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Leg
5
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Fellow Ocean Planet Inhabitants:
In yesterday's note on our Bluegrass Party, I forgot to put the time down, which is 7-11 p.m. at Christie's in Newport, Rhode Island on Wednesday, May 14th. It will be great to see you all there!
BTW, here's a nice article that came out the other day in the SanFrancisco Chronicle:
Next week on May 16th, Emma Richards and I will be visiting Bain School on behalf of HSBC's Global Education Challenge (www.education.hsbc.com). I'm really looking forward to our visit, as we have already met some of the kids there and they are great.
For the winners of our "On the Sunny Side of the Ocean" contest, I haven't forgotten you! I know a lot of you are on the West Coast, but for those who can make it, I've tentatively scheduled the first annual"Ocean Planet John Fahey Sail and Guitar Party" for Saturday, the 24th of May. We will be departing from Newport or Bristol....RSVP if you think you will make it. The winners of our contest (we know who you are) are those who correctly named the composer of "On the Sunny Side of the Ocean," which I played in tribute to Neptune the first time we crossed the equator on our way to Cape Town on Leg 2. Good going to the winners!
Thanks to all of you who have sent me congratulatory emails. I'm very proud to have represented all of my supporters on the Around Alone race. This has been a huge stepping stone for me and gives me hope to complete my dream of being the first American to officially finish the Vendee Globe race starting next year. Our adventure has just begun!
You know you finished something special when you see Billy and his camera shooting you! If you would like to purchase a great high-resolution picture by Billy of Ocean Planet on the Around Alone, he has most of our finishes and more and can be reached at mail@billyblack.com
Bruce and Ocean Planet
WOW!
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Monday, May 5, 2003
I almost can't beleive it, but Ocean Planet has finished the Around Alone.
Last night was my first night of sleep in a while, as there was really no time to nap yesterday with the arrival of Brad and them Emma. They both had big press conferences which were fun. I was asked up at the end of Emma's show to answer some questions, talk about my own finish, and we talked about our involvement in the Global Education Challenge with HSBC. It is fun to be able to pass on our adventures to kids (of all ages), and I hope to continue doing this!
The last night and morning before the finish was in hideous conditions as we made our way almost directly through the center of the low pressure storm. I tried to use the changing wind angles at the center of the low to cut the sailing distance to the finish, and I hoped that Thierry's northern hitch would see him get hung up in a small trough that the weather models showed MIGHT form. If I had followed him, I would have been clobbered on the reach in to the finish anyway, so my strategy was worth a try. But the wily Thierry proved luckier than I and zoomed north over the top of Brad and I to take third place. Oh well!
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As if to make up for it, I was given a special greeting back to the East Coast by a huge group of Pilot whales that followed Ocean Planet for miles, cavorting and leaping and splashing and celebrating life in the big seas that were still running. What a show! They were much bigger than dolphins but showed the same energy and spirit in greeting us.
The wind slowly died and clocked to the west as we approached Newport, so we had to tack twice to make the harbor. Fishing boats and various ships went about their business but none came too close... I took my last tack a few miles out, and it turned out that I hit the layline perfectly....slicing smoothly under the sliver of a moon on the cool night. Ocean Planet moved well in spite of the very light breeze. Slowly the lights of one of the few boats nearby headed directly for us....suddenly spotlights illuminated our sails and several voices rang out "HAAAAAY BRUUUCE!!!!!". It was the race committee boat, and then two photo boats including the ever present Around Alone photographer Billy Black, all there to greet us. The boats were crowded to the gunwhales and equally full of spirit. What fun! I unrolled our big"Borland" genniker to cross the line in style and lit a couple of hand flares in celebration.....
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There was a surprising number of people at the dock in spite of the late hour. The rest of the night was spent in the race communications office (all the local bars had closed) in a goofy party with Bernard, Simone, along with several of their team members and around alone race team friends.... I slept maybe an hour and half on the boat and then got up to greet Brad who had gotten hung up the light air behind me. Later in the day Emma came in and it was good to greet them both after this long, long trip.
The funny thing is, I feel as though I really haven't finished, but that I have just started again. I don't know where to start thanking people for helping to create Ocean Planet to finish this race. I think I will work on that for tomorrow's update! But to all my supporters: THANK YOU. Also thanks to the hardworking Around Alone team, including Kels, Mary, and writer Brian Hancock. Check out Brian's new book "The Risk in Being Alive" that just came out, I've been enjoying it myself...
Bruce
Schwab
Final Stress Tests?
Friday,
May 2, 2003
1200gmt Lat: 36 57N Lon: 65 59W
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Sheesh! Looks like we are going to have 1.5 days of the most challenging sailing of this entire trip just to get to the darn finish. After struggling in light winds for days that seemed to descend on us like a blanket, now we have plenty and then some. For me, Brad, and Thierry, here are the main issues we must now deal with:
Just jibed onto port jibe after a very fast night. Late yesterday, we FINALLY got into the new building breeze, so we really had to put the pedal down to have any chance of staying in front of Thierry (and also hopefully pass in front of the worst of the storm). So I flew the big masthead kite almost all night making great time. Took it down a few hours before daylight as with the building wind it was getting a bit dicey. Right now we have up the big genniker and the main with one reef in about 20kts. We'll hang onto this as long as we can and get the genniker out of there in a hurry as the storm approaches.
I really want to beat Thierry, but it will be tough. His boat is fast, and he is a formidable sailor as one would expect of the 1990 mini-transat winner and multiple circumnavigator. Also, I don't want to break anything as we have unfortunately run up a lot of bills on this trip.
It was a miracle to make the starting line last September, and without your support, and everyone's help in Brixham, Cape Town, Tauranga, Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, and finally Salvador, I wouldn't be in the race. Believe it or not, I'm afraid the hardest part is to come after I finish, when I somehow need to raise enough money to make the bill payments and not have to sell Ocean Planet.
But I still can't wait for that finish line!
Bruce, Wilson, Priscilla, and Ocean Planet
Thursday,
May 1, 2003
1200gmt Lat: 34 23N Lon: 65 47W
The last two position's reports look like more attempts for the race record for the slowest day.....what agony! Last night, what little wind there was, constantly had big swings in direction, so that the only way I could get a couple of catnaps was to sleep in the cockpit with my headlight on. A couple of times it seemed even the jellyfish were passing us. But at the moment we have light wind that seems steady. The big kite is up so we may have escaped. As we fight for every mile, the tactical choices become more limited and are dictated by what winds are bestowed upon us. The big decision today (once we are in solid wind) is which doorway to take across the Gulf Stream. There is a big adverse meander in the current of the stream that is right in our path to Newport, so we'll have to go around it.
Simone and Thierry appear locked into the northern route, but we may or may not even have the option to go that way as it all depends on wind angles, and that's hard to predict for certain. The weather files have been unreliable so we'll just have to see what we will get.
I'm tired and frustrated, but very motivated to fight for every inch. Priscilla (the stuffed Penguin from the Falklands) and Wilson (the volleyball) are cheering me on when I'm tired and feeling down. I think they want to make sure that they're on my good side and that they won't be sacrificed to the wind gods, as they heard that Thierry did that to the chicken on Solidaires! But they needn't worry, hopefully the wind is here now...;-)
Need to go steer and trim...
Bruce and Ocean Planet
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Tuesday,
April 29, 2003
1200gmt Lat: 31 10N Lon: 64 16W
AARRRGGGGHHHHH! As you might have noticed by our position, we have hardly moved in the last two position reports. On the night before last, I successfully cut through a front to get the new wind on the other side, which is as good as I could hope for given my position relative to the front. Simone was farther to the northeast which allowed him to sort of get by the right side of a slightly lower pressure center in the trough, putting him further north and ahead, but not out of reach if I could get the new NE wind first....
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Yesterday the wind lightly filled from the WNW just as it was supposed to, and slowly clocked around so that I could tack and sail a good course on starboard. A position report after going upwind for a while showed I was gaining on Simone....all according to plan. The wind continued to clock a bit more and was scheduled to increase late in the day according to THREE different weather models that were in agreement, which is rare.
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But they were wrong of course, things changed, and instead of increasing the wind shut down completely. I hoped it was a temporary glitch.....but after several hours I downloaded a new weather "grib" file and...surprise! Nice rotten, pesky little weak low crept up from behind and sucked the wind dry. I'm stuck! Brad is too, and we are both going insane. Or, more insane, that is.
This looks bad. Simone will stretch out (then he'll park, too), and of course Thierry and Emma are roaring up from behind while we all sit here. Looks like the weather has a real sense of humor as it will likely squish us all to together then torture me with a reach to the finish where I'll get walloped by the wide boats...what to do?
Go swimmin', that's what. While we were drifting around this morning, I took a few shots....
Hoping
for wind,
Bruce and Ocean Planet
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Sunday,
April 27, 2003
1100gmt Lat: 25 27N Lon: 61 22W
Ahoy from the good ship Ocean Planet! We are running towards Newport and consolidating our position in the fleet while the others work west to get closer to us. We should gain a little more in the next report or two, and then we have to hang on as best as we can.
The weather that we have taken advantage of with our western position is running out and pretty much falls apart tomorrow leaving the final 1,000 miles a minefield of vague lows and highs and mild fronts swimming about like so much soup. What a mess! It will be interesting and frustrating at the same time. Everyone will have to deal with it on an even basis except for Bernard, who has once again escaped. He is amazing. Brad and I joke about sneaking aboard and raiding his computer for some reportedly really cool software he has.....;- Of course, having the fastest boat always helps, too.
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I've been working hard trying to wring out all the speed I can out of the boat. Right now we are trying to sail as low as possible without jibing to stay in better breeze. It's so hard to resist heading up and going faster! It's a little windy for the big masthead kite, but I might have to put it up anyway as I have been agonizing over it all night....
Yours
truly enjoying a Prometan bar, and the bow slicing merrily along.
Bruce and Ocean Planet
Friday,
April 25, 2003 1200gmt
Lat: 18 22.5N
Lon: 56 50.8W
Well, THAT was a quick change. After an incredibly long and frustrating night fighting to keep moving in almost no wind, a long line of black clouds jumped on us just after sunrise. They brought torrential rain and a dramatic wind change. Right now we are going upwind with a reef and a full ballast tank! I'm sure it will drop off once this squall passes, but we should at least be in steadier winds for a while now. I hope so, as in the last 24 hours we've had at least 10 sail changes and 6 gybes to work into my exercise program...;-)
Another alert: Hardworking Ocean Planet team member Ashley Perrin is making a new line of custom sea bags made from used (but still great for bags) sailcloth from your favorite ocean racing boats! For instance, you can order an innovative custom bag (http://www.oceanracing.com/store/store8.cfm ) made from Ocean Planet's old Doyle D4 Vectran working jib. A portion of the proceeds goes to help our program, so get a cool bag and help Ocean Planet at the same time. If you are going to Sail Expo, stop and see Ashley at Booth 568. Several other boats in the Around Alone have donated sails that you get bags made from, like Tim, Koji, and others!
Drat, the wind from the squall is letting up, may have to shake the reef, switch to light genoa, dump ballast water...etc.
Later,
Bruce and Ocean Planet
Sleepless in the Caribbean
Wednesday,
April 23, 2003
1200gmt Lat: 14 10N Lon: 53 42W
Last night was a beautiful one, but very long. The wind dropped down, necessitating the big masthead kite which I put up around midnight. Tried to get some quick winks under autopilot but was unsuccessful, as I pretty much have to drive to get the most out of it in light air. A bit more wind now and hoping that T & E to windward of us will be slowing down in the next position report. They should be entering a light zone soon, and I'm keeping my tired fingers crossed!
Are any of you going to Pacific Sail Expo in Oakland this week and weekend? Our friend and the builder of Ocean Planet, Steve Rander and Schooner Creek Boat Works will have a booth at the show through Sunday. They will be happy to give us some space to take orders for our team gear and pitch folks for donations which we desperately need! I have to admit that a few folks meeting us at the finish in Newport will be wanting a bit more than to shake my hand...if you know what I mean and I think you do...;-) Get into the show free, buy some team gear and help keep Ocean Planet alive! Call Schooner Creek Boat Works and they will tell you how to get in touch with Steve: 503-735-0569. Also, give my partner Jeanie a call for order forms and Team gear: 510-638-3278 (eve)
Wish I could be there as I love the show. In 1997 my old boat "Rumbleseat" was featured at the show and my rigging seminars were well attended. Then, if you missed it, in 2001 Ocean Planet was christened at the show by none other than Ellen MacArthur! Now, THAT was cool!
Gotta go, it's really tricky typing and pressing the autopilot buttons at the same time to keep the boat going properly.....big kite is still up!
Hoping
the wind picks up so I can change sails and get a nap.
Bruce and Ocean Planet
Tuesday,
April 22, 2003 1000gmt
Lat: 11 06N
Lon: 50 05W
Yikes! Thierry and Emma are flying up from behind with better wind and faster reaching boats. I'm working like crazy to hold them off until the next light transitional patch coming up in a couple of days, but it's tough with our current weakness in reaching conditions. Just before dawn, I put up our big genniker as the wind is going lighter, and definitely can't let up at all. Even Brad's 50 is just as fast as us right now since his boat is really optimized especially for reaching. In any case, this is exciting racing and I'm enjoying the suspense...I think.
In case you John Fahey fans thought that I forgot about last years music contest when we crossed the equator heading south, not so! In fact, for all of you who correctly named Mr. Fahey as the composer of "On the Sunny Side of the Ocean (Planet)," you will be invited for a sail and fun day on Ocean Planet in late May. Date and place soon to be announced for the first annual "Ocean Planet's John Fahey Memorial Sail and Guitar Day," as soon as I figure out where we're going to be.
On another musical note, thanks to school teacher and bluegrass aficionado Glenn Dewell! Glenn is organizing a bluegrass jam and Ocean Planet fundraiser to be held at Christie's in Newport on May 14th. Be there or be square! After all this sailing, I'll be ready for some good down home pickin, trust me. Hope to see a lot of you there.
Anyway, fun stuff to look forward to aside from picking up all the poor little dead flying fish all over the boat every morning. During the sail change in the dark this morning, they kept landing all around me, so I try to throw them back while they're still alive. Apparently their flight controllers are on strike and they don't know where they're going!
Later
for now,
Bruce and Ocean Planet
Back to Top
Sunday,
April 20, 2003 1300gmt
Lat: 05 38N
Lon: 42 51W
Heading: 308T at 11kts
Last night the wind was good and we made great time, but this morning the winds went a bit lighter. The morning positions showed that Thierry and Emma still didn't have the good winds yet, so we put a few more miles on them. Yippee! With this morning's wind change we've slowed down and put up more sail, and I hoping that T & E are still light too. We need all the miles we can get as there is a big possibility the leaders will sailing into light winds just past the Caribbean and will cause some fleet "recompression."
In the meantime, we are chowing down on various powdered forms of edible materials. Good ol freeze-dried, along with powdered potatoes, powdered milk, powdered cocoa, powdered soups, and of course, everyone's favorite genuine imitation powdered orange juice, "Tang."
While in Brazil, I enjoyed various fantastic fresh fruit juices and combinations, with my favorite being: "Suco da laranja y manga y gelo", por favor! (orange and mango with crushed ice, please!). Delicious, but I have to admit that once while drinking a fresh orange juice, I caught myself thinking "amazing how much this stuff tastes like real Tang....." When I realized what I was thinking...well, I know I need more time on land, real soon. I'm heading there as fast as I can, trust me.
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Saturday,
April 19, 2003 1245gmt
Lat: 02 18N
Lon: 39 35W
Heading: 314T at 10.5kts
Oh boy, this final leg is going to be quite a race. As we now enter the Atlantic tradewinds, the boats in front have been steadily gaining as they enter the increasing winds first. As Bernard and Simone have opened up a huge lead on all of us, I have opened up a gap of over 150 miles on Thierry.
But this will soon start to rapidly diminish as Thierry enters the same tradewind beam reaching that I'm already in and he begins to pick up speed. It's going to be a battle! While I had an advantage in the lighter winds, in the upcoming 1500 mile reach it will be tough to stay in front of the famous Frenchman and his speedy boat as long as possible. Emma is fast on a reach too, and we can't forget about her!
 Emma taken from a distance a few days ago.... |
So, I've been working hard on different sail combinations trying to find every ounce of speed I can and using double headsails a lot. This morning I've switching through the heavy reacher and working jib, with and without the staysail, reef in, reef out, etc. In the attached pic from yesterday, you will see the staysail and working jib working well together. This is what I've settled on for now with a single reef in the main. Go boat go!
Back
to racing,
Bruce and Ocean Planet
Friday,
April 18, 2003 1240gmt
Lat: 00 24.4S
Lon: 36 56.4W
Heading: 314 at 9kts
We are nearing the equator! It has been a long time and a lot of sailing miles in the southern hemisphere since we crossed over going the other way. I might jinx myself, but I may have escaped the doldrums relatively unscathed. . .but need to keep my fingers crossed for another day!
In
just over a week, we will sail east of Antigua, almost exactly
one year after passing near the same spot on our way to Charleston, SC.
We had been at Antigua Sailing Week as part of my plan to raise donations
for my qualification sail from Charleston to the Azores. It didn't work
too well, but fortunately a group of supporters led by sailor Henry "Hank"
Grandin put together a "matching grant" that helped me raise
JUST enough to sail to the Azores and qualify for the Around Alone. Just
one of the many stories within stories on this long adventure since Ocean
Planet and I left San Francisco in February, 2002.
There's
still a long way to go, but at the moment this is beautiful
sailing and I have over a 100 mile lead on Thierry and Emma. It is a little
TOO nice, and it makes me worry that something is going to happen, but
that's me, I always worry! I'm going to be very careful and get this puppy
home in one piece. Then my dream is to somehow finish the boat and get
her up to her potential. Like California sailing guru Bill Lee says: "Fast
is Fun!"
Bruce
and Ocean Planet
Back to Top
Thursday
April 17, 2003 1226gmt
Lat: 02 25S
Lon: 35 23W
Wow, it's been a very busy couple of days! Racing in light air is more work then when it's windy....I've been using the big masthead kite a lot so I haven't been able to sleep much and usually have to drive. But it has been fun as I had the kite up all day on my birthday, April 15th!
Ocean Planet is really fast in these conditions, and I have dropped Emma and Thierry but it's been a lot of work. We are sailing into dropping winds, so Brad and Tim have been catching up from behind sometimes as they hold the wind longer. The big stunner has been the brilliant moves by Bernard and Simone who both caught better pressure and angle near the shore two nights ago and have completely escaped the light air the rest of us are battling with.
Both Thierry and Emma must be having a terrible time watching them streak away as Thierry hopes for first and Emma's hold on third are being dashed to bits! There is a long way to go, but it will be hard to make up what will soon be 200 miles or more.
Once the reaching starts in the tradewinds I will have a hard time staying ahead of the other 60s, so I'm trying to get as big a gap as possible. Then if I can stay close until past the Caribbean it will be a fun battle to the finish.
Gotta go gybe the big kite, talk to you later!
Bruce
and Ocean Planet
Back to Top
Monday,
April 14, 2003 1200 gmt
Lat: 11 23.7 S
Lon: 36 30.6W
Yesterday was the final starting line in the 2002/2003 Around Alone. It was the usual busy last couple days, but I think I kind of liked the stress to get me psyched up to race! I had a fun start, and was second around the first mark, which was placed me a few miles up the bay so the many spectators could see us go by twice. Now we're off on Leg 5 to Newport, RI, USA.
I'm pushing at full speed right now, but the main goal is to safely finish this race around the world. I would really like to walk away with a top placing in this final leg, but I have my work cut out for me. Ocean Planet is an innovative boat and most of our ideas have worked brilliantly, but the bottom line is that we came to the Around Alone unfinished and untested. So it has been a struggle all the way to fix, repair, refine, and learn as we go. To be competitive with the other Open 60's, she really needs to be finished with several features that we never had the time or $ to complete, and there are some other new modifications as a result of this experience and testing learned from sailing around the world.
But for now, Emma is just to leeward of me, and we are neck and neck! Last evening I was next to Simone and we were even until he apparently got things finally dialed in and he took off like a shot. In the last report he had also passed Bernard and Theirry! Seems like he is finally getting Tiscali figured out.
We all can't wait to get around the tip of Brazil through the doldrums, and crack off across the Atlantic tradewinds. Until "the corner" it's upwind and close reaching, but at least the ocean is smooth and it's not bad sailing. But watch out for those freighters! Had one go by within 200 yards last night. Emma was nearby watching and sent me an email wondering what it was like to pass so close. From her angle it looked like we almost hit!
I'll keep you posted on our trip home,
Bruce
and Ocean Planet
Leg 5 of the Around Alone got underway this afternoon from Salvador, Brazil. After a long and restful stopover, the nine skippers finally took to the water and set sail for Newport, Rhode Island 4,000 miles away. The weather was warm and muggy with a 15-knot easterly wind blowing. Slightly overcast skies kept the temperature from being scorching hot. Nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of the large spectator fleet that turned out to send the sailors on their way and they were treated to a spectacular sight. The only boat missing from the line-up was Derek Hatfield on Spirit of Canada. Derek started his own race in the early hours of Sunday morning rejoining Leg 4 in a race against time. While he was sailing in wet, foggy conditions, his fellow skippers were enjoying fair sailing as they headed around a short inshore course off the coast of Salvador. Seconds after the gun fired Alan Paris on BTC Velocity crossed the line to take the start. He was immediately followed by Emma Richards on Pindar with Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet right behind. Moments later Thierry Dubois on Solidaires rolled over the top of Ocean Planet to move into third. In a group at the committee boat end Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, Bernard Stamm on Bobst Group Armor lux and Kojiro Shiarishi on Spirit of yukoh were all a few seconds late for the start, but all were sailing at full speed. The fleet sailed downwind towards a turning mark four miles away with the leaders duking it out for first place. At first it was Dubois who steamed into the lead, but Stamm was not to be denied and at the mark it was the all too familiar sight of Bobst Group Armor lux at the front of the pack. Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet showed blazing speed with his narrow Tom Wylie design and followed Stamm around the mark a mere half boat-length astern. Dubois on Solidaires was third at the mark. Brad Van Liew also found himself at the front of his class and was the first Class 2 boat to round the turning mark. The warm weather was only eclipsed by hot racing as the fleet sailed close-hauled along the coast to the Farol da Barre lighthouse.
With fireworks marking the occasion, Bernard Stamm sailed past the final turning mark of the inshore course before heading out to sea. On the second leg down to the lighthouse Bobst Group Armor lux opened up an 8 boat-length lead over Solidaires, but the real story was the blazing hot performance turned in by Bruce Schwab on Ocean Planet. Schwab has said that he wants a podium finish for the leg and looks set to make his point. Not long after the Class 1 boats rounded, Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America rounded the turning mark off the Farol da Barre lighthouse and he too headed out to sea. He was followed by Tim Kent on Everest Horizontal and Kojiro Shiarishi on Spirit of yukoh. Next stop Newport.
Written by Brian Hancock
Friday,
April 11, 2003
Almost ready for Leg 5
Still boiling hot here, and I still have what's left of a flu which has turned into a rotten hacking cough. I'm dying to get going on Leg 5, but I sure hope I feel stronger by the start on Sunday! Jason Winkle and Stephen Hodges have joined Ashley here to help out and are toiling away in the heat. Good thing I was able to get at least some of the rigging projects done while I've been under the weather or Jason would be even more pressed for time.
Yesterday was a busy one. Among the projects was changing the zinc on our saildrive, underwater, which is NOT the easy way as there are lots of little parts to drop.... Many other tasks, including searching all around town for some stainless steel fasteners...it would have been easier if I knew Portuguese!
Hopefully we can get out for a short test sail today as there are a few things we need to look at and double check. I also really want to do a serious cleaning inside the boat (still lots of dust and grit from the Falklands repair work in addition to work here), but it is really hard to talk anyone into going inside the boat during the day, which is like a sauna. Definitely can't blame them. I might have to do it myself at night. Food shopping today too if possible, but I might have to go tomorrow if we run out of time.
Perhaps it's my last minute panic, as usual, but I probably wouldn't feel right without some stress before the final leg start of a race around the world.
Jason & Ashley want me down at the boat, so I have to get going...see you soon.
Bruce
and Ocean Planet
Monday,
April 7, 2003
Last week in Salvador...
Sorry to have been out of touch for a few days, as I have snagged some kind of flu and have been pretty much useless! The only thing I could keep down was orange juice and my Prometan energy bars....;-)
But I'm getting better now, and thankfully Ashley and Nick (a volunteer helper loaned to us by the Pindar team....thanks Emma!) have been attacking the work lists. Several times in the past two days I felt guilty seeing them labor in the heat so I'd go down and do a little something and provide some guidance, but soon I would fate and crawl back to a resting place, preferably air-conditioned....
Just before I got this bug, there was a little regatta here with the sailing school where several of us Around Aloneskippers and shore crews were invited to race. The race was in Optimist dinghies, which I had never sailed before, but I had great fun figuring them out. After a mediocre start, I managed to work my way up in the fleet and passed Frenchman Thierry Dubois of "Solidaires." My compact size was an evidently an advantage in these tiny little boats...;-), but I couldn't catch Emma who had a great start and is an experienced 'Opti' sailor. She was second, I was third, and the winner was tiny local sailor hotshot Yvon who showed us all how it's done.
It is great to see the successful junior sailing program here give an opportunity to poor kids who would otherwise never have the chance to go sailing. Perhaps Yvon will follow in the footsteps of legendary Brazilian sailor Torben Grael (whose brother helped set up the sailing school here) to the Olympics and beyond.
But for me, it's back to sailing Open 60's around the world, which means back to work to make sure we safely finish the last leg back to the U.S. One thing at a time, but it's going to be a busy summer and fall trying to line up sponsorship to finish Ocean Planet and race the Vendee Globe race starting next fall. I dream every day about finally finishing the boat and tuning her up to show what she can really do. I have learned so much in this race, and I hope to be able to put it to use!
Ocean Planet is made possible by donations to The Made in America Foundation, and also by our suppliers:
|
AMD | Doyle
Sailmakers | Forespar
Composites | Infomatrix
| www.lee-kahn.com
|Nobeltec | MAS
Epoxies |
|
Metropolis Metal Works | Nexus
Instruments | Samson
Rope Technologies |
| Spectra
Watermakers | David Haliwill Design |
