 Dee Caffari is sailing against the prevailing winds and currents |
A 32-year-old yachtswoman hoping to sail solo non-stop around the world the wrong way has reached the half-way mark of her 26,000-mile (42,000km) trip. Dee Caffari, from Gosport, Hants, is currently heading towards Cape Leeuwin in Australia onboard her yacht Aviva.
The former PE teacher set off in November to become the first woman to sail the east to west route against the prevailing winds and currents.
She still has 11,500 miles (18,500km) to go before she reaches her home port.
She is currently below the Australian mainland heading west on day 95 of the voyage and plans to return to Portsmouth sometime in May after about 170 days at sea.
Ms Caffari said she had to tackle some heavy seas over the past few days.
'Almost relaxing'
"[It's] Amazing what can be achieved when you are not hanging on for your life," she said.
"I achieved a lot of jobs and that has made me much more relaxed. Each day that went past in conditions that made life difficult, made the job list grow and to cross jobs off helps build confidence again.
"I completed a comprehensive deck check and ended by having a shower and changing some clothes. The latter job probably made me feel better than anything."
But the yachtswoman still has to tackle a large part of the treacherous Southern Ocean which could mean 40ft (12m) waves, extremes of temperature and severe lack of sleep, with sometimes as little as one hour in a 48-hour period.