JesseMartin.Net
28th September 1999
WHILE most people were watching or listening to the grand final on Saturday, I was lying a hull waiting for a front with gusts to 45 knots to pass me. I sure know where I would have rather been!
I remembered back to last year's final. It was a beautiful sunny day and one mate had a BBQ so the rest of us piled over there.
It was a great day.
I remember us all standing on the balcony trying to get a glimpse of the jets flying overhead and then being told off by a neighbor for repeatedly playing Hunter and Collectors' Holy Grail too loud.
I just have to remind myself that it's only another few weeks and I'll be seeing them all again.
The latest news on board Lionheart is that the electric bilge pump has stopped working so I have to spend 5-10 minutes each morning and night manually pumping the water out.
I also made contact with Sydney radio for the first time since I lost contact while approaching Cape Horn. It's great to hear an Australian voice over the radio and it's one more little milestone that I can cross off my list.
I'm fast approaching the end of this well known rough patch, so hopefully I'll be into some of the warmer and calmer weather that I hear Melbourne has been having.
There's still another front expected which shouldn't be too bad as long as I can keep the boat moving towards home.
This past week I've averaged over 100 miles a day and should be 23 days away by the time this goes to print.
I'm even down to crossing off the days, which I have numbered at the bottom of the chart.
I got a question this week but I've forgotten who it was from. However, I remember how it went. This person wanted to know when exactly I thought to myself "I can really do this now".
To tell the truth, it wasn't like I woke up one morning and all of a sudden I was full of confidence.
It has slowly dawned on me the whole trip (and continues to do so). There have been moments, like when rounding Cape Horn, when I had a little extra something which filled me with confidence but generally it has been quite gradual.
For example, one of my main worries was that I was putting too much strain on the rig and that, in a time of intense pressure, a stay would go and I'd lose the mast overboard.
However, since the knockdowns off the Cape of Good Hope and the continual fronts that I've just experienced, I have much more faith in the strength of the rig and I expect that by time I reach the finish line I'll have even more.
I was told by someone that the more time you spend sailing solo, the more you enjoy it. I would have to agree.
With time comes more faith in your equipment and ability and therefore less worry and more enjoyment.
However, I think I'll still be relieved when Lionheart is safely tied at Sandringham and I'm in the comfort of a car driving home ... then again, there are some dangerous drivers out there!