Donde, incidentally, has been a part of yet another backbreaking maritime adventure back in 2002, when he along with his crew on board the INSV Tarangini sailed around the world.

Sailing alone however has its own perils, especially when loneliness begins gnawing hard at you.

'The sea was not at all forgiving. The 16-day passage from Port Louis in Mauritius felt longer than it actually was. In fact it was the first by any Indian to cover the span of over 2,300 nautical miles. There were days when I spoke to myself to kill the monotony,' Donde recalls of his dry run on board the INSV Mhadei from Mauritius to Goa this June.

'But being a part of such a phenomenal event is itself an achievement to be proud of. I am looking forward to the solo voyage and am fully geared up for it,' he added.

Donde's run, although the first by an Indian, has however been notched by several Europeans, according to Avati. While a number of the adventurers sailed across the world successfully, there were some 'who came a cropper'.

'The seas are fraught with risk. There were some sailors who never came back,' Avati said.

Donde is expected to be back after his nearly-a-yearlong sojourn by April or May 2010 after sailing from Mumbai.

The INSV Mhadei will in the course of its journey drop anchor briefly at port Freemantle (Australia), Christchurch (New Zealand), Port Stanley (off South America) and Cape Town (South Africa) for replenishments.

(Mayabhushan Nagvenkar can be contacted at mayabhushan@gmail.com)