smaller boats such as S&S 34s.

If they had more than one boat of the same design they would be able to have races on a level playing field. The S&S 34 is an amazing yacht upon which amazing things can be done such as getting three old farts like me, MorningBird and HaveFun over to Lord Howe Island and back just for the sake of going to a BBQ.

For the effort involved this better be the best damned BBQ ever.