Adrian Flanagan is currently floundering around in the doldrums en-route to Hawaii where he will take on extra supplies.

Flanagan who set sail from Falmouth on 28 October on his 11m stainless steel sloop is now nearly six months into his westabout round the world global voyage but gear failure round Cape Horn on 20 February forced Flanagan to make a decision to divert to Hawaii.

In his latest report dated last Wednesday he was still 1,800 miles away from the Hawaiian Islands and was suffering in the unsettled conditions straddling the equator. Commenting Flanagan said: “Since getting up this morning I have been through two gales and sat practically becalmed in boiling sunshine and it isn’t even lunchtime yet.”

According to Flanagan the north-east trade winds were due to settle but loneliness after nearly six months away is beginning to take its toll. Flanagan continued: “?I am going to have to dig deep to keep going. It will take a Herculean effort not to moor up in Oahu to go in search of the nearest 5 star hotel.

“Two nights ago whilst on deck watch I sighted the lights of another ship in the distance. The was the first sign of human life I had encountered in almost three months!”

Louise Flanagan, Adrian’s shore manager has been working hard organising the supplies package to be collected by Flanagan off Honolulu. The package that was delivered to DHL, will be transported to Honolulu and then handed over by the Waikiki Yacht Club. Louise Flanagan commented: “Finally my sitting room has lost its warehouse feel as I took Adrian’s supplies to sponsors, DHL in Hayes on Friday morning. There I was met by Penny Darnbrook (Communications Manager) and Ray Hards (Airfreight Manager). The three of us went through every piece to check that it complied with customs regulations. As I am so nervous about anything breaking in transit Ray even thoughtfully wrote on the box ‘handle like eggs’!