First-time sailor from Devon says round-the-world trip ‘profound’

A woman with no previous sailing experience said the first part of a round-the-world journey had been “profound”.

Wedding celebrant Zena Birch, from Plymouth, Devon, started her circumnavigation in January after she was invited by a couple she had helped marry a decade earlier.

Ms Birch, who is one of six people on board the 52ft (16m) boat Pure Joy!, told BBC Radio Devon she had expected to be “more frightened” on the journey.

She added one highlight had been sailing through a “massive arch rainbow” in French Polynesia, where she had “felt a bit like” the Disney character Moana.

While her father was a captain in the Merchant Navy, Ms Birch had no sailing experience when she was invited to join the boat’s crew by couple David and Joy, who had been planning the trip after 10 years of marriage.

Despite the low starting point, she said she now felt like a very competent crew member – with a good understanding of marine terminology, mechanics and aerodynamics.

Ms Birch started the journey in January in St Lucia during a “lightning storm”, which she said was “hugely daunting” as it was “the thing you’re most frightened of when you’re on a boat”.

The Pure Joy! has since travelled more than 6,000 miles, visiting Colombia, the Panama Canal and the Galapagos Islands before arriving in French Polynesia, where she sailed through a “massive arch rainbow” on arrival.

“It kind of felt ludicrous and a bit like Moana,” she said, reflecting the 2016 Disney film set in ancient Polynesia about a strong-willed girl with a love of sailing.

“I hate to say it’s like paradise, because it feels so twee, but it really is extraordinary here.”

She said being part of “something so much bigger than you” was “very humbling, very profound – you end up having quite a lot of big thoughts.”

The boat will head towards Bora Bora next, Ms Birch said.