2002 – 2003
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Ocean Planet in the Around Alone – Update
Wednesday, March 12, 2003 1100GMT
Position: 34 47 S 46 35 W
Wind 10-15 from the west
Heading 012T at 10kts
Hi all,
I was lying lazily in my bunk late yesterday afternoon feeling a bit groggy. I had just finished a chapter of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s book “A World of My Own”, about his epic solo, non-stop circumnavigation (he was the first to do it) in the Golden Globe race in 1967. There are several great books about this amazing event that eventually led to the Around Alone and Vendee Globe races, but I digress…
The wind, which had favorably changed to the west allowing us to tack onto port and head north, was switching back to the north and turning the boat east. I hoped it would switch back so that I wouldn’t have to get up and tack, but 10, 20, 30 minutes went by and I begrudgingly got up to begin the process. First I shifted the cabin gear before transferring the water ballast, all the while taking my time in hope that the wind would agree to turn back. It didn’t, so I popped on deck to have a final look before transferring the water.
I was flabbergasted to see the most stunning full double rainbow I have ever seen. Two complete colorful hoops, with the main center one filled with a mysterious light glow. It was huge! So big in fact that the legs of the bows were actually behind some low clouds on the horizon. Grabbing the camera for a few shots, I was then transfixed for several minutes.
When I remembered about tacking, I looked at the compass and the wind had begun to switch back west, and I didn’t have to tack! I did have to move the cabin gear back to port, but it was well worth it. I guess the rainbow was a gift show by God/Allah/Jesus/Mother Nature/the Virgin Mary/Neptune/Rama/Vishnu/the Great Albatross/Oz/the Good Witch of the North/our Ocean Planet, etc, and they needed to get my attention with the wind shift so that I wouldn’t miss it! Glad that they did as it reminds me of how lucky I am to be here on this fantastic boat. With all the challenges that have come our way, we are in one piece and at the very least I haven’t ever sat down buck naked on a hot pressure cooker (you’ll have to read Sir Robin’s book to get that one)….;-)
I know I shouldn’t be sending so many pictures (expensive), but I couldn’t resist as these are great. Even so, they don’t do the rainbow justice but will give you an idea of it.
Bruce and Ocean Planet and crew