Australian solo sailor Eric Marsh has miraculously survived a harrowing night at sea after being thrown overboard in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
The veteran ocean racer was doing work on the bow of his yacht when a rogue wave crashed into the side of the vessel and sent him flying into the treacherous waters.
Still attached to the moving boat with a safety line, Marsh, 72, had to overcome being dragged through the water to haul himself back on board.
“I thought my life was going to end,” Marsh said after his safe arrival in Mauritius. “It was a pretty scary ordeal. By the time I got back on the boat I was exhausted and shaken. Thankfully someone was looking after me.”
Marsh was between the islands of Rodrigues and Mauritius, enroute to Africa, when he struck trouble last week.
He estimates he was in the water for only about 10 minutes, but every minute in the ocean is a race for survival against the elements.
Suffering mainly bruising and grazes to his upper body, Marsh managed to avoid any major injuries that would have compromised his self-rescue.
Undeterred by his brush with death, Marsh has rallied to continue his round-the-world voyage, setting off last night for Durban and then Cape Town on his yacht Sunbear.
Marsh is one of 11 remaining competitors in the inaugural Mini Globe Race – a 24,000 nautical mile adventure on miniature yachts that measure just 5.8 metres in length.
Four competitors have retired since the race began in Antigua on February 23.
“We all know that an event like this is very high risk. We train and set our boats up to be as safe as we possibly can,” Marsh said.
“An unfortunate incident like what happened to me can happen. I was lucky to be clipped onto a jack line with my tether. It may have helped if I was on the shorter clip. Lessons can always be learned.
“I’m still focused on completing my dream.”
The fleet of Globe 5.80 boats are the smallest to ever take on the challenge of sailing around the world.
The race is divided into five legs, sailing from Antigua to Panama, then Fiji, Cape Town, Recife and back to Antigua. The sailors make regular stops and regroup along the way.
Marsh, a retired builder who moved to Coffs Harbour from Melbourne, caught up with his competitors in Mauritius where they were able to debrief about his recent ordeal.
“I’ve talked to my fellow sailors and I hope everyone has learned something out this scary incident,” Marsh said. “I’ve made a few adjustments to the jack lines to make them more user friendly.”
Going into the race, Marsh knew that the current leg from Fiji to Cape Town would be the most challenging and he still has to tackle the notorious bottom end of Africa.
“A lot of people have said, ‘you’re mad’ and ‘why do you do it?’ and you tell them it’s a lifelong dream, which it is, but ultimately I think it’s a personal challenge to see if you can do it.”
Read more about the Mini Globe Race and Marsh’s epic journey: ‘Half crazy and very healthy’ – what it takes to sail a mini yacht around the world at 72 – Sister Sally
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