2002 – 2003

Ocean Planet in the Around Alone – Update
Wednesday, March 19, 2003 1300gmt
Position: 15 48 S 37 41 W

Hi all,

Looks like we’ll be finishing in Salvador early tomorrow morning!

One of the cool things I have onboard our Ocean Planet’s computers is a treasure trove of pictures complete from the very beginnings of the boat. Last night I dug through them and poured over early construction shots. I was reminded how much time I spent visualizing what she would look like and what it would feel like to sail her.

Then I went out and hung out on deck leaning on the runner for a long while, watching her slide along effortlessly under a well lit full moon. I could look down at the deck under my feet and see her when she was in the shop at Schooner Creek Boat Works taking shape in many stages. What a time that was! And now here we are sailing on a beautiful night, anticipating landfall and another exciting new country. Yep, good times indeed.

While I certainly don’t recommend around the world sailing as a smart career move, I do recommend taking an impossible dream, visualizing it, and making yourself believe that you can do it if you work hard enough. It may turn out to be even harder than you originally thought. You may come across huge stumbling blocks that seem insurmountable. You may not get quite the results you expected, but if you just don’t quit you can make something amazing happen. And in how you overcome the obstacles and setbacks that you didn’t expect, you will find out more about yourself and what you can do than you thought you would. What will surprise you is that this is one of the best parts of the whole adventure.

Talk to you later, from Brazil!
Bruce and Ocean Planet and crew