An excited charity sailor is making her final preparations before jetting across the world to crew a racing boat in aid of mental health.
London Colney’s Shona Davies is embarking on the six month Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - she will help to navigate two legs of the 40,000 nautical mile journey on a 70-foot yacht.
She will cruise 5,000 miles from western to eastern Australia, and then a further 7,000 miles from Australia to northern China via Vietnam.
Shona hopes to raise £20,000 for the adventure, half of which will be donated to Mind in Mid Herts. It is a charity close to Shona’s heart after it pulled her through a mental breakdown in 2015.
She said: “It was, hands down, the deepest and darkest period of my life thus far. I felt like my life was over when in fact, it signalled the beginning of something else and my clipper journey is part of me taking charge and healing myself.”
Shona sets off this Saturday: “I just can’t even get my head around it - it’s all over the place, I am trying to finish the admin, get packed, and shop. It’s chaos at the moment. But I am really happy, it’s absolutely exciting.
“I am going to miss everyone, but I am going to miss my dog the worst. I am absolutely desperate to spend time with him at the moment.”
She added: “I will try to make sure the blogging, the Facebook, and the Twitter is up to date so everybody can see what’s going on.
“There’s a tracking website as well, which is the most addictive thing in the world.”
At the time the Herts Ad went to press the crew she will be joining were in the lead, and she is optimistic about winning: “We are not called “Dare to Lead” for nothing!”
Shona has raised about £6,500 so far through numerous events, including a charity ball and auction at St Michael’s Manor Hotel, a Gotrovo treasure hunt around St Albans, a pirate themed pub quiz at the Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, and a wine tasting at Thirty Nine 10 on George Street.
Fundraising will continue when she returns to London Colney in April next year.
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