Segling och båtliv i Sverige och världen. - Bouwe drömmer om vinter OS i väntan på vinden

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Många, varma timmar med att hitta vind, får Bouwe att längta efter Vinter-OS, döttrarna och sina hundar. Foto Yann Riou

Stiltjen runt ekvatorn börjar ta på tålamodet och ingen lindring finns i sikte förrän om tidigast två dagar. När farten ibland går ner till noll, händer samma som kan ske här hemma i bleke - båten vänder sig åt fel håll. Vilket Dee Caffari på Turn the Tide berättar hände henne team på tisdagsmorgonen i dagens rapport till raceledningen.

Samtidigt försöker Bouwe hålla humöret uppe, tänka framåt genom att längta efter Vinter - OS, sina barn, sina hundar och att fler skänker pengar till holländska sjöräddningen.

Bouwe berättar från Brunel

Tisdag 20 feb kl 12.00 UTC

Sometimes we think we have the greatest sport there is, but on days like these, I think the majority of the crew think that it can be a stupid sport as well. Sails are flopping around, hardly any breeze and what is there is very random. You battle to get the boat speed over 1 knot, but then all of a sudden, the sails are filling a bit and you glide through the water doing 3.5 knots, it feels like a hurricane is hitting you. The tone of the voices change immediately, sounding way more optimistic and yes, you feel again this is the best sport there is.

The food bag is very quickly empty on days like this, as people get a bit bored, so going downstairs, have a peek if anything is still there and then quickly stuff it in their mouth. A short report today, as not much is happening, waiting for the new breeze to fill in, and hopefully we are getting it first.

Cheers,
Bouwe.

På Dongfeng trimmar och ler Carolijn Brouwer i låg båtfart och 1 400 M till Auckland. Foto: Martin Keruzore.

Tisdag 2 feb kl 09.00 UTC

Latest from Bouwe Bekking, skipper of Team Brunel:

The next 48 hours will be decisive in who is going to be the front runners going into NZL. The team that sails out first into the new pressure will start making a healthy jump. But of course anything can happen, as the wind has done many times not even close to what the forecast said it would do. The two forecasting models we are getting, have different routes, and of course we have to take into the account as well the many islands on the way: like for example New Caledonia is big piece of land and can effect the local winds dramatically.

The crew is actually taking it very easy on the position reports, sometimes you gain sometimes you lose, their reactions are pretty much a flat line. All knowing that we just have to keep working hard, we are sailing by ourselves not in sight of any of the other boats, so we sail against the numbers. But of course it feels better to be closer to the front than trailing by 150 miles. We are fully in a routine, time doesn't matter anymore, if it is going to take 14 days to get to NZL then that is ok as well. What do we all miss most? Our loved ones obviously, but maybe a story for our OBR to find out exactly what / who each of us is missing most.

For me it is missing my girls and my dogs. And for the time being again missing following the winter Olympics. I just love snow and most ice sports. Yes it is not only sailing I love. This brings me to my next subject, which is very close related to ocean racing as well.

Two weeks ago I have been nominated for the golden pennant of the KNRM, the Dutch Lifeboat association. My contribution has been minimal, I helped make a film for explaining why the KNRM is so important and people could bid in an auction to come sailing with me on team Brunel in 2018. It might have helped them to raise awareness in 2017 and a little extra cash income. But I am 100% sure that others have done way more. It be would be nice to know who the other contenders are for this nomination, because the things other people have done to get the nomination will vary a lot.

If you are keen to know as well who the other contenders are go to www.knrm.nl and see who and why they were nominated. Have a look and cast your vote. BE HONEST AND PICK THE BEST PERSON YOU THINK WILL DESERVE TO WIN !

Bottom line is: I am still so amazed that all the funding to run the KNRM has to come from donations. The majority are volunteers risking their own life to go onboard the lifeboats to save other fellow seafarers in distress. They deserve our support! So please think about signing up to become a yearly contributor, even the smallest amount will help them to keep running this great institution.

Cheers,
Bouwe.