Race 7 - Day 14
Crew Diary - Whitsundays to Da Nang, Vietnam
02 February

THE OTHERS

Here we are, on Visit Seattle, back in the Northern Hemisphere once again.

Can you imagine, as much space as the Pacific Ocean does provide with its seemingly endless open water, it still requires us to continuously adjust our course and en route way points in order to avoid the countless small islands and atolls with strange (and, admittedly unpronounceable) names such as Kapigamarangi and Woleai and Ifalik, amongst others.

We still very much believe and feel that what we're doing holds a significance to ourselves. We imagine ourselves in August, back at the Castle Tavern in Gosport, with a cold lager in hand, looking back at these past 11 months; at the crazy storms and the unexpected wind holes, the daily victories, the jokes that no-one else would probably laugh at, the little accidents and silly mistakes. 'Remember that huge wave South of Tasmania that swept Mike across the deck and under water while on the boat' or 'how crazy and incredible was that Sydney-Hobart Race start with all those hundreds of boats, and remember, we very narrowly avoided a collision with one by mere inches close to Georges Head,' we'll reminisce.

Really, what we're doing is nothing special in terms of the world external to ourselves, but it is something each of us has dreamt of and it is absolutely something, which has only been made possible by those who await us at home and are close to our hearts. The parents, providing the financial support to enable for their daughter to have this unique experience, which will make her stronger as a person, all the while knowing that, heartbreakingly, she will be gone for a year; the enthusiastic and ever supportive sister developing and coordinating a large-scale educational programme for schools, based on her brother's adventures; the understanding and supportive fiancé, not complaining about the year long wait, even when the yearning is almost unbearable at times; the boyfriends and girlfriends who may not fully understand but nevertheless respect what we're doing; the mother with her unconditional love and support, addicted to the Race Viewer whilst not entirely comprehending how dropping from first to twelfth place in a single day can be possible.

Out there is an incredible group of people, husbands, wives, parents, children and friends missing us, thinking of us, sending us all their love and strength and support during each stopover, even when all they get in return is a short text message or the briefest of phone calls.

Only with the support, kindness, understanding, unselfishness and generosity of The Others are any of us, regardless whether circumnavigating the world, writing a book or starting a company, able to achieve our individual aspirations and dreams.

Thinking about the loved ones on Visit Seattle

Amancio.