DUE HOME SUNDAY

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 13

DUE HOME SUNDAY

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) PENZANCE, May 26. Sir Francis Chichester expects to end his 30,000-mile round-the-world solo voyage at Plymouth early next Sunday. He signalled this news yesterday to a Royal Air Force Shackleton maritime reconnaissance plane which sighted him about 500 miles out in the. Atlantic in galelashed seas. The R.A.F. plane reported back to base that Sir Francis Chichester was in good shape aboard his yacht Gipsy Moth IV. As the plane circled over Gipsy Moth IV, Sir Francis Chichester, dressed in bright

yellow oilskins, waved and smiled. He looked fit and well as he went about the deck of the yacht which looked as though it had just come out of the boatyard after being painted. As Gipsy Moth IV ploughed easily through foam-topped seas, with a weak Atlantic sun shining, R.A.F. navigators estimated that It would arrive at Plymouth at 4 a.m. on Sunday (2 p.m. New Zealand time). Lady Chichester left London for Plymouth yesterday to greet her husband on his return. A crowd of well-wishers gathered outside the Chichesters* London home to shout good luck messages to Lady Chichester as she left in her blue, chauffeur-driven Bentley. Lady Chichester will join

her husband on board the yacht before it is towed to the Royal Western Yacht Club landing steps by the Queen's harbour master’s barge. The City of Plymouth is today filled with sightseers determined to watch the final mile of the historic voyage to Sydney and back. More than 1500 boats of all sizes are expected to crowd the harbour. If Sir Francis Chichester reaches Plymouth on Sunday he will have taken 119 days for the voyage from Sydney. The picture shows Sir Francis Chichester waving from the deck of Gipsy Moth IV when a Shackleton aircraft of the R.A.F. Coastal Command located him about 400 miles from Plymouth. —Photograph by cable.