AUSTRALIA!
SAFE AND SOUND!
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BRAVE CREW
OF FALCON GT
ON YOUR AMAZING AND SUCCESSFUL ADVENTURE

"WE'RE HERE!"

L-R....Doug Gayford, John Gayford, Brendan Shadford, Stuart Hamilton, Doug Sandrin

First Line cast at arrival

1- Out of the shipping channel, arriving about to swing alongside pier; 2- About to tie up alongside, Doug G & Stu. shake hands, Brendan takes video, John at the helm with son Thomas to the side and Doug S. prepares the ropes.... Top 4 arrival photo's courtesy of Bernie Fox. Thanks Bernie.

27/2 L'il Al at sunset (D.G.); 27/2 Doug G with his favourite candy (S.H.) 1/3 Playful Seal (D.S. video still).

22/2 More SO waves (B.S.); 22/2 John enjoying sun with approaching squall (B.S.); 26/2 John at the helm in rough seas (D.S.); 27/2 Chart Plotter approaching Australia (D.S.)

20/2 Chart Plotter showing route so far, brown line Goss route (D.S.); 21/2 Stu cooking dinner with the gimbled stove (D.G.); 21/2 Stormy rough seas (J.G.); 22/2 Big SO wave (J.G.)

20/2 Sunrise on the Southern Ocean (D.G.)

15/2 Doug G writing emails (S.H.); 16/2 Doug S. at the helm on a dark and stormy night on the SO(D.G.); 16/2 Crew enjoy fresh muffins baked by Brendan (D.G.); 18/2 John misty day on the Southern Ocean ( D.S.)

Sunset on Southern Ocean (S.H.); 12/2 Movie Day-Three Stooges (D.G.); 10/2 Big wave on the bow (D.S.); 14/2 Stuart at the Helm in rain and stormy SO waves (D.G.);

10/2 John steering a big wave on the Southern Ocean (D.S.)

7/2 Drying out the wet gear (D.S.); 7/02 Big Al. (B.S.); 09/2 Brendan enjoying HH (D.G); 10/2 Brendan at the helm in stormy seas (J.G.); 10/2 Monster SO waves (D.G.)

7/02 Big Al landing on the Southern Ocean (picture by B.S.)

4/02 Big Splash (J.G.); 5/2 Doug S. after a cold, wet watch (D.G.); 7/02 Sunny, Lazy Day on the Southern Ocean (D.G.)

29/01 Petrel rescued by Stu from fishing line. (no injuries); 1/02 Doug demonstrates use of Satellite Phone with antenna out the window

Doug G using pinhole and paper to view the eclipse (D.S.); Doug S using sextant to view eclipse (D.G.) 28/1 Doug S. on cold morning shift (J.G.) Stui and John onward to Aus. (D.G.)

26/1 Solar Eclipse (all photo's by Brendan S.)

25/1 Sunset over the Southern Ocean
(picture by Doug S.)


24/01 WHALE in the Southern Ocean
picture by Brendan

24/01 WHALE! Brendan captures the action. ( S.H.) Last picture...."upside down" showing his half white belly (2-B.S.)


23/01 Wandering Albatross (B.S.) Stui bird watching (B.S.)

23/01 Doug G on radio to Peri Peri (B.S.); 23/01 Chart Plotter as of S.A. (D.S. ); 20/01 Doug G trying out his floater suit (S.H.); Li'l Al's Amy Whitehouse Look (D.G.)

22/1 Doug S cleaning and skinning the Tuna; L'il Al quick landing for a scrap of Tuna
pictures by John (J.G.)

17/01 Departure Day, Doug S. rounding the Cape (B.S.); 20/01 John's Mahi Mahi catch of the day (D.G.) 20/01 Li'l Al does a perfect landing (B.S.)

Jan. 16th False Bay Yacht Club Simon's Town (D.S. from hilltop hike)

10/01 Cape Penninsula (B.S.); 13/01 Pete Goss, Elliot & Mark with FGT (D.S.) 14/01 Falcon coming out of the water (D.S.); 16/01 Doug S with "Just Nuisance" Simon's Town;

L-R: Jan 11 Bedtime for Stuart, Doug S writing daily blog (D.G.); FBYC (both by B.S.); Penguin (B.S.)



L-R: Jan 11th Pete Goss and Doug S. (D.G.); Stu, Brendan & Doug G on Spirit (D.S.); Brendan, John and Doug S. having a beer with one of Spirit's crew. (photo courtesy of Pete Goss)


L-R: Spirit of Mystery docks in Simon's Town (D.G.); Navy ships in background (D.S.); John, Brendan, Doug G & Doug S. touring Spirit of Mystery (S.H.)



Penguin Beach..also shows the Channel FGT sailed through (d.g.); Arrival of "Spirit of Mystery"(j.g.)



Houses along the coast (d.s.); John gets a shave at Cape Town train station(d.s.); Falcon Gt at FBYC (d.g.)



Sleepy Seal (d.s.); Doug tempted to give him a pat. (s.h.); Train to Cape Town (d.s.)



Jan 08 False Bay Yacht Club(j.g.); Stu being cooked in pot with greens (d.s.); Simon's Town (j.g.)



Jan 08 Brendan with Aunt & Uncle (d.s.); FBYT Simon's Town (j.g.); FBYC Simon's Town (d.g.)



Jan 07 Sunset over the Cape (d.g.); Jan 08 FBYC & Naval Base (d.s.); Breakfast for the crew


Jan 07 Rounding the Cape: John & Stu; /Doug G & John: (d.s.); Cape Horn. (s.h.)


Jan 07 "I told you I'd find it" (d.s.); " We see Land at last!" (s.h.); Table Mtn. South Africa (d.s.)


Jan 07 Doug watching ship (j.g.); passing ship & Albatross (d.s.); first sight of land (d.s.)


Jan. 05 Heading hard straight into the wind and waves (d.g.)

Jan. 05 Brendan on watch (d.s.); Doug S. watching big waves (d.g.)

Jan 03 Stuart catches 30lb Tuna (d.g.); Doug G cutting it up (d.s.); Some cleaned up (d.s.)


Jan 03 Doug S. searching in the V Berth (s.h.); Stuart showing how to steer on a good night (d.s.)


Jan 03 Dolphins (d.g.); Jan 02 Brendan early morning watch (d.s.); Stuart sleeping (d.s.)

Dec. 30th Stuart sharing his birthday cake (made by Brendan) with Captain John

L'il Al the Albatross putting on an airshow and a rare view of him taking a break (d.s.)

Dec 29th Crossing the Prime Meridian (d.s.)

Dec. 26th Doug S. on his birthday shift (j.g.)

Merry Christmas

Christmas Catch--Mahi Mahi (j.g.) Christmas Dinner (d.s.)

Dec. 23rd Petral (j.g.) L'il Al Abatross (d.s.) Quick shot of Dec. 22nd gale (s.h. while steering) Doug G. steering after the gale (d.s.)

Dec. 07
THE "BOLD" (or "Bald") sailors send out an EARLY CHRISTMAS CARD
"MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM "THE NEW HEMISPHERE(S)"
by Brendan

Brendan setting up the camera for the Christmas Card Picture (d.g.)

Dec. 20th Blue Spinnaker (b.s.) Speeding Along (b.s.) Dec. 19 Calm Evening (s.h.) Dec. 18 Doug S on whale watch (d.g.) Dec. 17 Sunset (b.s.)

Dec. 16 Brendan and Doug s laundry day (d.g.) Doug S doing swan dive Doug S after swim (b.s.) Dec. 15 Blue Spinnaker (d.s.)

Dec 13 Shearwater (d.s.) Dec. 13th Martin Vaz Island. (b.s.) Dec. 12th Portugese Man O' War (b.s.) Dec. 11 Stuart catches a Mackarel (d.g.)

"CROSSING THE LINE" --DEC. 4th 13:57 EDT. FALCON GT SAILS ACROSS THE EQUATOR and Pollywogs become Shellbacks after initiation rites are performed by King Neptune and his devilish assistant. To celebrate this special occasion Chef Stu baked a cake--and Brendan, already a shellback since childhood, gets initiated again. (d.s.)



Dec 01 Funny Flying Fish (b.s.) Falcon GT drifts in the Doldrums (d.g.) Doug G watches a movie (d.s.)

Nov 28 Blue Spinnaker (d.s.) Nov 26 Doug G cooking Mahi Mahi & Chips (d.s.) Nov. 26 sunset (d.s.) Nov. 25th Enjoying the sea (d.g.) Nov. 24 Lunch Time (d.s.)

Nov 24 sunset (d.g.) Doug S watching a passing ship (d.g.) Nov 23 sunset (d.g.) John enjoying a breakfast of fresh scones and muffins (d.g.)


Nov 23 John testing the back up tiller (d.g.) John and Doug in their tropic outfits (d.s.) Nov 22 Passing Ship (b.s.) Nov 20 Stuart & Brendan taking a swim (j.g.)


Nov 20 Classic Anvil Shape Thunderheads (d.s.)

Nov 18th Fish Day...three catches later on Doug S enjoying the cooked version (pics by d.s. & d.g.)


Nov 17th rain squall (b.s.) Doug S and rainbow (b.s.) Nov 16 John sailing at warp speed (d.s.) Nov 16 Deep Blue Sea Wave (d.s.)



Nov 16 Brendan and big wave (d.s.) Nov 15 Everybody busy (d.g.) Nov 13 Stui the baker (j.g.) Nov 13 Stui and sunset (b.s.) Nov 13 John having fun speeding (d.s.)

Nov 12 John working at the top of the mast (d.s.) View from the top (j.g.) John enjoying HH after a hard day's work at the top. (d.s.)

Nov 12 Sunrise by Doug S.

Nov 12 Clean Veggie locker (j.g.) Nov. 11 Brown Seaweed No 11 FGT laundry boat (b.s.) Nov 11 Doug G at the helm (d.s. )


Nov 10 Tropic Bird trying to hitch a ride (j.g.) Flying Fish (d.g.) Doug G "Stuing Steak" (j.g.) Relaxing day on the North Atlantic (j.g.)

Nov 9th Sunrise Splash (j.g.) Doug G steering (d.s.) Brown Seaweed floating by (d.s.) Brendan reading while seaweed floats by outside (d.s.)

Nov 8 Waves (b.s. ) Nov 8th Sunset (b.s. ) Nov 8th Stuart and John on watch (b.s.)

Nov 8 Doug S on night watch (b.s. ) Brendan on watch (b.s.) Nov 8 Sunrise (b.s.) Nov 8 'Ocean Spirit' passes by (j.g.)

Nov 7 Stui looking serious (d.g.) John on the high seat (d.s.) Doug S enjoying the splash over the bow (j.g.) Doug S at work station (d.g.)

Nov 6 sunrise (d.s.) Brendan steering and taking video (d.s.) Nov 5th "sea-sky" surfing the waves Nov 5 Stui watching big waves

Nov 5th Seas behind us (d.s.) Nov 5th Surfing the big waves 15-20ft. winds 25-32 kt gusts (d.s.) Nov 3 Sunset (s.h.)

Morning Wake up Call (j.g.) John and Spinnaker (d.g.) Gulf Storm calming down (d.s.) Doug S suited up for the North Atlantic (d.g.)

Stuart enjoying the sail (d.s.) Doug S. sailing the North Atlantic (d.g.) John raising the main sail out of New York (d.s.) Stuart and John first sunset on the North Atlantic (d.s.)

DEPARTED LIBERTY LANDING N.Y. OCT. 31st
AUSTRALIA HERE WE COME!

Oct. 29th Daily Happy Hour: Cheese, cocktails, dinner then time to check emails.
Still lots left over for the trip to Cape Town!

NEW YORK N.Y. OCTOBER 23rd

Mast back on ready for The Hudson River October 20th

Deepest Lock for the crew on the Erie Canal-40ft deep: Photo by Doug G.

Frosty morning

ONE OF THE MANY LOCKS ON THE ERIE CANAL

Journey Across Lake Ontario, Down the Erie Canal and the Hudson River to N.Y.

Departure Day

SV-Falcon GT motored away from Bronte Harbour Tuesday Oct.14th at 12:30p.m.
A crowd of family and friends came out to wish the crew Bon Voyage & Good Luck on their adventure.Weather was cloudy with 20 knot winds gusting to 25 knots. Clearing later. Mast is down until they have cleared the bridges & locks on the Erie Canal, and they arrive at the Hudson River Albany N.Y.

The Night Before Departure

Left to Right:
Stuart; Doug; Brendan; John; Doug

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