Solo,In A Seething Sea

India’s first circumnavigator shares details of his survival in the southern Indian Ocean, and his long, lonely wait for help.

- Commander Abhilash Tomy

September 21 presented an unfamiliar sea. A sea that I had not met in all my rovings, not even during the circumnavigation in 2012-13. Waves hammered the Thuriya from port and starboard. The sound and fury was unimaginable, and I struggled to keep the yacht under control.

The Golden Globe Race HQ had warned me about 10m waves and winds in the range of 50 knots. Here I was battling 14m waves and winds in the 70s.

And, then the Thuriya met that freak wave. I just remember a loud noise, and the deck canting at around 110 degrees. Scared that I would be thrown overboard, I clung to the mizzenmast. The breaking wave kept knocking the boat down. I clung on to the mast for dear life. And, suddenly, the yacht righted itself and I was left high on the mast.

Wanting to reach the deck in one piece, I started slowly sliding down through the tangle of lines. Then, the next wave hit us. I was sure that this monster would smash me on to the deck and wash me overboard. But, the Thuriya would not let go of me so fast.