British record-breaking yachtswoman, Dee Caffari, arrived into Plymouth today ahead of the Artemis Transat.
British record-breaking yachtswoman, Dee Caffari, arrived into Plymouth today ahead of the Artemis Transat. The transatlantic race starting on 11 May will be Aviva's first competitive outing since her launch earlier in the year and Caffari used the delivery trip as a training run before the historic Trans-Atlantic race from Plymouth to Boston.
It has been an eventful week at sea, during which Caffari's has tested all the systems on the boat in a range of conditions. After a series of minor incidents over the weekend, Caffari commented: "In the space of 24 hours I had gone from sailing at twenty plus knots to zero boat speed. I also dealt with an oil leak from the generator and spent five hours detangling myself from some fishing line that had held Aviva fast during that time. The contrast from sailing Aviva at speed to fire fighting problems reminded me of the challenges that lie ahead for me in both the Artemis Transat and Vendée Globe."
As Caffari neared the Lizard Lighthouse she reflected on her solo circumnavigation.
"As I neared the Lizard, it took me back to the end of the Aviva Challenge which was less than two years ago. I can't believe how far I have come in such a short space of time and how lucky I am to be here thanks to a devoted team and a sponsor that believes in achieving more than you think you can. The reality is that there is still a long way to go and this will not be the only time I have to deal with issues whilst sailing for much longer periods of time."
As she stepped ashore in Plymouth today, Caffari commented: "What an amazing few days I have had alone with Aviva. I was keen to work on some of my weaker areas and feel pleased to have achieved a much better balance of eating, sleeping and sailing during our time offshore. Aviva and I certainly had a few issues along the way but I overcame the challenges with support from my team which has all added to my confidence ahead of the next race."
Read Dee Caffari's full account of her sail from Portugal to Plymouth
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