First Leg - The Start
When we returned from the last major refit in Phuket, all the technical stuff was done. Destiny had a new windlass in place. The new unit was sized up for a 50-foot boat, and it had a new 8mm chain—95m long—and new Lithium Battery sets along with new solar panels. The boat was ready.
The start dates and preparation had started - this was the last tango!
The date was set for 06 Feb 2023. The crew was already in place: two guys—Libor Holson and Bill Rogers. Libor was the more experienced of the sailors, and with all this in place, tension and stress were mounting.
We were pleasantly surprised when the Maldivian Government, represented by Mohd Raaidh, the Director of the Tourism Body, sponsored Destiny and her crew for the Maldives Rally 2. This event involved an 18-day trip through the islands of the Maldives, and their support was an extremely generous gesture. With this sponsorship, the stage was set for our journey, which would begin with an ocean crossing of nearly 2,000 nautical miles from Port Klang.
The last dash involved the provisioning and, for me personally, the mental preparation. One could say this was probably the hardest element—I had never crossed an ocean on any sailboat, I had never sailed more than a 300-nm stretch, and it is often said that the Indian Ocean is the hardest of the three major oceans to cross.
People frequently ask me about the toughest challenge I've encountered on my journey. Without hesitation, I share that the hardest decision was letting go of the lines that anchored Destiny and me to solid ground. This moment beautifully symbolizes the courage it takes to embrace significant change. It's not just about sailing; every major life transition comes with a thrilling mix of excitement and apprehension. Taking that leap of faith can feel overwhelming, but it opens the door to incredible new adventures!
The crew arrived about a week before the departure date, and we proceeded to get to know each other. Tasks were delegated to them, mainly provisioning and rearranging the supplies. I decided to provision a week’s worth of food, mainly dry stuff and canned food.
Fabian, Libor, Bill and Rama - the current Commodore of the Royal Selangor Yacht Club
The decision to store food was a bit extreme, but a lot of the food remained with me until I got to Panama.
Dinner Christmas before Departure
