Fifty-four years of friendship, two 64-year-old sailors, six months on the open ocean, and one 26-year-old yacht were all it took to complete a remarkable voyage from New Zealand to Visakhapatnam.
What began as a school-day bond at Sainik School Korukonda in 1971 has now come full circle in a 191-day transoceanic journey, driven not by sponsorship or support, but by the steady commitment, and shared purpose of two men who set out to cross the Pacific on their own terms. Colonel K Srinivas (Retd) and Captain CDNV Prasad (Retd), sailed a 34-foot yacht across the Pacific and Indian Oceans, completing a self-funded transoceanic voyage, arrived to an emotional reception at Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
Their vessel, Tystie, a black-hulled yacht named after a blackbird native to Ireland, carried them through towering waves, piracy scare, visa complications, technical challenges and months of cramped living conditions. Yet, as Col Srinivas put it, "We started as very good friends and we finished as very good friends, and will continue to be."
Their journey began from Opua, New Zealand, on May 13, 2025, with the first major halt at Port Noro in the Solomon Islands after a 1,150-nautical-mile passage via Fiji. As they approached the Solomons, Tystie faced rough seas, during which Capt Prasad suffered a knee injury, prompting Lt Col Pradeep to step in, and undertake the next leg to Jakarta. From Jakarta to Port Blair, Col Srinivas was joined by his son, Ajitesh.
Capt Prasad reunited with Tystie in Port Blair, from where the duo set sail on October 14, 2025. The sailors had first envisioned the expedition years ago, even searching for boats in 2019.
"Covid-19 delayed it. Life delayed it but the dream stayed," Col Srinivas said. In April this year, they purchased Tystie in New Zealand after months of technical evaluation by Capt Prasad. By May 14, they set sail. "With waves touching five metres and winds touching high knots, Tystie still made us feel at home," Col Srinivas recalled.
Yet he admitted there were moments of doubt. But they kept going. Life onboard was far from luxurious. "Imagine being locked in a large toilet for days, and then put another person in it," Col Srinivas joked, describing the yacht's tight interiors. The two often squeezed past each other sideways and, by the end, noticed they had "thinned down" enough to pass back-to-back.
Midway through the journey, an injury forced Capt Prasad to temporarily step back, and Srinivas' son Ajitesh stepped in. The young man had never sailed before. The voyage, he said, gifted him "a bond with my son I would have never discovered otherwise."
For now, Tystie will be berthed in Kakinada, though the sailors admit the yacht deserves a proper home. "Maintaining her may cost nearly Rs 1 lakh a month, but she has taken such good care of us that we want to care for her too."
With humility, the duo ended their address expressing, "If our saga with Tystie inspires even one youngster to step out of their comfort zone, and embrace adventure, our purpose is achieved." Vice Admiral M.S. Pawar (Retd) noted that while many people at their age would typically spend time with their grandchildren, the two veteran officers chose instead to undertake a self-financed, trans-oceanic voyage across the Indo-Pacific, driven purely by their passion for sailing.
He said the journey of Tystie aligns with Andhra Pradesh’s maritime heritage, its growing focus on tourism and the Blue Economy, and the national Maritime Vision 2030/2047. The voyage will contribute to enhancing maritime awareness and underscores the need for a dedicated marina for sailing craft in Visakhapatnam, a city that already hosts the Eastern Naval Command and major international naval events such as the MILAN exercises and the International Fleet Review.
He added that Tystie may be the first such voyage undertaken by senior citizen veteran officers, calling it a major achievement given that it was entirely self-funded and carried considerable risk. The expedition, he opined, could inspire greater interest in marine tourism and encourage more young people to consider careers in the Indian Navy or recreational sailing. Vice Admiral K Srinivas, Director General Naval Projects in Visakhapatnam, fellow veterans, classmates, family members students and members of the Sainik School Korukonda were present.
(By Usha Peri of The New Indian Express)
