2002 – 2003

Ocean Planet in the Around Alone – Update
Sunday, February 16, 2003

Hi all,

Well, we need to head more south sooner or later to get down to the Latitude of Cape Horn, so when I jibed back on to starboard jibe this morning that will probably be the last jibe for a couple days. Fine with me as I have jibed four times in the last 24 hours trying to be on the correct side of the windshifts. That may not sound like much for a crewed boat, and it’s pretty easy with the unstayed rig, but there is so much gear and weight shifting to with it and that’s what’s tiring! About 20 minutes of lugging containers and sails from one side to the other and getting them properly stowed. Gets me warmed up, anyway….;-)

I’ve been going over and over the predicted winds for the rest of the way to the Horn, and I’m hoping I can work the angles to get right on the tail of Hexagon and Tiscali. I’ve managed to shake Emma, but she’s taking it easy till the big left turn. Not a bad idea given the risks out here if anything goes wrong. Every now and then I wonder if I should have played the game of “iceberg dare” with Bernard and Thierry, but for me that’s not really sailboat racing and it’s not for me. Also, as Brad reminded me the other day, I’m probably the only Class One boat without hull insurance. Perhaps I’d be just a little braver with the budget to fix anything we might break once in Brazil!

But at the Brazil stopover I will be by myself this time. We have exhausted all of our credit and resources and can’t afford to fly anyone there. Oh well, we did a great job on the boat in NZ so hopefully (fingers crossed everyone) there won’t be much to fix for the last leg.

I’ve been eating like crazy. Being surrounded by a bunch of food in this tiny environment it is pretty hard to resist! In addition to all my regular food stores, many friends in NZ baked cookies and goodies that are taking a while to get through! Although someone has to do it, so I take the job seriously….;-) To be honest, I could live off my Mariner’s Vitamins Prometan Bars as they are really good and I’ve become almost addicted to them. But I do eat quite a variety of stuff, to keep it interesting.

Let’s hope this wind keeps blowing all the way to the Horn! A few folks have asked me if I will go for the “Cape Horn earring” after the race. I think so. It will be nice to have something to show for all this and to remind me that it wasn’t just a long, strange dream.

Back the chilly dream waters,
Bruce and Ocean Planet