Tough sailing for Australia crew

Mr Goss said the crew's boat was a "little tank"

West Country sailor Pete Goss has said conditions have been tough since he left on board a wooden fishing boat for Australia.

Mr Goss and his son Eliot, brother Andy and brother-in-law Mark Maidment set off on 20 October and are retracing a voyage from Cornwall made in 1854.

Their vessel, Spirit of Mystery, is relying on sail and navigating by the stars, like the original sailors did.

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.

Weather mellowed

Mr Goss, from Newlyn, said the crew had struggled through a storm off Portugal and then faced another when the four decided to shelter in the Madeira Islands.

They stayed for a few days and the weather mellowed.

"It's been colder than I thought, but the boat is in good shape," said Mr Goss.

"We have a little tank here."

The crew hopes that it is past the North Atlantic depressions and expects to pass the Canaries on Thursday.

"We are settling down now.

"We are all getting on really well. We are a happy little boat."

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.