My name is Henry Bomby, I’m 19 years old, and this Saturday, June 12th, I will be setting off from Dartmouth to sail single handed around Britain.
My boat for the project ‘The Seahorse’ is a Contessa 26, and was brought through £2000 of my own life savings and a £7000 loan secured from local boatyard, Baltic Wharf. The loan will be paid back when I sell the boat at the end of project.
I will be starting and finishing from my home port of Dartmouth, sailing anti-clockwise, stopping off in over 40 different ports. Along the way I will also be competing in the:-
• Round the Island Race
• J80 European Championships
• Climbing the Three Peaks
Thank you for visiting my website - be sure to check back soon to catch up with my latest progress as the project develops.
Latest Updates:
01/09/10 - Seahorse FOR SALE
It is with great sadness that I am selling my beloved Seahorse. She is an incredible boat and will provide many happy adventures for her new owner. A complete inventory is available as well as a comprehensive survey carried out in 2009.
So it's been nearly a week since I got home and I havn't had a chance to sort anything! It was straight into Dartmouth Regatta where I have been racing with Mum and Dad and family friends Nikki and Nick which was great fun. We managed to win our class to so a great week for us all!
It is just hitting me that I am actually home, Regatta is over and there is a lot to do. I have literally just left my beloved Seahorse on her mooring since I got in, with everything still on board so tomorrow I will get back onboard to get all my stuff off. Incredibly sad to even think about it, the trip really will be over then. Anyway lot's more to focus on now, got to get my fitness back up for the Artemis Academy trial I have on September 13-15 and also need to start organising what I am going to do with The Seahorse. I have my Baltic Wharf loan to pay back now, so anyone interested in giving Seahorse a caring home and another adventure do get in touch...
24/08/10 - Home
Wow! Yesterday was a very special day, to be thrown out of my own little world and back into the reality of life at home, with friends and family was very bizarre, but also very exciting! There was an amazing welcoming for me at the RDYC which was fantastic, from junior sailors competing in the dinghy regatta at the moment, to friends, family and my incredible sponsors, without all of whom I could have never achieved my goal. I even got to spray champagne, which was incredible! But I think I need to refine my technique a bit more!!
Regatta starts soon, so life back home is very busy, which is perfect. It is also my parents 25th wedding anniversay today, so we are preparing for a big celebration this evening! Very much looking forward to catching up with everyone over the next week, and settling back into life at home. There is a lot to sort out, but I am very keen to get back out on the water and competing again soon.
23/08/10 - Salcome to DARTMOUTH!
Okay I am currently sitting in Salcombe and will be leaving around 1000 this morning to get round start point before the tide turns to strong against me, I should be arriving by Dartmouth castles around 1400 this afternoon if all goes to plan. The forecast is for strong SW'lies which is fine for me as I will be going with it, but Start Bay isn't very nice in these conditions as it's very exposed so anyone coming to see me in please make sure you are properly equipped and ready!
See you all soon!
22/08/10 - Falmouth to Salcombe
With more oncoming gales I have sailed to Salcombe to set myself up for coming in around lunch time tomorrow. The weather isn't ideal but hopefully I will have a window to get round Start Point and home!!
19/08/10 - The Padstow to Falmouth Epic!
After arriving in Padstow I was ready to set up camp for a few days to really enjoy this beautiful place. However the weather had other ideas, so I decided to get down to Falmouth before the gales we have now. I am glad I made the decision, but bloody hell was it an epic leg!
Started off with strong force 5 upwind stuff for 9 hours all the way to St Ives, then the breeze died a bit and the sea flattened so I put the engine on to recharge the batteries. At 10 o'clock it just stuttered and stopped, without any hint or reason why. I tried restarting it but couldn't, so because running the engine is the only way I can charge my batteries for autopilot, instruments and lights etc, I went into power saving mode. I looked at turning back, but with the gales coming I was keen to get round to Falmouth so decided to press on. I spent the whole night helming from 10 until 8 the next morning to just keep the boat moving, never going above 3 knots the whole night. Exhausting stuff.
The leg was already billed as a big one for me, Lands End at night and upwind, so to add the engine issue and the un-forecast lack of pressure, not to mention the impending Force 7 Southerly if I didn't get in in time meant I really had to just sail fast. Which was great, for once I had something to race, not another boat, but the weather! Once we rounded Longships the breeze filled in and we ran for our lives heading East sharpish! It took us all night to sail the 10 miles from the top of Lands End to the bottom, ouch! Anyway in now, so rest up until Monday for my last passage home, a sad thought. Engineer coming tomorrow to look at engine.
16/08/10 - Arrived into Milford Haven, Dale Bay.
After a 26 hour passage I have finally arrived into Dale bay in Milford Haven this afternoon. I am currently tied up alongside the drying pontoon so I can have a walk around ashore as it is high tide, before going onto a floating pontoon out in the middle of the river for the evening. Then it will be an early start to head down to Padstow, setting me up for my last few legs for home.
I plan to be back on the 23 August around mid-day, so today is officially my last week of the trip. And as of tomorrow I will be back in the West Country and familiar waters... Just thinking about the trip being over makes me very sad, what an amazing adventure I have had. (Am having!!)
15/08/10 - Snowdon, done. Onto Milford Haven.
Yesterday I completed my last climb. It was a great day as my brother and Mum and Dad came to do the climb with me. It's the first time I have seen Ross since the start of the trip and over a month since I saw Mum and Dad in Eyemouth so was great to catch up with everything.
The weather delivered thick fog and no stunning views for us at the top. But it was a great day and I am looking forward now to my last long passage of the trip, 120 miles to Milford Haven. Then from there it’s down to Padstow and the West Country!!
13/08/10 - Arrived in Holyhead
After a rough passage I have finally arrived in Holyhead. It was so good to leave Whitehaven after being stuck there for 5 nights. I left at 0000, and it was pretty hectic at the entrance with huge waves. Locking out in the dark was also fun, but as we said goodbye to land the waves became longer and life became more comfortable onboard. It was a reach to start with, and then a broadening reach throughout the day. The wind picked up to a strong Force 6, but going with the wind and waves meant it was possible, if but a bit uncomfortable!
Snowdon tomorrow!
10/08/10 - Storm bound in Whitehaven
My plan was to be leaving Whitehaven yesterday evening and arriving in Holyhead this afternoon. But a Force 6 from the South West, (exactly where I want to go!) meant I stayed put to wait for the North Westerly today. However the Force 4/5 which was forecast has now been up to Force 6/7, so it's looking like I will be staying here for another night. With the busy shipping coming out of Liverpool and the forecast rough sea's around Great Orme Head I think it best to sit tight for a bit longer. Myself and the Seahorse have come a long way, and I don't want to be putting her in any boat breaking conditions by choice!
08/08/10 - Scafell Pike, done!
Okay so I am now officially 2 mountains down! Fantastic! And by Thursday I hope to have them all ticked off which will be great. Again the weather was rubbish, no view at the top and thick fog meant I got a bit disorientated on the way up. It was not as busy as Ben Nevis climb, and I ended up on the wrong path, but I found my way up and managed to follow the cairns which was great. I didn't feel very tired at the end of it; the whole walk took me just under 3 and a half hours including a rest at the top so I am pretty pleased with that. Looking forward to Snowdon walk now, rumour has it some friends and family are coming to join me for it! Awesome!
07/08/10 - Campbeltown to Whitehaven via Portpartrick
Wow, the leg from Campbeltown to Portpatrick was tough! Probably the hardest leg I have done mentally. It was upwind the whole way, I left at 9 in the morning and didn’t arrive until 9 that evening. The weather was horrendous, big waves stopping us dead, heavy heavy rain and strong tides that were against us at key points. At one point I also had about 10 ships near me as the fog descended, I wasn't a happy bunny and I certainly was relieved to get in that’s for sure! I got a few hours rest in Portpatrick before leaving at 3 the next morning to head to Whitehaven.
What a contrast! I was met with a beautiful morning, and had north westerly winds, meaning I had the kite up the whole way. The sun shone and we averaged around 6 knots with the tide which was ideal. Meant I got into the lock before low water, just! Meaning I had time to sort everything out for Scafell climb which was great.
05/08/10 - Campbletown
After reluctantly leaving Portavadie and there awesome showers I headed down Kilbrannan sound, past Arran to Campbletown. It was a great sail, a strong F4/5 off the land, meaning a nice broad reach to upwind as the wind backed throughout the day. The NW forecast for tomorrow looks good, meaning I should arrive in Portpatrick in good time to set off early Saturday morning to Whitehaven. I will arrive in Whitehaven in the evening on Saturday, and will then tackle the mighty Scafell on Sunday if all goes to plan!
