The Mercy Page #4

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Chichester averaged

131 miles a day in his ketch.

- I believe I can make 200 in a trimaran.

- (Laughs)

I tell you what I see

when I look at you, Donald.

I see a part of England that's been lost.

The intrepid part that Churchill convinced

us of when the bomb were falling.

That "never say die" England.

I tell you, you're a story of derring-do

waiting to be told, Donald Crowhurst.

(James) When do you set sail?

Well, the rules of the race state that

competitors leave by October 31st.

So, before then.

- (Simon) And how will you go?

- The clipper route.

Down the Atlantic past Cape of Good Hope

and into the Southern Ocean.

Not really a place

for our little Pot Of Gold.

Streaking across the Roaring Forties

south of Australia, north past Cape Horn,

and back into the Atlantic again.

Trudging across the Horse Latitudes

before getting a last puff

from the Westerlies.

(James) Wow! What an adventure!

(Hallworth) So far we've got plenty

of tinned goods from Crosse & Blackwell.

We've got a commitment from Whitbread

for barley wine. Looks nice.

Now, also, the BBC are going to provide

you with a camera and tape recorder.

They're wanting you to keep an audio

and visual record for a film piece

- they're planning on your voyage.

- Film?

They want you keep

a daily written account, as well,

so you'll come back

a sailor and an author.

Golden Globe, slate one, take one.

Your husband will be gone for six months

with only intermittent contact.

Is that daunting to you?

I'm going to need you

to send me frequent updates.

I can drum up all the publicity

and whatnot,

but I want you to help me feed the beast.

The beast?

Well, naturally, I shall miss him because

he's the most marvellous company, but...

Well, I told myself it's only six months,

and we're going to manage in that time.

And I have no reservations whatsoever

about his safety,

because he's the sort of person

who will think of 1,001 ways

out of any situation.

I want you to make it real for all of us.

The wind, the waves, the whales, the...

All of it.

We're going to make you famous.

(Radio) 'The third competitor of the

Golden Globe race, Robin Knox-Johnston,

'is leaving today.'

'The Golden Globe trophy

will be offered to the first person...'

He's leaving today,

and we're not even in the water yet.

He may get back before I do,

but the question remains,

who can make the trip the fastest?

So, when are we leaving?

August at the latest.

Don't want to give them all

too much of a head start.

I am not going

to ask Mr Best for more money.

That's out of the question.

With all the new ideas, we seem

to be getting further and further behind.

Are you telling me August 1st

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