The new challenge will commence on Thursday 24th of March 2005 at 6am when the intrepid sailors will put out to sea from Cardigan to circumnavigate Ireland. This is expected to take around 2 weeks.

Unforeseen problems regarding insurance unavailability for the boat and weather conditions meant that the UK mainland challenge could not take place in January. During April and September the boat is booked for trips to continental ports and is therefore unavailable.

During the voyage, one stop that the sailors will call upon is a remote fishing village on the west coast of Ireland, where another challenge has been set by the skipper of the Keewaydin. This will be to tow a 41 foot yacht, built in 1938 on the Isle of Man, back to Cardigan.

Whilst visiting the village, a donation of £300 will be given towards a lifeboat that the villagers are raising money for. There is a sad history behind this boat in that the owner and four crew members were drowned recently.

The Ireland challenge will not the end for three crew members. They have made themselves available to help the skipper of the Keewaydin sail the vessel back from Sweden at the end of September 2005 to make up for the mileage lost from the original UK Mainland challenge.

Money raised for the challenge so far is around the £6,000 mark, but due to other recent disasters i.e. the Tsunami in South East Asia, we are now looking to raise £15,000 instead of the original £50,000 target. Donations are still greatly accepted to meet this target.

Please make cheques available to:
"Dorian Ellis Jones Memorial Fund"