Skippers log #25
02 09N 32 06W at 20:30 GMT
I have prepared my gift for King Neptune, but his wind gods have kept me away for another day or two. I am 129 miles north of the equator, still going east, or rather 10 degrees south of East. If I tack, I will be going SSW and to Brazil, so I will keep going this way till Neptune beckons me. In three days time, if he has not called, I will tack. The breeze has been good. I have a reef in the mainsail and am bouncing over the wave tops. I lost the second batton from the bottom in the mainsail. The tie holding it came undone and I saw it coming out. I tried to lower the sail, but the flogging when I released the halyard shot it out like an arrow. Well, its not to serious. I can sail 3600 miles without it. I have no choice in this matter. I feel very cut off from the world. I do not know what is happening in world politics, ecconomics or human life. This is the one part of this type of sailing on a low budget that is not fun. In some ways this isolation is great, though. My routine has been nap after the sunrise for an hour, go on deck and eat an orange, then pump the bilges, brush teeth, take vitamins, have drink of whatever, download information off satellite, take a nap. That cycle lasts about 45 minutes with another hour nap. I have increased my nap length and frequency. I have been a part of a sleep deprivation study, and wear a dive watch on my wrist that measures my sleep duration. This device developed a hole and I am concerned that the water might harm it, so I switched it out with second sensor and made that sensor my primary measurement tool and the one with the hole the secondary sensor. I am going through reading withdrawals. I have one book I found and am saving it for after the equator. I am also saving my books on tape for later. Mark Barnhardt from News Printing Company is gathering me a few books on tape on business issues. If any one else has a few books you are done with, I wouldn't mind having them sent to CT for the next leg.
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Skippers log #26
01 04N 31 31W at 19:00 Gmt.
I am finally on the tack south, or slightly west of south. Sixty miles to the magic line. Tomorrow all going well, I will be honoring King Neptune with my huge gift and making my deal with him. He is finally allowing me back into the hemisphere of my birth. It has been more than three years since I crossed this line going north, solo, and since then I have not had the opportunity to return home. This is my 5th equatorial crossing under sail, the 4th solo. So much in my life has changed. We have built the No Barriers Education Foundation in America from the seeds that were sown in Ireland, and now it is time to take it to my home. The Cape Town team is ready, and awaiting. The youth of South Africa have a messsage they must hear. We have to have a dream. A dream is what gives us hope, the reason to live, to wake up in the morning smiling. But more important, we must gain knowledge and implement that knowledge to make this dream our reality. Youth, we have choices. It is up to us. We need to be self-confident and believe that we will attain our dream. Belief is what keeps the dream alive when it looks hopeless. We must never give up. Success is there for us. All we have to do is reach out with the right skills and mindset to attain it. It will not be easy. It will demand courage, persistance, perspiration. But it is there. Hard, honest work does pay off. Soon I will be in my homeland. I am the only South African in this race. Four years ago I had the support of the Minister of Sport, the Honourable Steve Tshwete, who is awaiting my arrival. When I was dismasted he encouraged me not to give up. Thank you Minister Tshwete. I would like to meet President Nelson Mandela while I am in South Africa. I have asked my Cape Town team to invite him for a sail on my boat, prior to start. He has done some amazing things for my country, and I would like to personally say thank you. He was presented earlier this year a copy of my autobiography and I recieved a message from him asking how can he help. Now is the opportunity for me to discuss with the leadership of my country what our Foundation could do to help youth in South Africa with their support. It is not too late for our youth of the world to begin learning that there is always hope, the acorn that needs nourishment to grow into an oak tree. Our youth are the seeds of tomorrow. We must trim our sails and reach for life. If we each can do something that makes a difference in someone elses life, lets step to the plate and give our gifts unselfishly, to help the oaks grow mighty.
Neal
