alone. “‘it wasn’t for lack of | _ offers, either,’’ says Hemp- .. sall. ‘‘But it- was a greater — challenge to sail alone, and also I felt: ’ able.’’ Just returned from his year-long adventure, he is .- fit-looking and: tanned. I - talked to him as he was. Ay year ago last July, yachisaan Colin Hempsall 7 was beating his way out of the Straits of Juan de_ preparing for a lecture at the | West Van Yacht Club, to be held 1 in November. i _ Hempsall, an artist, with _ many sketches and paintings . which are being made. § into . slides for his | presentation. _ . The secret of he “I worked on this trip 4 The only one. I would have .. - taken is my wife, Ruth, and She just isn’t ready. to B . offshore, yet.”’ ‘LONG PLANNING | “When ‘Hempsall "passed Cape Flattery and. headed. | ‘down to San Francisco he was + following | a route. that : _ 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. - V7M 2H4 OFFICE/NEWS. [604] 980-0511 | CLASSIFIED 980-3464 CIRCULATION | 986-1337 @ CNA Publishor Peter Speck Associate Publisher Bob Graham Editor-in-Chief Nool Wright Managing Editor Andy Fraser News Editor Chris Lloyd - Photos Ellsworth Dickson Advertising ' Director Eric Cardwell Trattic Manager Donna Champion | Classified Berni Hilliard Circulation Yvonne Chapman Administration Barbara Haywood ° Accounts Sylvia Sorenson North Shore News, foun-: ded in 1969 as an Indepon- dent community newspapor |" and qualified under Schod- : ule 111, Part 111, Para-:: Graph 111 of the Excise Tax Act, is published oaach Wodnesday and Sunday by the North Shore Free Press Ltd. and distributed to every door on the North, Shore, Second Clase~Maill . Ragiatration Numbor 3885. ° ' VERIFIED CIRCULATION 47,00) _ ‘Entira contents © 1076 North Shore. Free Press - Ltd. All rights reserved. | he, " for over two years before I left and the preparation was long and intense.”’ He made a track plan; consulting ‘pilots’ (reference books used by offshore — sailors), atlases and every ‘other source of information he could obtain. ‘‘I went to the library, and also talked to every person that I knew who had offshore experience, before I went. That’s why I got back in one piece.” MODERN PIRATES He says that one of the things he was advised about by the U.S. coast guard, was, strangely enough, pirates. **South of San Diego, there are places where people are ‘reported to have had their boats commandeered, and I have been told on good ‘authority that some of the ports on the west coast of Latin America are not safe for a singlehander. You can’t stay awake all the time when you're by yourself."” Part of. his planning involved a route. that would keep him clear of areas where the risk of hijacking was grentest. San Francisco was reached thirteen days after Hempsall beat out of the Straits. He says that the first few hours of the trip were the worst. ‘Anxious. to clear. the ‘heavy’ : traffic of the shipping lanes, _. Fuca, against a prevailing westerly wind. Hemp- he stayed inthe cockpit of sall, then 58, was on the first leg of a solo voyage. passing Cape Flattery at 1 to the South: ‘Seas. The. retired advertising am, Ps _ executive and teacher was intent on realizing the oP | dream that comes to all sailors. | He had decided to sail~ had been planned out long i in advance. . ‘successful long-distance voy- . -ages. is planning, - planning S ays ‘more. planning,’’ more comfort-. sa _ wrapped himself ina blanket [| and waited through the long . fight. ‘I think that’s the ‘most. dangerous time. for:any_ only stay alert so o long, a and i in WEST VANCOUVER YACHTSMAN Colin Hempsall, 59, sailed back to the West Vancouver Yacht Club in . August, completing a solo sea voyage that took a year. “were times ‘I should have. ~ been more alert than I was.” the vessel for a long time, — It was cold, and | Hempsall . singlehander,’’. he. said. » *“One gets tired, -and can a R~ oe 48 U.S. Gai. “(48x12x20) Saie fac » | 72 U. s. Gal. (4ex1 ex20), ‘Sale 98." 99 7 | With the purchase of your aquarium— . | | 48 gal. size custom sub sand filter | . Sale 23.°. 72 gal. size custom sub sand filter. Sale $2." 90 (ienit of tanks & filters c one per customer. Saler runs while quantities last) the traffic zones I know there Reg. 28. 99. WORST WEATHER But no close calls were experienced, and Hempsall had an uneventful trip until a © day out of San Francisco, . when' heavy weather with winds at about twenty-five — _ | = | | BS knots came up. “‘I think it | oa _ , Reg. 37. 99 | | meee. _ ese SHAMS 2s 20 may have been the worst Reg ; weather of the trip, and it j Really Different a a. _" = ° was a relief to me to see the Aquarium lamp. . = For the kids! | SS boat come through so well. | SS , a> The only damage was the The perfect gift = 2FREEGOLDFISH = port-side trail board, that — ' Se ; TO came off due to save action.” &.. (no purchase necessary) — 3 Reg. 29.99 Pn ato" 2, &' Sale 16°. ePatatatetatate® onan ras Saat tet soe Ruth flew to San Francisco _— ares as eeangeooneast spaenenoons ov and the couple enjoyed the: a ce _ Hompealt’ cetied’ cat’ uree Fantastic in store SPECIALS on fish! Hempsall sailed out. under t t d ° oo, : t course for Hilo, Howaii, Come in and see us in the Westlynn Mall: set course for Hilo, Hawaii. Westlynn Aquarium & Pets _ CONTINUED Westlynn Mall, North Van. PAGESI 986-481 2.