AN Indian sailing yacht, crewed by two female navy officers, has arrived in Fremantle for its first stop in a 40,000-kilometre trip around the world.
Lieutenant commanders Roopa, aged 31, and Dilna, aged 32, are attempting to complete the historic journey by May next year.
“It’s a dual-handed circumnavigation, so in India or Asia, nobody has done it – it’s a historic event for us,” says Cmdr Dilna.
After three years of preparation, and 38 days at sea, the 17-metre-vessel INSV Tarini arrived at Fremantle Sailing Club last Sunday.
Cmdr Dilna says the first leg of their journey was a little too smooth sailing.
“Initially when we started from Goa, we had no winds, so we were stranded for a few days.
Despite the slow start, Cmdr Roopa says they were happy to arrive in Fremantle.
• Commanders Roopa and Dilna in Fremantle on their historic voyage. Photo by Macey Turner
“It’s a very pretty place, very beautiful. We’ve heard a lot about Fremantle and Fremantle Sailing Club, because this is not the first time the Navy has done a circumnavigation… it’s like a very historic place for us.”
If successful, the lieutenant commanders will be among only 10 Indian navy officers to circumnavigate the world.
In 2017, the INSV Tarini made a successful maiden attempt with a crew of six female officers.Prior to that, two other successful solo attempts were made by the women’s mentor, commander Abhilash Tommy.
“We have a lot of support… we have a group of people that trusted us and believed in our abilities, and we have [our] mentor…so that gives us a lot of confidence,” says Cmdr Roopa.
“In India, we don’t have many boats like this, we don’t have a marina like [Fremantle]… we don’t have such facilities but still we have a lot of vision and dreams,” says Cmdr Dilna.
Fremantle is the first of four stops. The next leg takes them to New Zealand, then to the Falkland Islands and finally, around Cape Horn in Chile to South Africa.
Time limit
“Rounding of the Cape Horn is what we have planned the entire journey around… because there’s a time limit. So, after this, the journey is going to get tougher,” says Cmdr Roopa.
Despite the treacherous winds, waves and isolation to come, Cmdr Dilna says there’s only one thing they are really worried about.
“It’s going to be very cold; it’s going to be freezing cold… it’s going to be two degrees or zero – freezing temperature.”
“We both are from south India, and we are not used to this!”
The 17-metre yacht has no insulation or air-conditioning. They share a single bunk on a constant rotating shift. There’s a small, aeroplane-like washroom and small kitchen area for meals.
Cmdr Roopa says despite the cramped space, the women don’t get sick of each other.
“We’ve been sailing for like three years now… we’ve come to know each other a bit more now.
“Even though we’re together, it’s a bit easier to slide in and out of your solitude if you want… we respect each other’s space… it’s like a home on the boat now, we feel a lot more comfortable on the boat.”
So comfortable that the commanders say they don’t want the dream trip to end.
“We saw the Comet a3, which is only every 80,000 years… it was very clear skies, and we could see it for one week,” says Cmdr Roopa.
“[Also], beautiful sunrises, and sunsets… dolphins, and whales and sea birds,” says Cmdr Dilna.
“We’ve already started talking… it’s going to end; what next?”
The dual crew will end their spell at Fremantle Sailing Club next Sunday, and Cmdr Roopa says they are excited to get back out to sea.
“It’s a very addictive sport. Once you’ve been out there, in the middle of the ocean, you start liking it more – the perspective is different out there, so you want to go back.”
by MACEY TURNER