Dismasted, Saved - Sell all and go sailing again..

'Rescued from one of the most remote locations on earth' .

They lost their mast in the remote South Atlantic in February. To their amazement they were rescued, but had to scuttle their uninsured yacht. Most people would have had enough, but the hardy and adventure-seeking Clelford's of Cornwall are now selling everything to go sailing again.

Iris and Mike Clelford, who live at Perranuthnoe in Cornwall, have put their popular Castle Beach Caf? on the market with a guide price of ?500,000.

Selling all and going sailing again! - .. .

The couple are aiming to sell their business to buy a new yacht and fund a sailing trip around the world after their 39 ft yacht Brilliance was lost last January when towering waves broke the mast deep in the torrid South Atlantic.(See Sail-World story)

As their insurance was only third party they lost everything when forced to sink their Westerly Seaford yacht during the rescue.

Mrs Clelford said: 'We were going to cash in a pension fund but after realising we are not getting any younger and might need a pension we have decided to put the caf? on the market so we can continue sailing around the world.

'We love Falmouth and would not leave unless we had another exiting plan. It is a double-edged sword, we do not want to leave but we want to go to sea again.

Determined to set off again she added if it has not sold in six months then they still have a plan B to cash in the pension fund and then sell the caf? in five years time.

Surprised anyone would be interested in their story, Iris said: 'If people saw the beautiful sights we saw and met the wonderful people we did, they would know why we have to go.'

The couple is still in contact with friends they made on their last ill-fated trip with the South Georgia harbour master Pat Lurcock and his wife Sarah the island's deputy post mistress having visited them a week ago in Falmouth.

Paying tribute to Falmouth coastguard, which played a central role in their rescue, Iris said: 'We were the furthest away from anywhere in the world and we would not have been rescued if not for them.

'We will both always be in their debt.'

Tongue in cheek Iris added: 'They often pop down from their base for a break and we joke they only helped save us because they like our bacon butties so much.'

Before their recent mid ocean rescue the couple used to regularly spend the winter months sailing around the world in their 39ft yacht Brilliance.

On their last trip they had set off from Tierra Del Fuego to spend Christmas and New Year in the Falklands before setting off for South Georgia at the beginning of January.

After stopping to carry out much needed repairs to their yacht in South Georgia the couple set off again, only to face disaster.

High seas and strong winds battered their yacht for days before their mast snapped leaving them struggling hundreds of miles from anywhere.

The couple were picked up by the Korean bulk carrier Pan Voyager which was travelling from Uruguay to Sri Lanka, after they activated their distress signal. They travelled on the Pan Voyager for two weeks to reach Sri Lanka, and flew home from there.

Bravo Clelfords!

by Packet Online/Sail-World Cruising