9 months to New Zealand

Talked to an old friend today for the first time in years and was surprised to hear his plans.

He's bought a 31 foot boat and is about to sell up and head off to sail to New Zealand! He's going to take his time - about 9 months - taking the traditional Westward route of Biscay, Canaries, Caribbean, Panama, Pacific Islands etc.

And after that? Well he's talking of heading on to his home country of Australia where his Dad came from (Melbourne) and then maybe to keep going through the Indian Ocean to do a circumnavigation - or even keep going some more and do a circumnavigation and a half!

At the moment its just him, he has no crew. He's prepared to do it single handled but if there were volunteers........

Tempting!