Whitehead sailor in round-the-world bid

Whitehead man Alan Dowey, 55, set off from the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean at the beginning of September to begin an adventure that he hopes will take him all around the world.

Currently sailing off the west coast of Africa, Alan will guide his 36-ft yacht ‘Cheal’ along the old Clipper ship route and intends to go south of all capes.

He will return to home soil in nine to 10 months in what will hopefully be a first for any Northern Ireland sailor.

Growing up in Newtownabbey in a family full of sailing enthusiasts, Alan had a taste for adventure from the start, according to his daughter Marilyn Braden.

“He started off simply as a fisherman collecting lobsters for a living, but he knew he wouldn’t stop at that. Over the years he has sailed a numbers of boats and has had many small but exciting adventures,” Marilyn said.

“He had no sponsors for this trip or other outside help apart from a dear friend, Andrew Elliot from A&E Electronics, who has been great in times of need. Dad has a satellite phone which he got specifically for this journey, so no matter where he is in the world his children are still able to bother him!”

Also supporting Alan along the way are children Sarah and James, as well as grandchild Sophie. “When asked why he is going on this trip, he simply says, ‘why not?’” said Marilyn. “It’s for the pure adventure, thrill and excitement and he can’t wait to tell his story at the end of it.

“He has been called many a thing over this challenge - a wandering soul, a free spirit - but to his three children it’s simply Dad doing what he loves best!”

Alan’s progress can be tracked at www.recode.co.uk, while he will also be keeping a regular blog on his sailing experiences at http://sail-cheal.blogspot.com/