Spirit of Mystery
Encyclopedia
Spirit of Mystery is a replica of the Mount's Bay
lugger
Mystery
which made a voyage to Australia
and back in 1854/55. In 1854 a discussion in the Star Inn in Newlyn
led seven fishermen to set sail in the hope of finding their fortunes. 116 days later, their Cornish lugger, Mystery, a 37 ft fishing boat that had never previously been out of sight of land, arrived in Melbourne
, 12,000 miles away.
by Chris Rees for Pete Goss
. Construction took ten months. She is a replica of Mystery, which made a return voyage to Australia in 1854-55. Spirit of Mystery was launched on 21 June 2008. Incorporated into Spirit of Mystery is wood from Cutty Sark
, and HMS Victory
, with some of the rigging coming from SS Great Britain
.
Construction of Spirit of Mystery closely followed the design of the original luggers. The only concessions to modernity are watertight bulkheads and heavier ballast. Electrics have been fitted as it is a legal requirement to have masthead lights. An engine has been fitted but will not be used on the journey to Australia. Internally, oil lamps will be used, and navigation will be by the stars, although a satellite tracking device allows the progress of Spirit of Mystery to be followed on the internet. As on the original Mystery, a coke stove is installed. However, the diet and clothing of the crew are to modern standards, and there is a toilet and gas cooker on board.
at 18:00 on 20 October 2008, bound for Cape Town
, just as Mystery did in 1854. Pete Goss is reported to have been in such a hurry to leave that he left his socks and pants in a tumble dryer at a launderette. Spirit of Mystery crossed the Equator
on 21 November 2008. The crew is Andy Goss, Eliot Goss, Pete Goss and Andy Maidment. Spirit of Mystery arrived in Cape Town
on 25 December 2008 Spirit of Mystery left Cape Town on 13 January 2009, with an estimated arrival time in Australia of the first week in March.
At 09:30 hrs local time on 4 March 2009, Spirit of Mystery was hit by a wave which rolled her more than 90 degrees on her side. Although she righted herself, Mark Maidment sustained a broken leg in the incident. The boat's liferaft and dinghy were lost overboard in the incident. Spirit of Mystery was off Kangaroo Island
and some 300 nautical miles (555.6 km) off the coast of Australia when the incident happened. Spirit of Mystery sailed towards Australia in order that Mark Maidment could be airlifted off by helicopter
. He was originally scheduled to be rescued during the morning of 6 March 2009. Spirit of Mystery eventually put into Portland
where Mark Maidment was transferred to an ambulance for transport to a hospital in Melbourne where he underwent an operation. The remaining three crewmembers will complete the journey, with an estimated arrival in Melbourne on 9 or 10 March. The boat was damaged in the incident, and was reduced to a speed of 4 knots (8 km/h).
Spirit of Mystery arrived in Melbourne on 9 March 2009. The crew were greeted with a pint
and a pasty.
Mount's Bay
Mount's Bay is a large, sweeping bay on the English Channel coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom, stretching from the Lizard Point to Gwennap Head on the eastern side of the Land's End peninsula. Towards the middle of the bay is St Michael's Mount...
lugger
Lugger
A lugger is a class of boats, widely used as traditional fishing boats, particularly off the coasts of France, Scotland and England. It is a small sailing vessel with lugsails set on two or more masts and perhaps lug topsails.-Defining the rig:...
Mystery
Mystery (lugger)
Mystery was a Mount's Bay lugger which made a voyage to Australia in 1854/55. Her passage to Cape Town was so fast that she was commissioned to take mail from there to Australia.-History:...
which made a voyage to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and back in 1854/55. In 1854 a discussion in the Star Inn in Newlyn
Newlyn
Newlyn is a town and fishing port in southwest Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Newlyn forms a conurbation with the neighbouring town of Penzance and is part of Penzance civil parish...
led seven fishermen to set sail in the hope of finding their fortunes. 116 days later, their Cornish lugger, Mystery, a 37 ft fishing boat that had never previously been out of sight of land, arrived in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, 12,000 miles away.
Construction
Spirit of Mystery was built at MillbrookMillbrook, Cornwall
Millbrook is a civil parish and village in southeast Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is situated on the Rame Peninsula four miles south of Saltash....
by Chris Rees for Pete Goss
Pete Goss
Pete Goss, MBE is a British yachtsman who has clocked up at sea.A former Royal Marine, he is famous for his pioneering project Team Philips. He received a Legion d'Honneur for saving fellow sailor Raphaël Dinelli in the 1996 Vendée Globe solo around the world yacht race...
. Construction took ten months. She is a replica of Mystery, which made a return voyage to Australia in 1854-55. Spirit of Mystery was launched on 21 June 2008. Incorporated into Spirit of Mystery is wood from Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark
The Cutty Sark is a clipper ship. Built in 1869, she served as a merchant vessel , and then as a training ship until being put on public display in 1954...
, and HMS Victory
HMS Victory
HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
, with some of the rigging coming from SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain was an advanced passenger steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Steamship Company's transatlantic service between Bristol and New York. While other ships had previously been built of iron or equipped with a screw propeller, Great Britain was the first...
.
Construction of Spirit of Mystery closely followed the design of the original luggers. The only concessions to modernity are watertight bulkheads and heavier ballast. Electrics have been fitted as it is a legal requirement to have masthead lights. An engine has been fitted but will not be used on the journey to Australia. Internally, oil lamps will be used, and navigation will be by the stars, although a satellite tracking device allows the progress of Spirit of Mystery to be followed on the internet. As on the original Mystery, a coke stove is installed. However, the diet and clothing of the crew are to modern standards, and there is a toilet and gas cooker on board.
Voyage to Australia
Spirit of Mystery left NewlynNewlyn
Newlyn is a town and fishing port in southwest Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Newlyn forms a conurbation with the neighbouring town of Penzance and is part of Penzance civil parish...
at 18:00 on 20 October 2008, bound for Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, just as Mystery did in 1854. Pete Goss is reported to have been in such a hurry to leave that he left his socks and pants in a tumble dryer at a launderette. Spirit of Mystery crossed the Equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
on 21 November 2008. The crew is Andy Goss, Eliot Goss, Pete Goss and Andy Maidment. Spirit of Mystery arrived in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
on 25 December 2008 Spirit of Mystery left Cape Town on 13 January 2009, with an estimated arrival time in Australia of the first week in March.
At 09:30 hrs local time on 4 March 2009, Spirit of Mystery was hit by a wave which rolled her more than 90 degrees on her side. Although she righted herself, Mark Maidment sustained a broken leg in the incident. The boat's liferaft and dinghy were lost overboard in the incident. Spirit of Mystery was off Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island is Australia's third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It is southwest of Adelaide at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent. Its closest point to the mainland is off Cape Jervis, on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula in the state of South Australia. The island is long...
and some 300 nautical miles (555.6 km) off the coast of Australia when the incident happened. Spirit of Mystery sailed towards Australia in order that Mark Maidment could be airlifted off by helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
. He was originally scheduled to be rescued during the morning of 6 March 2009. Spirit of Mystery eventually put into Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
where Mark Maidment was transferred to an ambulance for transport to a hospital in Melbourne where he underwent an operation. The remaining three crewmembers will complete the journey, with an estimated arrival in Melbourne on 9 or 10 March. The boat was damaged in the incident, and was reduced to a speed of 4 knots (8 km/h).
Spirit of Mystery arrived in Melbourne on 9 March 2009. The crew were greeted with a pint
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
and a pasty.