The Mayoman who led the first westward circumnavigation of the North Pole by a small boat has won this year's international Blue Water Medal for seamanship.
Jarlath Cunnane, skipper of the Irish yacht Northabout, will be conferred with the prestigious award by the Cruising Club of America early next year. He will join the late Sir Francis Chichester, the late French yachtsman Eric Tabarly, Bernard Moitessier and Eric and Susan Hiscock on the club's role of honour.
Three Irish sailors, including Cunnane's fellow expedition leader, Paddy Barry, have been given the distinction previously. The Blue Water Medal was inaugurated by the Cruising Club of America in 1923.
Last year it was given to a former Boston school teacher, lecturer and skilled ocean skipper, Richard Wilson, for a series of three voyages he made between 1993 and 2003 in his 53 foot trimaran Great American II, to equal or beat the record passages of famous 19th century clippers.
He was praised for the thoroughness of his preparations, the skilled but conservative way he sailed his vessel, and the educational component he was able to develop for over 250,000 children who tracked his progress.
Northabout's progress was also tracked on the internet from the time that the ice-strengthened yacht left Rosmoney, near Westport, Co Mayo to undertake the first Irish navigation of the North-West Passage.
Cunnane's crew completed it in one season and then decided to try and complete the circumnavigation by attempting the treacherous North-East Passage across the top of Siberia. The crew of 18 in all at various stages ran the risk of ice, weather, polar bears and other hazards.
An exhibition of some of the crew's photographs is due to be displayed in Murphy's Store, Kinvara, Co Galway, from November 27th.
