Tony Bullimore
Encyclopedia
Tony Bullimore is a British sailor
from Bristol
.
He is most famous for being rescued during the 1996 Vendee Globe
single handed around the world race. The race was marked by a number of incidents including the death of another contestant, Gerry Roufs
. On 5 January 1997, in the Southern Ocean
near 52°S 100°E, Bullimore's boat, Exide Challenger capsized and the majority of press and media reports assumed that the 55 year old sailor was lost. The Royal Australian Navy
launched a rescue mission for Bullimore and another capsized competitor, Thierry Dubois. Bullimore was alive and managed to survive in an air pocket in the upside-down boat in pitch darkness, having lost his food supplies - his only food was a bar of chocolate. On 9 January, Thierry Dubois was rescued by an Australian S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter embarked on the frigate . Adelaide then proceeded further south to where the Exide Challenger had been located by a RAAF P-3 Orion
. Adelaide dispatched a rigid-hulled inflatable boat
to the Exide Challenger where crew members knocked on the hull. Hearing the noise, Bullimore swam out from his boat and was quickly rescued by personnel from Adelaide. HMAS Adelaide then returned both Dubois and Bullimore to Perth
. During the return journey, Bullimore made a point of meeting with each and every member of the boat's crew to thank them for saving his life.
In 2005, Bullimore skippered a team that came second in the 2005 Oryx Quest
. In 2007, he was involved in another sailboat record attempt.
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
from Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
.
He is most famous for being rescued during the 1996 Vendee Globe
Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
single handed around the world race. The race was marked by a number of incidents including the death of another contestant, Gerry Roufs
Gerry Roufs
Gerry Roufs , was a competitive sailor.-Sailing Career:In 1978, Jerry Roufs, along with crew Charles Robitaille placed second at the 470 class World Championships held in Marstrand, Sweden...
. On 5 January 1997, in the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
near 52°S 100°E, Bullimore's boat, Exide Challenger capsized and the majority of press and media reports assumed that the 55 year old sailor was lost. The Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
launched a rescue mission for Bullimore and another capsized competitor, Thierry Dubois. Bullimore was alive and managed to survive in an air pocket in the upside-down boat in pitch darkness, having lost his food supplies - his only food was a bar of chocolate. On 9 January, Thierry Dubois was rescued by an Australian S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter embarked on the frigate . Adelaide then proceeded further south to where the Exide Challenger had been located by a RAAF P-3 Orion
P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
. Adelaide dispatched a rigid-hulled inflatable boat
Rigid-hulled inflatable boat
A rigid-hulled inflatable boat, or rigid-inflatable boat is a light-weight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy...
to the Exide Challenger where crew members knocked on the hull. Hearing the noise, Bullimore swam out from his boat and was quickly rescued by personnel from Adelaide. HMAS Adelaide then returned both Dubois and Bullimore to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. During the return journey, Bullimore made a point of meeting with each and every member of the boat's crew to thank them for saving his life.
In 2005, Bullimore skippered a team that came second in the 2005 Oryx Quest
Oryx Quest
Oryx Quest was the name of the first round-the-world yacht race to start and finish in the Middle East and was held in 2005 in Qatar.The race, organised by British sailor Tracy Edwards, was regarded as a follow-up to The Race of 2000 and was designed to complement existing Multihull races...
. In 2007, he was involved in another sailboat record attempt.