When we studied the history of navigation, we learned that sailors use winds and ocean currents to help them travel on the sea. Sailors have done this for hundreds of years… and they've all gone the same direction. That's because the easiest way to travel when you follow ocean winds and currents is in an easterly direction.

But, there was bound to be someone who just had to try to sail in the other direction, right?

Of course! That person is Sir Chay Blyth, who decided about thirty years ago that it was just too "easy" to sail around the world the normal way. He became the first person to sail non-stop around the world traveling west against the ocean winds and currents.

After Blyth returned home from his sailing trip, he decided to help other people try his challenge of sailing the wrong way round the world. He started the "Global Challenge," which is also known as the world's toughest yacht race.

This year's Global Challenge race started in September 2000 in Southampton, England. In the race, twelve identical, 72-foot-long yachts will speed west from the Americas to Australasia and from Africa back to Europe. Each of the yachts has a professional skipper and 17 crew members. Many of the crew members are not professional sailors. And many of them don't even have much sailing experience. But you'd better believe they learn sailing fast when they're going the wrong way around the world!

The yacht race is sponsored by British Telecom. But it's not just for fun. The Global Challenge race helps raise money for an organization called Save the Children, a charity that helps poor children and their families all over the world.

In fact, one of the yachts in the race is named for that charity: it's called "Serco for Save the Children." And that yacht is one of the Boomerang Box's new partners, because APL is sponsoring "Save the Children" team member Elaine Chua as she sails around the world.

Now, Boomer the Eagle might not ever try to travel backwards around the world. But it's sure an exciting challenge!

See if you can track the progress of the "backwards" yachts by logging on to www.btchallenge.com. Can you find the location of the "Serco for Save the Children" yacht?

Learn what's on Elaine Chua's mind as she races around the globe. Follow her weekly journals at www.apl-aroundtheworld.com/updates/updates.html

And learn more about sailor Elaine on our People Profile!

Check out past Trade Topics entries!