Page 114 - AGC-Journal-2016
P. 114
AGC JOURNAL 2016
Exercise
Transglobe
Exercise Transglobe was a Introduction Transglobe Leg 4. Southern
circumnavigation of the world By AGC Colonel Commandant, Lieutenant General Indian Ocean Crossing
expedition. The aim was for James Bashall CBE, Colonel Commandant AGC
two 72 foot Challenger yachts I recently completed Leg 11 of Exercise By Major Stephen Marsh
to complete, in separate legs, Transglobe. We sailed 1,100 miles from I was a Watch Leader on Leg 4 on the
an around the world voyage Miami to New York, stopping along the Transglobe circumnavigation expedition
from Cape Town to Freemantle on the 72
way at Cape Canaveral, Charleston and
over a period of 15 months. Hampton Virginia. For most of the legs we Foot Yacht, Discoverer. The skipper is flat
were some 50 miles offshore, looking to out on the deck below the mast with a
take best advantage of the Gulfstream to broken back but the crew are limited in the
push us north. assistance they can offer in the middle of
a storm. The main sail is half way down
The trip has highlighted to me the and the 72 foot sailing yacht ‘Discoverer’
opportunities, excitement and adventure is being tossed about like a rag doll half
offshore sailing has to offer military way across the Indian Ocean. I manage to
personnel. It promotes all the best secure him to the yacht via his harness in
qualities we look for in our people. It order to prevent a possible man overboard
creates teams and builds trust. Those
on watch have the lives of the crew in
their hands, and there is no escape from
responsibility and leadership. It is at times
Leg 4 crew less skipper celebrate a safe arrival in
Freemantle Australia harsh, uncomfortable and dangerous;
and after three weeks at sea we were all
better people for the experiences we had
endured.
Steve Marsh at the helm 2,300 miles from the nearest land mass
114
*2016 J Layout.indd 114 10/01/2017 15:41
