Sailor and adventurer Pete Goss MBE has reached an exciting stage in his latest project as he prepares to unveil the 37-foot Cornish lugger ‘Spirit of Mystery’. On Friday 6th June the wooden boat, which has been built by local craftsmen in a shed at Innsworke Mill Boat Yard in Millbrook near Torpoint in South East Cornwall, will be pulled outside in preparation for its launch later this month.

Emerging into the light, it will be the first time that the vessel has been seen in all her glory. Carefully drawing the 16-tonne boat from its birthplace on wooden rollers, the team will guide Spirit of Mystery into the boat yard so that the masts can be stepped and final touches added. As with all of Pete’s projects it will be open to the general public and the launch will be a family affair with something for everyone.

Starting at 5pm on the longest day of the year, the Spirit of Mystery will be gently lowered into the water at high tide – 7pm. Pete has built Spirit of Mystery to shine a light on the bravery of the seven Cornishmen who made the heroic journey to Melbourne to escape poverty and seek out a new life in Australia.

Leaving Newlyn on Saturday 18th November 1854, the Mystery travelled about 11,800 nautical miles in 116 days before arriving in Melbourne on 14th March 1855. Pete will follow in their wake in a boat that has had history literally built into it, as Pete has sourced wood from Nelson’s Victory and the Cutty Sark, and a part of the rigging from the SS Great Britain.

Keep up with the exciting project at petegoss.com