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Never before

Photos I’ve never before posted, taken on board ‘Suhali‘ during a severe Atlantic storm.
Robin told me, 20 minutes later ‘Suhali‘ was rolled and dismasted. 

Suhali, Atlantic RKJ- GF Collection

Once again Chris Fag responding to the related post below, raised an interesting point.
This raised a >NEW< theory pertinent to the dismastings during the #GGR18 fleet which of which only 8 yachts are still sailing.
I’ll share my reply with you in my text below. 

Speaking of “Roaring Forties” in the post below, and by way of beginning my explanation of my remarks above, this famous painting “Roaring Forties” was named by Robin Knox-Johnston, thus the prints [Available via my web site from £147 inc P&P] carry this title and a marvellous quote from the original letter Robin sent me, as a subtitle. 

Suhali, Atlantic RKJ- GF Collection

I was working in the fore deck, I saw this grey beard approaching.

It wasn’t the biggest but it looked dangerous.

I leapt into the rigging to avoid being swept away, > for a brief inglorious moment there was me & two masts in sight & nothing but ocean in any direction for 2,000 miles“ <.

For those who don’t know, the title ‘Roaring Forties‘ refers to the 40 th parallel [South]. 
A very very stormy region where great seas can encircle the globe only slightly hindered as they pass between Cape Horn and the Antarctic continent, through Drake’s Passage, [named in honour of it’s discoverer, the first captain to complete a circumnavigation, Sir Francis Drake, from Plymouth]. 
The ‘old salts’ who annually drove the crack clipper ships from Australia to Europe and N American destinations with wool and later, grain cargo, named this formidable region “The Roaring Forties“.
The name caught the public imagination. 
Robin being a Master Mariner, thought the name appropriate for this the first of three paintings he commissioned from me. 

Suhali, Atlantic RKJ- GF Collection

To #Chris Fagg I replied “Chris Fagg I can only repeat what I wrote previously.
Robin told me the hatch was open. 
A >NEW < theory… 
Taking in a half dozen tons of sea water ballast while not recommended practice, saved ‘Suhali’ from being rolled the way she was years later in the Atlantic and the way 4 of the competitors in today’s GGR18 have been rolled and dismasted.  

Suhali, Atlantic RKJ- GF Collection

I’ll run that thought past Robin when I next write to him. 
I recommend you read “A World of My Own” by Robin K-J. 
It’s a good read. 
If you need the ISBN I’ll get it from my copy for you. 
Here for you all which I’ve never before posted, are pics Robin gave me, taken he said, 20 minutes before the Atlantic dismasting after which he had to sail 1200 miles to the Azores under a jury rig.

The photos were given to me by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and are published here for the first time with his kind permission.

The Iconic “Roaring Forties“, few paintings more clearly illustrate the power of the sea…and man“, ~ Dick Durham, Editor, Yachting Monthly. 

Suhali, Atlantic RKJ- GF Collection

Today the 50 th anniversary year race is know as “The Golden Globe Race“.
A 2024 race is being planned by the redoubtable Don McIntyre, Chairman of the Golden Globe Race 2018 and his team ~ you could enter ?