I first heard about the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race from a friend who was keen to join up. A conversation over a couple of beers turned into a loose plan for the three of us to do it together. Unfortunately both my mates have since experienced health issues which have prevented them from getting on-board. Originally I was looking at doing three of the eight legs of the race. However the more I got involved in the training and the whole event, the more I was ‘hooked’.
The first four weeks of the required training just blew me away. Every part of the experience was unbelievable: the team spirit; the bonding and just being on the ocean and facing the elements. The power on board a racing yacht when the sails are full of wind is absolutely awesome.
In the end I decided "it's a round the world race, so I really want to go all the way around".
Between the time my interest was first aroused and signing up for the race, my father Tom Moore lost his battle with Melanoma. He had been living in Port Macquarie in his twilight years and was very well looked after there. I am sorry I won’t get to share this adventure of a lifetime with my Dad, but the fund-raising challenge my wife Chris is leading on our behalf will be a fantastic thing. I hope you'll join with us in supporting Melanoma Patients Australia (MPA). Information about MPA is available on their website www.melanomapatients.org. You can support my fund-raising effort by donating online via my Everyday Hero page www.everydayhero.com.au/barry_moore!
My father-in-law Norm commented the other day “Tom would be very proud of you”. I’m not sure if he was referring to the sailing or the fund-raising. I’d like to think Dad would approve of both!
A common reaction to my announcement that I would be taking 11 months off to sail around the world has been the shock and surprise that I was able to get such an extended “leave pass”. I am the first to acknowledge that without Chris’s support, none of this would be possible. We’ve been married for 39 years and there’s no doubt about it - she’s an absolute gem!
These pages will hopefully document my progress from someone who freely admits to being “no sailor” to seasoned circumnavigator of the globe.
Once we set sail, I’ll hopefully be able to post updates from on board and from the ports we stop at around the world. Having spent time as a professional photographer I am keen to document my experiences “on film” so to speak. I would also like to make this journey exhilarating and inspiring not just for me but for other people too. I expect this blog will allow me to do just that in sharing the journey with you all.
I know it's going to be one hell of a challenge. I know there will be highs and lows and probably some lulls and troughs as well. I also know this will be a time in my life I’ll never forget!
Once the race starts you'll be able to follow the progress of all the boats on the official race website which will display up-to-date photos, result sheets and video footage. Just go to http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com.
Apparently there is a huge global media interest in the race ... according to the Clipper people, the event has a cumulative global audience of 500,000,000. You never know, I might end up on the evening news in your neck of the woods or become an overnight YouTube sensation if I do something really silly (and get caught on video).
I'm looking forward to sharing this “adventure of a lifetime”!
