Hindustan Times
To hear the song of the sea
Sometimes the most quiet and unassuming people do the most amazing things. Commander Dilip Donde is one such person. He’s quiet and sparse, his language and manner without any unnecessary flourishes and frills. Perhaps if you saw him in a crowd, your gaze would stop at him for a moment, and then pass on. Without realising that the man you just saw in embarking on a bid to set a new Indian record. For the first solo circumnavigation of the world.
I had a great time interacting with him, and my story about him was published in the paper today. There are some bits that there was just no space for, read them here.
Cdr Dilip Donde with Lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy, aboard the Mhadei.
What made you volunteer for the project?
“It sounded like a good idea. I didn’t think too much about it, I had no clue what I’d let myself in for.”
What is the worst you expect to encounter over the nine-month long trip?
“The worst thing that could happen is damage to the boat. Hopefully it’ll be something I can fix. Of course, there’s also the danger of falling off the boat when it’s pitching and rolling in the extreme weather conditions. I will encounter winds that sailors call the ‘Roaring 40s’, ‘Fearsome 50s’ and ‘Screaming 60s’.”
Do you worry about the solitude? How will you spend your time?
“I look at that more as an opportunity to read more. The only thing is that when you’re alone, you don’t really feel like cooking. Also you feel queasy all the time. But it’s important to eat well. So I’m taking along a collection of all sorts of canned foods.”
He laughs and adds.
“Sometimes, out of boredom, you end up trying weird combinations, and it all tastes great. Once I made rice and dal, and then because I thought I needed more protein, ate it with a can of oysters!”
Does the weather change dramatically?
“Oh yes. On the way back from Mauritius, I was sitting on the deck and reading because the wind had fallen completely and the boat was not moving at all. Suddenly, I saw a squall approaching. By the time I stood up, peeped inside, tossed my book and ran to grab the wheel, the auto pilot had already given up in the strong winds, and the boat was almost toppling over.
You need to always be on the alert. Sometimes at night, you wake up every half an hour to come up and check that everything is okay. That’s another problem with sailing solo, you never get to sleep properly.”
Was mental preparation an important aspect of the preparation for this trip?
“Everybody tells me that it should be. But just getting the boat ready and going has kept me so busy. I know exactly what nut bolt has been put where and how and for exactly what reason. That gives me confidence.”
Did you know?
A circumnavigation is not just a simple matter of sailing around the world. There are rules to be followed.
1.The trip should start and end in the same port crossing all the Meridians at least once and the Equator at least twice.
2. The distance covered should be more than the length of a Meridian i.e. 21,600 Nm.
3. The boat should not pass through any canals or straits, where use of engines/ towing would be unavoidable. She should round the three Great Capes viz. Cape Leeuwin, Australia, Cape Horn, South America and Cape of Good Hope, Africa.
(6 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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Dilip Reply:
July 28th, 2009 at 12:37 am
I have always believed that there is a thin line between being adventurous and crazy. The bigger the adventure the thinner the line. As I start sailing I suppose we will also start discovering which side of the line I stand on!
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neha Reply:
July 28th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Definitely crazy
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