Solo Over - Two Handed Starts Thursday, June 20th

So, Kiwi Spirit came in first on elapsed time by some eight hours ahead of the next boat in the 650 mile race from Newport to Bermuda. Now we get set to race back but this time we are required to have a second crew member, hence the Bermuda 1-2. My crew will be my oldest son, Alan, who is a veteran of this event, participating in 1995 before he sailed a solo circumnavigation in the 2002 Around Alone. I will learn from him and gain further confidence on being able to handle the power of Kiwi Spirit.

My fellow competitors are a great bunch. While some 24 started out in Newport, only 18 made it here. The boats that did not make it tended to be the "Ferraris" in the high tech division. You could say mine was the only high-tech sailboat that made it, and that would be because we have been on a learning curve and have taken off some of the state-of-the-art technology in exchange for proven technology.

The boat that was concerning us all as it drifted North is okay. He had sail and other problems and was attending to those before sailing on to Connecticut.

We have a scheduled social function each day and some unscheduled ones as well - such as the single malt party on my boat last night! Most have also rented scooters to explore the island, but having previously lived here for five years, I am in no hurry to explore and have spent the time preparing the boat for the next leg.