Year 3 -22 February 2026 – Kochi- India
We woke early as Paul was flying back to the Uk. It rained in the night quite hard and everything was wet including Paul’s shoes and I had to tip the water out of his trainers!!
Varghese came to collect him and took our washing at the same time. We waived Paul off. He will be missed and it has been great to have had his experience on board and he has certainly got to know Stormbird’s mast as he has been up it several times.
After breakfast Mark and I set about getting the dinghy down which had quite a lot of water in it and it took some time to drain. We got it down and it was covered in barnacles underneath and filthy after its time in Galle. We got the large engine off and then took the dinghy to the pontoon and lifted it on to the pontoon and then turned it over. Using a scraper I was able to get most of the growth off and then a clean with Cif and she came up quite clean. We turned her over and then cleaned inside using a brush and Cif and once done she looked quite clean, a little used and we then put her back on the davits.
Varghese came and he brought a fabric man. The netting on the starboard side of the doghouse has split and the rear seats and rail cushions are looking worse for wear and one of them has rips from the fishing line when it was grabbed by a large fish. He took the seats away and measured up etc.
Mark and I then cleaned the deck as the birds seem to love using Stormbird for target practise. I went inside and Mark sprayed the water round the hatch he had sealed yesterday and we found the leak which was around the rear fitting and the rubber had come out of the groove. This was refitted and sealed. There was also a small leak by the navigation station and the seal there needed to be redone too. The cleaning of the deck took some time but by the end she looked a lot cleaner.
We felt we had deserved a swim so we went to cool down and relax. The exhibition was still on and there was some music noise.
We had a salad lunch and I had used the washing machine on board to do a few pillow covers and put them out to dry.
I was determined to do some printing so took the printer and my laptop up to the hotel and connected to their WIFI. The same problem occurred and I then looked at videos of what it could be. Cleaning the heads, looking for a paper jam and making sure the paper fed through properly. I fiddled around for some time turning on and off. I needed someone to help me. I remember a guy in London whose tag line was “when you are fed up and feel like tossing your computer/printer out the window (which I did) I get between the tosser and the window!!!”. However, after a lot of fiddling and not giving up it suddenly started to work. I therefore tentatively printed all the items I wanted and packed everything away and went back to Stormbird. Technology can be so frustrating sometimes.
Mark had gone back to the pool and I joined him and we swam and relaxed by the pool. As the festival was on we could buy beer in cans which they have you with some free nuts.
We returned to Stormbird, showered and had a rum cocktail as a Sundowner and then as we did not fancy going out had pasta pesto. It is apparently going to rain overnight.
Justin the agent wants to bring a man round to meet me as he was the first Indian to sail solo around the world. His name is Commander Abhilash Tomy.
Commander Abhilash Tomy, KC, NM (Retd) is a retired Indian Navy officer, naval aviator and yachtsman. In 2013, he became the first Indian to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the world under sail. He also competed in the 2018 Golden Globe Race. In January 2021, he retired from military service to concentrate on the 2022 Golden Globe Race. He finished second in the race, becoming the only Asian skipper to win a podium finish in a round the world race.
Abhilash Tomy is one of the two sons born to Lieutenant commander V. C. Tomy, a former Naval Officer, and Valsamma. Abhilash Tomy was born in Chethipuzha Hospital, Changanacherry in Kerala. Abhilash has a brother Aneesh Tomy. Upon completing his schooling, he joined the Naval Academy in Goa, from where he was commissioned into the navy in the year 2000. He completed his flying training in 2002, qualifying as a maritime reconnaissance pilot on the Dornier 228.
Prior to his solo circumnavigation of the globe (which was called Sagar Parikrama 2), Tomy had represented India in several international events including the 2011 Cape Town to Rio Race, Enterprise World Championships, Asian Sailing Championship etc.
In 2006, based on a proposal by Vice Admiral MP Awati, the navy authorised the construction of the INSV Mhadei, a sailboat, which was then sailed solo around the world by Cdr Dilip Donde in 2009-10, making four stops - Fremantle, Lyttelton, Port Stanley and Cape Town. This voyage was called the Sagar Parikrama, and Tomy was chosen as its shore support crew, helping Donde stock up supplies at the four ports.
Based on this experience, and his sailing expertise, he was chosen to helm Sagar Parikrama 2, a non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe, under sail. To prepare him for this role, in 2011, he and Cdr Dilip Donde participated in the Cape Town to Rio Race. On the return leg, Tomy sailed doubled handed from Rio to Cape Town and single handed from Cape Town to Goa. He also sailed to Malaysia and Thailand, with a crew of three.
On 1 November 2012, Tomy and the Mhadei departed from the Gateway of India at Mumbai. After completing a voyage of 23,100 nautical miles, he returned to Mumbai on 31 March 2013, having sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Horn and Cape Leeuwin. He became the only Indian, second Asian, and 79th person to accomplish this feat. A ceremonial reception was given by the President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee at the Gateway of India on 6 April 2013.
2018 Golden Globe Race
Abhilash was a special invitee and the only Asian entrant in the 2018 edition of the solo non-stop round-the-world Golden Globe Race. After 82 days, while in 3rd position, Abhilash's boat was damaged in a storm, and he suffered a severe injury to his spine. He was rescued after a multinational rescue effort.
2022 Golden Globe Race
Main article: 2022 Golden Globe Race
Abhilash took premature retirement from the Indian Navy in January 2021 to prepare for the 2022 Golden Globe Race. Due to back injuries sustained from his previous Golden Globe attempt, Abhilash took this journey with a titanium rod inserted in his spine. He finished second in the race and become the first Asian to do so. Abhilash's sailing commenced on 4 September 2022 from Les Sables-D'Olonne, France and finished on 29 April 2023 after sailing non-stop for 236 days.
He will be an interesting man to meet. We seem to be a tourist attraction where we are as all the little tourist boats come quite close to see us and wave at us.
It had been a good day with some good jobs achieved and some relaxation.
The picture of the day is Stormbird in her new position on the hammerhead.
Need/Opportunity Year Three
In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.
I am looking for crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town (mid June to end of July) and from Cape Town to the Azores and then to the UK (mid August onwards). If of any interest do email me.
The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com