Nov 05, 2005 - 0700hrs UTC │Salute to the people who run Sailmail

Imagine, please, how this venture might have progressed. Berrimilla finishes the S2HSydney-Hobart Race: often described as the most gruelling ocean race in the world, this annual race starts on 26th December from Sydney Harbour and ends in Hobart. The course is 628 nautical miles. on New Year’s Day, 2005, 4 of the crew go home and Pete and Alex spend 10 days stocking the boat, have a farewell drink with some friends at Bellerive, clear Customs, phone their families and disappear for 9 days, to reappear, battered and bruised in Dunedin. They stay there for a few days and set off again, to reappear inPort Stanley56 odd days later. A few days more and away, to reappear inFalmouth71 days later, whence they phone Janet Grosvenor at RORCRoyal Ocean Racing Club, located in London for the FastnetFastnet Race: 608 mile biennial race from Cowes, UK, Isle of Wight, to the Fastnet Rock off Southern Ireland, finishing in Plymouth. Berrimilla took part in 2005 and 2009. entry kit. I wonder what she would have said and thought. But no word of the NZ knockdownWhen the boat is severely rolled or knocked over sideways, normally when beam on to big rolling breakers., no International Space Station, no meeting with LeroyLeroy ChiaoLeroy Chiao: International Space Station Commander, Expedition 10, at time Berrimilla first made contact. Bio here.: International Space Station Commander, Expedition 10, at time Berrimilla first made contact. Bio here. and Karen, no storms,Cape Hornrounding, drifting liferaft – no FastnetFastnet Race: 608 mile biennial race from Cowes, UK, Isle of Wight, to the Fastnet Rock off Southern Ireland, finishing in Plymouth. Berrimilla took part in 2005 and 2009. light piccy on the web – no story. Just a static bus shelterExplanation here and a couple of diffident old farts doing their thing in the studio and I wouldn’t have found a voice I certainly never knew I had.

Instead, I have a fragile USB cable linking my laptop to an ICOM M802 HFHigh Frequency – usually refers to HF radio which is long range digital radio that Berrimilla used to send all but a few of the logs on both circumnavigations. The radio was connected via a Pactor 3 digital modem to Alex’s laptop and used the Sailmail software application called Airmail to send emails and pull in emails, weather and GRIB files. Airmail also supports Iridium satellite telephone messaging and Alex used this as backup when the HF radio died approaching England. radio and a Pactor PTC IIPro digital HFHigh Frequency – usually refers to HF radio which is long range digital radio that Berrimilla used to send all but a few of the logs on both circumnavigations. The radio was connected via a Pactor 3 digital modem to Alex’s laptop and used the Sailmail software application called Airmail to send emails and pull in emails, weather and GRIB files. Airmail also supports Iridium satellite telephone messaging and Alex used this as backup when the HF radio died approaching England. controller and modem. Lots of loverly blinking red and green lights – no idea what they all mean! Beyond those two boxes are Steve and Malcolm and the website, the World, all y’all, and you know the rest. The link that made it all possible is called Sail Mail and this is a huge Salute to the people who conceived it and run it and make it work. To Jim and Sue Corenman and their team, to Stan and Sally Honey (Stan, I think is navigating ABN AMRO in the Volvo) and all the station managers around the world – thanks for your competence, your generosity, your willingness to help and for a great service. Without you, we would have been unable to share this adventure and send and receive the 4000 or so emails that have crossed the worlds oceans between us all. It’s a subscription service, there are strict usage rules to give everyone a fair go, but beyond that it’s open slather and amazing value for your money. Jim and Sue are in Sail Mail HQ inFriday Harbour,Washington and you can see the other stations on their website. I have sent messages throughChile,Panama, Daytona, Rock Hill S. Carolina,Lunenburg,Belgium, Red Sea,Maputo (Hi Justice!) and Firefly, NSWNew South Wales. State in the East of Australia. New South Wales' capital city is Sydney., run by Derek and Jeanine Barnard at Penta ComstatA private radio communication service for yachts and pleasure craft, now sadly no longer available.. We may yet talk toBrunei. Pete and I dips our lids to you all.

And special thanks to Marc Robinson who put me on to it, sold me the equipment, spent a lot of his time helping me to learn how to use it – and if I can use it, anyone can – you can find him via the Penta ComstatA private radio communication service for yachts and pleasure craft, now sadly no longer available. website or – if he approves, we can put his email address on the Berri website.