Family support!

The biggest supporter of all is, of course, my wife Michelle!!!! If it wasn't for her dedication to our relationship and patience for my adventuring, then I wouldn't be on course for the Jester Challenge at all. She has kept me pointed in the right direction many a time when I have had doubts about how to pull it all off. Huge love and thanks to my supportive wife Michelle!!!

Kind sponsorship donation

Today is obviously an important date in the creation of Cookie's Jester Challenge. My good friend Paul Hagopian of Boulder, CO has come aboard as part of the Cookie Challenge Team with a very generous cash donation. Paul and I go back many years and various boat delivery adventures. Paul will also be part of the team during the Jester Challenge and will be at the end of the phone to give a weather forecast when needed.
Thanks again Paul and welcome aboard!!!

Cookie is going Bananas!!

Today is a big step forward in the Project. Fyffes Bananas has come aboard as a very kind and generous sponsor in the form of providing shipment of Cookie and all her equipment in a 40ft container from Big Creek, Belize to Southampton, UK next month. This is a huge logistical step forward and I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Jeroen Herders and his team at Fyffes.

London Boatshow

Went to London........didn't get to see the Queen so settled for the Boatshow instead! Got to talk to folks at Musto, Henri Lloyd, Typhoon drysuits and got some good info on AIS systems for ship alerts. it's networking time to start pulling all the aspects of this Jester Challenge together.

It has been a cold arrival for Rory to the UK over Xmas. Snow on the ground in Devon.............first for many years!! But then - the kids have loved the new 'winter wonderland' outlook.
I have been thinking of Cookie tied up to our dock in Placencia, Belize with envy at how warm she must be!!
The next phase of the project is to return to Belize in February and pack Cookie into a container and ship her to Southampton, safe and sound for her next challenge - to take on the North Atlantic upwind in May 2010.