2002 – 2003

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Ocean Planet in the Around Alone – Update
Tuesday, March 18, 2003 1315gmt
Position: 19 24 S 36 17 W
Wind: NE by NNE at 20kts
Heading 337T at 10.5kts

Hi all,

Whew! About 400 miles to go! I can’t believe how much hotter it has gotten in the past few days. I’m looking forward to seeing Brazil, but there is one thing I don’t look forward to: I’ll have to start wearing clothes! Haven’t been for days now… 😉

Last night was another squall festival. I think I tacked eight times trying to pick my way through like a halfback trying to avoid huge tacklers. Unreefed and reefed the main several times, good exercise!

This morning I went “Bow Riding,” where I lie on deck on the windward side watching the bow slice through the waves and letting the water crash over me. It’s fun and although the water is rather warm it does cool me off a bit. Back in the vestibule I rinse off with a little fresh water from the Spectra Watermaker and voila! Clean sailor.

Good fast sailing aside from the nighttime squalls it looks like it will shape up to be a nice beam reach the rest of the way.

That’s it for today. Attached is one of my favorite stamps by our friend Marcel. This one was made from a picture of me and Ann Thomas’ fifth grade class doing a splicing seminar with the kids. That was a blast with a really smart bunch.

Bruce and Ocean Planet and crew