I was supposed to VLOG this week and I even filmed it once but then realised that the video had stopped 2 mins into the recording due to lack of space in my moms phone. The other VLOG answering Mike Smith’s question on what I thought about all the boats. I am still editing the video to add information about the boats I saw at the Vendee marina and the other boats I was considering, but that can wait in light of the two new updates. But the big news now is that I was approached through the crew list for the Lake Ontario 300. I was not really planning to sail the LO300 but couldn’t pass on this opportunity. The team is led by Will French and I believe it could be a great team. There was great humor in the email he sent to ask me to participate in the race and after I added him on Facebook. I have seen their results in the past few races and it looks super promising. The boats name is Entourage and it is an Olson 911SE. I plan to enter the Lake Ontario 300 next year in the boat I choose. I will be traveling in the coming weeks to Seattle and Port Townsend to take the final call among the two boats that I have shortlisted. I will also be visiting some supporters who have volunteered to help with the refit of the boat that I purchase. So, Don McIntyre, the race chairman for the Golden Globe Race gave out a teaser about the upcoming announcement of the Ocean Globe Race. The picture above is very self explanatory- ‘In the Spirit of the original 1973 Whitbread Race’That is pretty much all the details I have but knowing Don and the rules of the Golden Globe Race I could make out some details by which I could see if its viable. As a 16 year old in 2003, I had downloaded the NOR for the Volvo Ocean Race not knowing how much it would actually cost. I am not a great believer in spirituality, but I believe the Universe has found a way to get me in the spot for such things these days. Beginning with the Golden Globe Race and now moving onto the Ocean Globe Race. I believe I can put up a team together to participate in this race. So, I still don’t know what the rules of the race are. But I made a simple calculation by finding out the details about the smallest boat i.e. the Polish entry Copernicus in the 1973 Whitbread Round The World Race. I am hereby declaring that I will put together an entry for the Ocean Globe Race- be it a Canadian or an Indian entry. I would love to bring in an Indian entry to begin with but that will be a very tough project. Taking the boat to register in India and then going through an extensive refit will take quite an effort. An entry from Canada with an Indian crew seems more like the doable part, but honestly there aren’t many people with Ocean Racing experience in India so I will have to rely on others who have that kind of experience. But that is not a big problem because I believe the Indian sailors I am approaching are the best and they can adjust real well to the challenges that will face them in the Ocean Globe Race 2023. The other problem I see there is that I will only have 2-3 months to start sailing again after finishing the Golden Globe Race 2022. That will be the tough part to manage and discuss with family more than anyone else. For now we are off on a road trip across Ontario and Quebec and will be back on the 12th for the start of the Lake Ontario 300. I will try to find a GoPro so I can film the LO300 and then share with everyone here.
