Somewhere off Tasmania

Do you see that little red dot near the center?  That is Uncle Bert.   Just above him is Tasmania and above that is Australia.  Bert is attempting to sail around the world solo, nonstop using only a sextant and some nav tables.  Sir Robin Knox Johnson did this way back in the late 60's during the Golden Globe Race.  A few others did it during last year's redo of the Globe Race.  However, no one has ever done it from North America. 

Right now he is in a pickle due to all the lows that typically rip this area during winter.  40 knot winds and monstrous confused seas are the norm.  Back in September, Jeanne Socrates did this route and set a record as the oldest person to complete the lap and it took her 339 days and change.  Good luck Bertie and batten down the hatches!

https://www.the5capes.com/

Walk the Plank

I have been reading and educating myself on this amazing development of CV19.  In my estimation, life will not return to normal for many years.  Some say this fall, some next year and others 2024.  The way we lived for the past 100 years is no more.  Things we have lost: hugs, hanging out, bbqs, sports, concerts, birthday parties, graduations, sailing with friends, going to the movies, going to school, dinner at a nice restaurant, brewpubs, concerts, darts games, dinner parties, travel, large gatherings, bocce with friends, swimming in a pool, going to the beach, brunch, wine tastings, and the list goes on and on and on...   As a friend of mine said recently, "All the fun things in life are no more".

This is not something that is going away anytime soon.  And who is to say it may not happen again and again?  Is this the new normal?  I think back to the Mexican missionaries in the 1700's as they moved north up the California coast.  They would find a nice spot say Monterey/Carmel.  Let's build our mission here and have the local Indians help us build it.  The problem was the same, the Mexicans brought viruses with them that the Indians had no resistance to and the Indians died.  This issue has repeated itself many times in human history. 

So where do we go from here?  It is so depressing to see everyone in masks and everyone avoiding each other.  I am a serious extrovert and this is very difficult.  I owned a very successful event planning company that brought over 150,000 guests and more together for fun events over 27 years, I have taken over 1500 friends and family sailing and have a ton of land-based friends as well. I am still sailing a bit but solo at this time.  It is still amazing out there but the best part of owning a boat is sharing it with friends. 

I know alot of folks are hurting out there and this is going to be a long drawn-out debacle.  It's going to get worse and I hope we get through this and recover.  We have so many people who have no idea how bad this could get.  No one knows.  I hope the best for all of us and we get to the other side soon.

But I had right of way!