It happened at three o'clock in the morning. Australian Eric Marsh had climbed onto the foredeck of his "Sunbear", construction number 79, to haul in the spinnaker pole - when a wave washed him overboard. His luck: he had hooked in the safety line, Marsh later reported.
Marsh: "It was the scariest time of my life"
He tried to climb back on board - but the boat was travelling at five to six knots, which made the situation more difficult. What's more, his deployed lifejacket hindered any attempt to get over the side of the boat. Marsh finally let himself sink further towards the stern, where he managed to pull himself back on deck after several attempts.
After the incident, he informed his wife and the organiser:
It was the scariest time of my life! I honestly thought it was all over for me! After many attempts to get back on board, I am very grateful that I made it.
The incident occurred around 70 nautical miles from the stopover in Mauritius - in around 20 knots of wind and two to three metres of waves.
Marsh reports on the incident in detail in a video:
Unpredictable currents and lots of wind
The Mini Globe Race fleet has now passed the southern tip of Madagascar and is heading for Durban, South Africa. It set off from Port Louis around a week ago.
The passage, which is around 1700 nautical miles long, is considered one of the most challenging sections of the third leg. The reasons: the unpredictable Agulhas current, possible bad weather - and no harbours in which the sailors could seek shelter.
The fleet is currently also having to contend with a front that is bringing winds of up to 50 knots from the south. In combination with the Agulhas Current, this can result in high, breaking waves.
More about the Mini Globe Race 2025:
Eleven of the initial 14 amateur sailors are still taking part in the Mini Globe Race. In their mostly self-built 5.80 metre long plywood cruisers, they sail around the globe in stages. German sailor Christian Sauer is also taking part. Read more about his journey around the world here.
Estimated arrival at the finish in Antigua is March 2026 after 13 months of circumnavigation. More information about the Mini Globe Race here.
