The Chronicle, Spring 2019

34 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

A Long Voyage

Shell Timothy Long is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: next summer, he will set off from Southampton with the aim of becoming the youngest person ever to sail solo around the 1,800 nautical miles of the British coastline. We caught up with him to find out more.

two miles to 40 miles offshore, depending on the wind, but by the time I set off, I’ll have the experience to cope with most eventualities. In the past two years, I’ve sailed over 800 nautical miles and had experience of night sailing, force 7 winds, and some very lively thunderstorms! How will you sleep? When you’re sailing solo, you often have to doze by the tiller or sleep in 20-minute intervals. The night sailing I’ve done is good preparation. It sounds daunting, but as a sailor, you become completely attuned to your boat. You are aware, even if dozing, if something doesn’t feel right or there’s an unusual sound. Tell us about your fundraising. Sailing kit can be very expensive! I will need to raise a sum of £10,000 for the voyage, £2,800 of which I’m hoping to raise via crowdfunding at www.pledgesports. org/projects/round-britain-2020-2 (open until early May). I’m really pleased that a private sponsor has already promised quite a big sum, and friends and family are making donations all the time – but there’s still some way to go.

How difficult will it be? Although it’s coastal sailing, it presents different challenges to offshore or blue water sailing because the UK’s coastline is quite jagged and can be hazardous. For instance, the Severn Estuary has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world – about 15m. How long will it take? Around six to seven weeks and I will be completing the voyage in 200- to 400- mile legs, stopping off for two or three days between each leg, depending on the weather. The longest leg will be up the east coast to Scotland. Will you be on your own in the boat all the time? Yes – but that part of it doesn’t worry me. I’ve learned to treat the sea well and I know what I’m doing. I could be anything from

Your Round Britain 2020 challenge will also form the basis of your Warden’s Project – tell us how. Before I set off next summer, I need to carry out a major refurbishment of my Hunter 19 sailboat, Isabella . I’ve brought her to school, parked her near the Art and Design Department, and will carry out all the refurbishment as my Fourth Form Warden’s Project. If all goes to plan, she will be ready to set sail next summer. I started sailing when I was nine years old and was instantly enthralled by it. I love the freedom of being alone with my boat and the water, and the fact that you are utterly self-reliant out there – you have to make your own decisions. I spend large parts of my summer sailing and I find that I enjoy it more and more as I get better at it. On top of the sailing challenge, there are places along the way, such as the west coast of Scotland, I’d really love to visit. Quite soon, GCSEs and Sixth Form studies will become a big focus, so next summer seems the right time to embark on this venture. The added thrill of maybe breaking the record is even greater motivation. Why take on the Round Britain Challenge?