16 Aug Race Log – 11:15 August 16
Nate Fast
11:15 – August 16
This is the part of ocean racing that you can not prepare for. Sure, the boat is totally ready, all the safety gear has been checked and the provisions are all accounted for, but it’s the true physical and emotional state you can only find waking up after 2 hours of sleep as our boat pounds upwind to Fastnet Rock. It’s that full ache that you can not pinpoint or that tiredness you feel at your core, especially when you’re trying to keep your mind focused on trimming a spinnaker. It’s an experience that you can regret in the moment but reflect on with a sense of achievement.
That part of ocean racing is a draw for me. It’s pushing yourself further than you do on land in endurance and concentration. Safety is a critical part and out here where the abrupt motion of the boat has relieved a few of the crew of their lunch, it’s also about preservation, of yourself, your crew, and the boat. It’s something hard to find elsewhere.