2002 – 2003

Ocean Planet in the Around Alone – Update
Friday, March 7, 2003 1330GMT
Position: 47 27 S 58 36 W

The wind has gone west and as we “Wocket” along at 10 to 14+kts some impressions of my visit to the Falklands have come back to me…

Teachers rule!

When I arrived in Port Stanley, I was completely broke aside from $15 from New Zealand. All of our available cash and credit were being used to get Erich down to help fix us up. In addition to misc. expenses, the port customs charge was 50 pounds which I didn’t have. One of the several local visitors was Stephen Dent, a schoolteacher here who brought his kids down to see the crazy sailor and his boat. Hearing of my cash predicament, he made out a check to the customs for the 50 pounds and made another donation of 100 pounds! This was just enough to get me by while there, in addition to all the donated free services graciously provided by others. Teachers aren’t rich, but they make the world go round as far as I’m concerned. I want to be one when I grow up!

Mystery bow:

While working on the boom in the donated space aboard a giant work barge (more like a huge floating ship/fishing business park), we worked under the ominous shadow of the broken off bow from some racing boat. I took pictures of it and will show them to folks who been involved with the Around Alone for years to see if it is recognized as one of the boats lost in past races. It was like the spirit of the lost boat and sailor(s?) were watching over us.

Expedition ship:

Early in the day when I sailed into Port Stanley, I was called on the radio by the expedition/cruise ship Endeavor who had some race followers aboard. A day or two after I was there, they came back to port to switch passengers and I met the first officer, Patrick Ninburg, who had called me up. I was invited aboard for lunch and a tour of this interesting ship. Not a big cruise “liner,” and not an icebreaker, but she is sort of a combination of both and can take a medium sized load (170?) passengers direct to Antarctica, South Georgia, and other interesting Atlantic islands. Looks like fun, but too expensive for me…;-)

Anyway, enjoying the fast sailing for the moment on my own luxury mini-liner heading for Brazil!

Bruce and Ocean Planet