Yachtsman to speak about ‘Mutiny’ adventure

A yachtsman who helped recreate an epic voyage for a new Channel 4 documentary will give a talk at the University of Exeter later this month.

Exeter-born Conrad Humphreys stars in Mutiny, in which a team re-live Captain Bligh’s voyage of survival after the mutiny on the Bounty.

The programme follows nine men as they attempt a 4,000-mile trip on a tiny wooden boat using traditional navigation equipment and surviving off the same meagre rations as Bligh’s crew.

Humphreys will speak about leadership, camaraderie, courage and humility on the high seas.

“We experienced very similar conditions to Bligh’s crew – rough seas, no shelter, no cabins, no toilet,” said Humphreys, who grew up in Exmouth.

“It’s was remarkable voyage because the boat was 23 feet long – that’s about a metre per man – and we were on it together for sixty days.”

Humphreys, who has circumnavigated the world three times, said the voyage rated among the most difficult of his life.

“Bligh’s crew was made up of able seamen but I inherited a crew that had very little experience at sea,” he said.

“At times Bligh had to take his cutlass out to maintain order. Obviously we couldn’t do that, but there were moments when we had to be decisive and discipline helped the team move forward.”

The true voyage – 230 years ago – began from British navy ship HMS Bounty, which was sailing from Tahiti to the West Indies.

A poisonous rift between the crew and its young captain, William Bligh, led to the infamous mutiny – after which Bligh and a handful of loyal men were forced into a small boat and left to die.

Led by Anthony Middleton, star of SAS: Who Dares Wins, the crew in Channel 4’s recreation are cast adrift 35 miles to the south of Tofua near the Kingdom of Tonga in a replica open keel-less boat.

Their mission is to survive and navigate across 4,000 miles of open ocean to Kupang, Timor, recreating one of the greatest voyages of British history.

Humphreys’ talk – which is free to attend – will take place at the Alumni Auditorium in the Forum at the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus on Monday 27 March.

There will be an opportunity for guests to make a donation to the Island Sailing Trust, Conrad’s nominated charity, to support their work with disadvantaged and disabled young people. For more information visit http://conradhumphreys.com/charity/

Doors will open at 7pm, with the 45-minutes talk starting at 7.15pm. There will then be a 30-minute Q&A before the event ends at 8.30pm.

To attend visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mutiny-recreating-captain-blighs-epic-voy..., email events@exeter.ac.uk or call 01392 722321.