26. Sailing Around the World: 47,000 Miles of Oceans, Islands and Adventure Aboard a Discovery 67

The Long Way Around: Sailing the World Aboard Sapphire II What does it really take to sail around the world, and what happens when the carefully planned route suddenly disappears? In this episode, Tim sits down with Simon Phillips, owner of Discovery 67 SAPPHIRE II, to look back on an extraordinary circumnavigation that ultimately saw the yacht cover around 47,000 nautical miles during Simon’s ownership. The adventure began with a dream familiar to many sailors: to sail around the world. After buying SAPPHIRE II, Simon and his family prepared the yacht for serious bluewater cruising before setting off to join the World ARC. What followed was an adventure across oceans, through some of the world’s most spectacular cruising grounds, and ultimately far beyond the original itinerary. Then COVID arrived. With borders closing and the organised rally disrupted, plans had to change dramatically. Rather than ending the adventure, however, the interruption ultimately transformed it. The pressure of keeping to the World ARC schedule disappeared, allowing Simon and his family to slow down, change their route and spend considerably longer exploring the places they had sailed so far to reach. Simon talks about passages through the Galápagos and French Polynesia, time in New Zealand and Fiji, cruising the Whitsundays, and continuing through Indonesia, Mauritius and South Africa as SAPPHIRE II gradually worked her way around the planet.  Along the way, Tim and Simon discuss the realities behind a voyage of this scale: preparing a yacht for ocean sailing, managing maintenance thousands of miles from home, finding parts and expertise in remote locations, dealing with weather and making the decisions that keep both yacht and crew safe. SAPPHIRE II herself is a major part of the story. The Discovery 67 was designed as a serious bluewater cruising yacht, combining the space and comfort needed for extended periods aboard with the capability to undertake long ocean passages. After tens of thousands of miles, Simon reflects on what worked, what he learned about the yacht and the equipment aboard, and what he would do differently if he were preparing to leave again. But perhaps the biggest lesson from the circumnavigation has little to do with equipment. Simon’s advice to anyone dreaming of doing something similar is simple: don’t rush it. A circumnavigation can easily become a succession of deadlines and ocean passages, when the real reward lies in having the time to stop, explore and experience the extraordinary places along the way. As Simon puts it, “You’re never going to do this again… take your time and enjoy it.”  From ambitious plans and unexpected interruptions to remote islands, ocean crossings and 47,000 nautical miles aboard SAPPHIRE II, this is the story of what happens when you stop dreaming about sailing around the world – and actually go.