London, UK, (RPRN) 8/14/2009 –17-year-old yachtsman Mike Perham is now within 2,600 miles of sailing into the record books as the youngest solo circumnavigator. He now expects to reach the Lizard line marking the start and finish point of his 30,000 mile record-setting odyssey as early as August 24, two months inside the current record.
Mike, who set out from England last November, has been making full use of the Gulf Stream since setting out on the final stage from Panama on July 28 and this morning, his yacht Totallymoney.com was 360 miles southeast of New York. He has started to turn east in the direction of home but is still making full use of the Gulf Stream, which is giving Mike an extra 2 knots of ground speed.
Mike reports:’Today, the wind has now picked up. We just had a gust of 34 knots and Totallymoney.com surfed out of it at 19 knots! What a boat!’
This morning, when it was just getting light, I had a couple of really nasty squall clouds come by with 40knots of wind, and we were careering along. Then, just as suddenly, the wind dropped back down to 10knots and without any warning, turned from southwesterly to easterly – Totallymoney.com did a big turn and began sailing back in the opposite direction! I couldn’t believe it;there are obviously some serious local effects going on here. Ten minutes later, the wind suddenly spun round to the south and then southwest and off we went again. It has remained in the low teens since and I’ve been able to steadily tick off the miles once more.
I’ve noticed in a big way the difference in seawater temperature between here and the Caribbean. My daily shower on the foredeck with a bucket is certainly starting to feel a little chilly! It is good to be away from the major shipping routes now, though a few ships are still showing up on the radar each day, so I certainly won’t be letting my guard down.’
Once across the Ushant/Lizard finish line, Mike plans sail on up the English Channel back to Gunwharf Quay, Portsmouth to a reunion with family and friends on Wednesday 26th August.
To read this daily insight on the last leg of Mike’s remarkable voyage, visit Mike Perham’s Blog
Money raised by Mike during the 28,000-mile voyage is being donated to Save the Children and the Tall Ships Youth Trust. Mike’s main sponsor is Totallymoney a finance website for comparing loans, life insurance and bad credit credit cards
Mike is available for media interviews via satellite telephone. To arrange an interview, please contact Barry Pickthall at PPL Medi
Photos available from PPL Photo Agency. Tel +44(0)7768 395719
E.mail: ppl@mistral.co.uk. Web: www.pplmedia.com
