On 23rd July 2005, Mukti Mitchell, environmentalist, DCA member and designer of the Explorer with its novel lifting keel (see B185, p73), was scheduled to set off in the prototype Chance from Clovelly, North Devon, on a tour of the South West to promote low carbon lifestyles. Powered by sail and oar alone in true DCA style, with no engine on board, Mukti's plan was to liaise with local media during his trip to draw attention to the carbon emissions created by our lifestyle and how to reduce them. The South West tour was intended as a pilot for a 2,000-mile, 4-month, Round-Britain tour in 2006.

Unfortunately the tour's arranged sponsor was unable to fulfil their sponsorship, news of which came close to the launch. The tour was already on the front page of the North Devon Gazette and in Sailing Today magazine and the North Devon Journal, so a special promotional appeal was launched to enable it to go ahead.

We were unsure as to the outcome until very recently, so it was a real pleasure to receive Mukti's email confirming the success of his trip.

After initially running into bad weather and being forced back to Clovelly to rest, Mukti continued successfully around the South West Coast via Padstow, Newquay, St. Ives, Falmouth, Plymouth and Exeter.

He had to take shelter three times from bad weather, once at Dandy Hole in the Tamar, voted Cornwall's 3rd best anchorage, where he sheltered from a Gale Force 8 on Wednesday 24th August. He was becalmed several times, rowing up to six miles with the help of the tide. This forced him to anchor in some of Cornwall's prettiest secluded coves, with turquoise waters and many varieties of fish. Rounding Land's End went very smoothly on 10th August, but on the 17th he went too close to Dodman Point, getting becalmed in the choppy overfalls, and having to row out of very uncomfortable conditions. The worst conditions of the trip were encountered at Start Point, the day after the Gale 8, which had left big seas behind.

Mukti writes, "Some of the waves were 8 or 9 feet high, steep, and travelling very fast. Luckily Chance's First Mate Adam Rees from Tenby, a watersports instructor who has been involved with developing the Explorer from the very beginning, was on board. We lost a navigation light overboard, but it floated and we managed to retrieve it in the middle of the night. We furled up the foresail completely and travelled under a reduced mainsail only to slow down and prevent surfing down some of the big waves. Sometimes a wave picked the boat up and there was a gaping hole in front, but we never went down it. However, I never felt too worried for my life as the Explorer can capsize and self-right without taking on much water."

A lot of wildlife was seen around the Cornish Coast, including seals, dolphins and basking sharks. Some beautiful and amazing vessels were spotted in the various ports, including one gentleman in Falmouth who had sailed all the way from Sydney to take part in the Fastnet Race (a 4-day race from 8th-12th August), and then set off to sail home again, a four-month trip! The Explorer took part in the Royal Fowey Regatta, competing for the Lloyds Bank Cup, despite not being very competitive as Mukti was single-handed at that time, greatly slowing down sail manoeuvres. It was an exciting race as there were two big collisions between yachts, and 17 out of 26 yachts in the race had to retire for various reasons! This did not include the Explorer, which completed successfully, and attracted many delighted looks from other yachts, on account of its being so small.

Mishaps on board were fairly minor, including losing a chart, compass and navigation light overboard, all of which were quickly retrieved, partly thanks to being able to reach the water from the cockpit with one hand on the tiller. On departure from Exmouth towards Topsham with a very strong tide, the flogging foresail sheets wrapped around a cleat on the pontoon, just after releasing the mooring lines. The boat swung sideways and rammed into the pontoon, then leaned over steeply as the side-on current pushed her over.

Mukti writes, "Luckily I had made a safety provision of a knife on the end of a piece of string inside the hatch, and I reached in, grabbed it and cut the rope, setting us free. It's satisfying when you've made a safety provision, forgotten all about it, and then when you need it, it works."

There followed a pleasant evening's row up the river Exe in the setting sun, arriving at the beautiful historic town of Topsham at nightfall, the evening of a thoroughly enjoyed voyage. Ben Jones, DCA, was among the many who welcomed him there, with an invitation to dinner! A warm welcome was also received from sailing clubs and others along the way, and a great deal of interest shown in the Explorer and low carbon lifestyles. 2,000 fliers on low-carbon living were given out to yacht clubs, individuals, and councillors in the towns and cities visited. The tour was covered by the newspapers of most of the regions visited, and by a series in Sailing Today magazine.

The Explorer was towed back to North Devon by road – not so 'Low Carbon' – but, "20 litres of fuel in 5 weeks is actually a very low carbon dioxide output," says Mukti. "The trick is not to look at a particular item, but look at the use of fuel over a certain time period."

For more information on low carbon lifestyles and the Explorer microyacht visit www.mitchellyachts.co.uk or call 0845 345 5075.