The real test, of course, came when their boat sank from under them between Panama and the Galapagos. Maurice, having worked so meticulously to prepare the boat, at once saw its loss as a huge failure on his part. He was certain they were now doomed and plotted ways they might kill themselves to forestall their suffering. Maralyn, meanwhile, could not conceive of not surviving

Following the sighting Nick rented a small plane to locate VAL and was set to rent a boat to bring VAL when the police said they had a training exercise nearby and they would tow VAL into Eden. Nick was told not to tell anyone that VAL had been found to avoid salvage claims.  VAL was repaired in Eden about 235 miles south of Sydney. A local man donated to Nick a new full suit of sails that he had kept for his next boat that never came to pass because of ill heath.

Bolivar, sometimes known as Porky, an experienced fisherman whose hands are large and whose plastic sandals are held together with tape, has done something stupid. To make enough money to fix it before his pursuers cut off his ears, he needs to catch fish.

It was an easy but painful decision to abandon SOLUTION. She was clearly sinking. I estimated  that the water was rising an inch every ten minutes and it was now completely covering the  floorboards, with 8 inches to go before it covered the main batteries located beneath the lower  bunks in the main cabin.

Today’s big news is that a vessel heading east has agreed to take myself and Jon out to Panawina on their way to a nearby island on a cargo run. We leave tomorrow afternoon and will be sleeping on the laid decks under the stars as she steams through the night under the watchful eye of her owner, Samuel.

I could not believe my luck! Ten days earlier I had a small glimmer of hope that Maiwar had landed on an isolated island, but this was solid evidence!

In about twelve days time the oldest yacht in Australia will either have an appointment with a chainsaw or become the subject of one of the bravest rescue missions seen in the last decade. Crazy things have been going on in the wooden boat market recently. Let’s hope it’s the latter!

We repeatedly emphasized that we were aboard a small 8-meter sailboat, but the response was the same each time: "We are a 50-meter three-masted sailboat, and we offer our assistance in towing you to Paimpol."

A rather beautiful boat stands on the hard, on the banks of the Tamar. Unknown, Un-Named and seemingly, Unloved. Can you help us solve the mystery?