Blandford based sailing enthusiasts John and Jan Simmons won royal approval for their fascinating record of a once in a lifetime cruise. HRH The Princess Royal presented the couple with top of the range Fastfind GPS satellite rescue beacon and pack of safety flares as first prize in the Yachting Monthly RYA Cruising Log competition. The cruising log was written by the Simmons family to record an epic sailing trip on their Contessa 32 yacht, the Goosander II. They set sail from Parkstone Yacht club in Poole in July 2001, arriving 5 weeks later at Ebeltoft in Denmark. The log recorded the daily events and places they visited including Vejro, a remote island in the middle of the Baltic. One of the worst moments recalls the couple, was having to turn back in the face of a storm and return to the port they had just left as the weather was so bad.

John and his wife Jan were presented with a top of the range personal safety satellite beacon from Portsmouth based manufacturer McMurdo Pains Wessex. The Fastfind Plus satellite distress beacon has built in GPS and will pinpoint a vessel or person’s location in an emergency, anywhere in the world.

The couple have been sailing together for over 30 years and their children, Ed, Bex and Rob are now also keen sailors. Ed, 21, returned Goosander II back to Poole. Sailing with friends, who each wrote a day in the log. Which was subsequently entered in the competition.

“Now we have the Fastfind Plus we might look to travel further south, perhaps even to North Spain or Portugal. It will be a great comfort to know that our boys are safe when they choose to sail further afield,” said Jan.