Eric's sailing journey began in 1997 on a 20-foot trailer sailer and progressed through club racing, keelboats and offshore campaigns with the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria. He set out at 71 to fulfil a lifelong dream, sailing solo around the world in the gruelling Mini Globe Race aboard his 5.8-metre yacht Sunbear, teaching himself celestial navigation along the way. After roughly 13 months at sea and 24,000 nautical miles, he crossed the finish line in Antigua at age 72, finishing 8th of 15 starters, capturing public imagination with a journey that stands as a testament to persistence, courage and the idea that a dream never has an expiry date.
