Crew 'happy' on wooden boat trip

The crew left Newlyn on Monday

A team of West Country sailors en route to Australia in a wooden fishing boat have all been sick, but are as "happy as a bean", says their captain.

Pete Goss, his son Eliot, brother Andy and brother-in-law Mark Maidment, set off on Monday from Newlyn in Cornwall in Cornish lugger, Spirit of Mystery.

The journey was inspired by seven Cornishmen who sailed to Australia in a similar boat, called Mystery, in 1854.

Mr Goss's crew said they hoped to make it to Australia by the end of February.

They hope to make it to Cape Town, South Africa, by Christmas.

Like the crew that inspired them, the Goss crew is relying on just a sextant and the stars to navigate.

But it has not helped them overcome a lack of wind, as they are still in the Bay of Biscay.

'Spirits high'

Mr Goss told BBC News: "When we left it was not perfect weather and the first night was pretty wild, but we wanted to make Cape Town before Christmas to be with our families.

"Everyone has been seasick - I am always seasick for the first 24 hours - but spirits are high."

The crew is on 24-hour watch, taking it in turns to rest.

"We have all been tired, but we are starting to get into the rhythm of it," said Mr Goss.

"And we always make sure we have breakfast, lunch and supper together."

A log entry from the 1854 voyage said: "Our gallant little boat rides the mountains of sea remarkably well."

Mr Goss said his boat had proved "very strong", but did not sail well into the wind, which combined with light winds, had meant slow progress.

"But we are as happy as a bean," he said.

"Yesterday we saw lots of dolphins. I don't think the camera has a wide enough angle lens to fit in Eliot's grin."

The trip has been raising money for the charity Mr Goss is patron of, Cornwall Playing for Success, which provides out-of-hours activities for children.

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