| Date | 25th April, 2002 |
| Time | 1830 hrs |
| Position | Hobart, Tasmania!! |
| Course (True) | N/A |
| Speed | N/A |
| Swell Height | N/A |
| Swell Direction (True) | N/A |
| Sea Temperature | N/A |
| Wind Direction (True) | N/A |
| True Wind Speed | N/A |
| Cloud Cover | N/A |
| Ice Report | N/A |
| Visibility | N/A |
| Barometric Pressure | N/A |
| Estimated Arrival Date | N/A |
26th April, 2002 -At 6:30pm last night (Local Time) the "National Investment Institute" tied up In Hobart thus ending an exciting, dramatic & thrilling voyage around the globe. The last hours were not without incident though. The yacht was originally expected as early as lunchtime yesterday; the yacht was rounding the bottom of Bruny Island yesterday morning. The wind dropped off considerably so Skipper David Pryce decided they would motor the remaining distance. When the motor was fired up, the propeller promptly spun off!! At this stage, we don't know why. With no form of auxiliary propulsion, the yacht was becalmed for quite a while in Adventure Bay. Finally, making it toward the Derwent River, the wind kicked in giving the yacht and crew a pleasant ride up the river toward Hobart.
Don & Margie McIntyre met the yacht approximately 2 miles from Hobart in a Utility Boat and towed the yacht the final distance to the wharf. The Customs & Quarantine Agencies were very obliging, staying on standby until the yacht arrived. When the yacht pulled up, it was hard to believe that this 8 month old yacht had just completed a 25,000 mile voyage through some of the treacherous oceans this planet can offer. The hull was totally unmarked and without any damage, a true testimony of both the crew & indeed the construction of this amazing craft. The only damage was a small tear in the Mainsail which was only suffered 3 days ago.
Once the authorities had cleared the yacht and crew, there was the obligatory dinner last night where Don & Margie McIntyre & the crew celebrated their arrival. Most of the crew will be flying out tomorrow morning to their respective homes and back to a life of dreary normality! Skipper David Pryce is extremely happy to be home and was proud to head a very successful expedition. Keep watching this web site for a full report from each of the crew members and if this voyage has stirred up a need to be part of such a voyage, let us know!! In another year or so there is a strong possibility we will do it all again!
Previous Updates:
24th April, 2002 -With less than 48 hours to go before the "National Investment Institute" returns to Hobart, thus completing it's exciting circumnavigation, the crew are busily cleaning up and getting organising the yacht for its arrival. The yacht is still getting along nicely courtesy of the 20 knot westerly that has developed over the last day. They are still riding a nice little low pressure system that will carry them all the way to Hobart, this has dropped the temperature but the crew are looking forward to the warm cosy normal bed that awaits!
23rd April, 2002 -The "National Investmant Institute" is riding a big low pressure system that should see it all the way to Tassie & home. The wind has swung around to the NNE but that hasn't stopped the crew from enjoying some moderate sailing as they scoot across the Southern Ocean. Skipper David Pryce has advised that they will probably be arriving in the early hours of Friday morning, so if you are planning to come down and see them arrive, you may want to come down on Thursday afternoon at the latest. So you don't miss out, feel free to contact the office on 02 65513399 and they will be happy to give you Don McIntyre's contact details.
22nd April, 2002 -Still the fantastic run continues.. The "National Investment Institute" has continued its great run over the weekend. The wind has been extremely favorable for the longest time now, this has culminated with Saturday's run of over 200 miles in 24 hours! This has been the best day of the entire voyage so far. The crew are obviously in a hurry to get home!
The yacht is definitely due in by Friday, the crew have requested a restaurant be booked Friday night for the "voyage debriefing". So make sure you are all there to meet them!
19th April, 2002 -The crew of the "National Investment Institute" can't believe the dream run they are having. With the wind still astern, skies still clear & the crew so close to home, the mood is very good. The arrival date has been brought forward to the 26th of April. The yacht may arrive on late on the 25th but skipper David Pryce is being a little conservative, just in case. This of course makes it easier for loved ones to greet the yacht as it sails up the Derwent...come down on Anzac Day, take a sickie on Friday, go home on the weekend!! Easy!
18th April, 2002 -The "National Investment Institute" is rocketing along courtesy of a 25 knot NW breeze. The crew are still enjoying blue skies and great conditions, while Perth had its wettest April day ever...amazing what a diiference a thousand kilometers makes!! They are looking toward arriving in Hobart next Saturday and seeing loved ones. The vibe on board is very upbeat and all the crew are in great spirits.
17th April, 2002 -The westerly still persists for the crew on the "National Investment Institute". Blue skies courtesy of a nice big high pressure system..these conditions will keep the yacht moving toward Hobart for the next few days. The crew are getting very excited now..their arrival is now around the 27th.
16th April, 2002 -"Very nice sailing, sun's out.." Not the sort of quote you'd expect from the Southern Ocean but thats the way it has been on the "National Investment Institute" over the last day. The crew are now counting the days until their arrival in Hobart, getting their gear organised and savouring the beautiful days that they are experiencing at this time. With only a week to go until their arrival in Hobart, the crew are reflecting on this amazing trip and the tales they can tell to loved ones very soon..
15th April, 2002 -The dream run continues... The crew of the "National Investment Institute" are lapping up the final days of this leg & expedition. Easy sailing courtesy of 20 knot winds and clear sunny skies are making the final days of this leg very enjoyable indeed. This has given the crew the chance to look forward to landing in Hobart. They are already organising flights home & getting ready for their arrival. A couple of days sailing should see them under the Australian Mainland.
12th April, 2002 -A great run was made by the "National Investment Institute" over the last 24 hours. The yacht has averaged around 8 knots courtesy of a 16 knots NNW breeze. The sea has calmed considerably making the run very smooth indeed. The crew are in great spirits although we suspect that to keep the speed up the crew have got Melanie up the back peddling! The yacht is still expected to reach Hobart on the 27th.
11th April, 2002 -The "National Investment Institute" continues its dream run across the Southern Ocean. The wind is a pleasant 20 knots & the sea has settled a little making their run more comfortable. The crew are in good spirits & are looking forward to their arrival in two weeks.
10th April, 2002 -As the "National Investment Institute" continues its run toward Hobart, the crew are looking forward to getting home. They are a little disappointed that since the Inmarsat System went down, they aren't able to receive emails from loved ones but it is only a couple of weeks until they see them. The conditions have eased a little with the wind easing down to around 20 knots but the seas are still a little lumpy so the crew are glad that they are at least running downwind so that it is at least a little more comfortable than what it could be.
9th April, 2002 -The "National Investment Institute" has made good time since their last report, covering over 390 miles in just over 2 days. All the crew are in very good spirts as they are on the home leg. The trip has been relatively comfortable as the sailing has been "downhill" and the yacht is on target to be home in Hobart on around the 27th of this month.
