Captain's Log

January 26, 2003

Hello all,
 
As I write this BTC Velocity and I are passing Cape Reinga, the Northwestern most mark of New Zealand. It has been an amazingly quick trip after my Hobart pit stop for repairs, only 6  1/2 days, in fact I have had the best crossing of the Tasman Sea, weather wise, of any of the competitors. No punching into head seas like Kojiro and no light airs, just winds ranging from 35 to 15 kts all from behind giving me fabulous reaching conditions.
 
The Around Alone is measured in many ways. I remember when just crossing the Atlantic seemed a major milestone; however, there was crossing the Bay of Biscay, flying down the Trades, negotiating the Doldrums, crossing the Equator and then dipping below 40 degrees south for the first time and getting a taste for what was has been an eventful leg III. After leaving  Cape Town, the rule of measurement changes as we all do a 3/4 circle around Antarctica, and that rule becomes counting the capes. ( there is also the half way mark )
 
The first Cape to pass was the Cape Of Good Hope the south western most point of the African continent, known affectionately as the cape of storms, then Cape Leeuwin on the Australian land mass. Today is Cape number three in the race, that of New Zealand's Cape Reinga. I did not see either of the other two Capes, but I feel as though I could reach out and touch this one which is only 4 nm away on a sunny summers day.
 
It has always been my way in this race to enjoy the small achievements in search of the true goal, a solo circumnavigation; however, there is one more Cape to 'bag' , so to speak, that of Cape Horn. Just typing the words, gives me cause to think. This last of the Cape group is by far the greatest one all, with more history and awe associated than the others. The Around Alone skippers will sail towards this Cape from the west and we will make our rounding in a variety of conditions as those like Bernard Stamm go around after 20 days at sea, I am expecting to go around on about day 30 . After rounding Cape Horn there will, I am sure, be a feeling that the race is winding down, but as in previous races, we know that this is far from the truth with lots of sailing still to go and many more stories to be told.
 
In 48 hours or so I will be crossing the finish line of Leg III. Thank you all very much for following me and for all the wonderfully supportive emails during the last 42 days as well as for the whole race so far. I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends and having a little time on land.
 
Regards,
 
Alan
BTC Velocity