The solo around the world yacht race and other sailing related items.
The Equator
Skippers log #27
01 37S 32 14W at 20:30 GMT
At 05:05 GMT this morning on day 27, I crossed the equator into the Southern Hemisphere where most of this race is sailed. To early in the morning to honor King Neptune, I postponed my offerings till there was better light in which to film the process and returned to my rack to get some more rest. I have been having some very vivid dreams, holding conversations with friends as if I was in their homes. About midday I turned the camera on. I had shaved and brushed my hair in preparations of the celebration. I dressed in my sponsors shirt with the SC Ports, Phillips Industrial Services, News Printing Company, Passport International and Prudential logos on it, and wrapped a towel around my waist. With my sailing gloves and sail tie I built my crown. Then I turned over my proceedings to King Neptune first with a speech..."I ask you to protect me in your ocean, and to accept this gift from me." At this point I took the bone from the pork leg in my hands. Four days ago, I had calved the bone out from the leg of smoked pork. And now I was offering this two pound hunk of flesh and bone to King Neptune, which he openly recieved and took to the depth of his kingdom. A vast number of people and organizations in the Northern Hemisphere has stepped to the plate to help build our Foundation and put me on the water. To all of you, THANK YOU!! I continue to head as close to south as I can. The winds are light and progress is marginal. Now that I have left the northern hemisphere, I turn my attention to Cape Town. I would like to dedicate a few hours a day to working with young leaders in Cape Town. I would like to invite groups of 12 young people each day to the boat where I will speak about the ingredients of success and the overcoming of obstacles. We did this with over 300 youth in Charleston this summer. It was an hour of thought provoking time for all of us involved. I demonstrated how the things that the students were learning in the classroom, I was applying on this vessel. If I can apply that knowledge here, where else can't they apply their knowledge. Our youth need to be aware that success is in their hands. Daily they groom the habit, and there are no excuses. All our youth have the opportunity to become successful. It is how you define the meaning of the word and where your priorities lie. For me, personal success is more than finishing this race. It is about impacting people to reach out for the best in themselves and to maximize their potential. If each life this organization touches reaches their goals, and gives back to others, then we have been successful and a supportive global movement is healthy and growing. Lives can be impacted, one at a time. But each life that is impacted, impacts another one life each day with the same expectations, we can then help society. But it has to start with one person, one dream, one commitment at a time. In life there are no barriers.