Sailing, solitude and hearing voices

Jonny Malbon playing catch up

Vendee Globe, 13th October 2008

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The prolonged solitude will also be a big challenge for him: " Three weeks is the longest I have been on my own on a boat. I did 12 days on the old boat and then 12 days on the new boat.

The first time I went out on my own I was hearing voices clearly which was eerie. I could hear key phrases constantly at the back of the boat, ‘Roger’ and ‘Ready’ and found myself talking to myself constantly, and responding out loud to things that I had not said, which was a bit disconcerting. And when I got back I was not any more mad.

This time I heard a lot less and said a lot less. But at one point I did say out load, unprompted ‘I don’t think so mate’. That was tiredness and stress. This time I was scared and more relaxed. Also this time I did not have the feeling there was someone with me the whole time which I did the last time. There was a point when I would go on deck and say ‘right we are going to gybe now’."