Circumnavigating the world is every spirited traveler’s dream. Braving harrowing weather and days on the open ocean deter many, but the chance to see remote places and embrace the thrill of adventure continues to make circumnavigation an impressive feat. After nine years in the yachting industry, 27-year-old Capt. Hugh White is joining the Oyster World Rally over 27,000 nautical miles and 16 months of sailing to go around the world. The Oyster World Rally is a fully supported circumnavigation that takes Oyster Yachts owners to some of the world’s most remote cruising grounds. White will be on board S/Y Lush, joined by the owner and chairman of Oyster Yachts, Richard Hadida, his wife Ali, and their two-year-old son, Harry. The 90-foot yacht set off Jan. 18 from Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua, but White prepared for months to complete a feat as rare as circumnavigation. Before taking off, White made sure Lush was set up for long-distance sailing, placed a net on the guardrail for Harry, handled customs and immigration, and prepared his crew mentally through training and coursework. Lush carries a crew of four, including White’s girlfriend, Max, who serves as the chef on board. With two years of experience working on Lush, White believes the time spent with his crew and the family on board will make the circumnavigation much easier. “We all live in a small space together, we don’t fight, and we get along really well,” White said. “When you join a boat, if you and the owner aren’t going to get along, it’s pretty apparent that it will work or won’t work, and it’s been working for us for two years.” White also plans to have everyone on board, not just the crew, pull watches during the circumnavigation. At the beginning, White plans to pair an experienced crewmember with Ali to build her confidence and prepare her for long passages. Another challenge White had to account for was preparing for a toddler on board. “Richard bought 10 different life jackets and put them on him one by one, threw him in his pool to make sure they work, and chose the best one,” White said. White also bought an AIS transponder to attach to Harry’s life jacket as a beacon in case he falls overboard. He also implemented a system so that whenever Harry is outside, someone will be wearing a bangle that indicates they are responsible for Harry at that time. “It’s about keeping eyes on him the whole time, but that’s with any toddler, whether you’re on a boat or not,” White said. Circumnavigating the world involves several multi-day crossings, making eating on board much more restricted. “We don’t have enough room on board for it to be a free-for-all for everyone to grab and eat whatever they see,” White said. “Max needs to say we can eat X amount a day, and it needs to be well planned out." Multi-day crossings on a sailing yacht also carry the possibility of becoming becalmed in the middle of the sea. While speaking with multiple captains beforehand to find the optimal way to balance engine use and reliance on wind, White has found that a sail plan is largely a matter of opinion. “Different people will swear by different things, and we had to really do a lot of research and choose what would work best for us and the type of sailing we want to do,” White said. “We went with an A3, which is going to be really nice for downward sailing, but at the same time it’s furling, so it’ll be really easy for us to manage with a smaller crew.” With a chosen sail plan, White’s trust in Lush for a successful circumnavigation is high. Lush has already completed more than 20 Atlantic crossings on the vessel’s own bottom, and White thinks there is still much more left in her. “There’s a lot of boats that fall apart after two or three crossings, and Lush just keeps powering through them,” White said. “Once you go on an Oyster, you just feel so safe compared to any other boat that I’ve ever been on.” As the group of seven sets sail to circle the world and include their names in the short list of humans in history to accomplish such a feat, White understands the challenge ahead. “Fewer people have sailed around the world than have climbed Mount Everest,” White said. “I know it’ll be hard work — it’s not always just going to be fun and easy sailing — but it’s the good and the bad that make it what it is.”