August SITREP
Racing and Qualifier Preparations
Time for the August SITREP with much to update everyone on. It is currently foggy, damp, and feeling like fall here in Ireland. Why Ireland?! Read below for the full update.
Before I get into the sailing update, over the past few weeks I have wanted to write this August SITREP but just could not find the words. I feel it is important to highlight the tragedy of what is unfolding in Afghanistan. This is in part because I know there is nothing that I can say or do right now that will change the current situation. From what I read, it seems like some are questioning if twenty years of war in Afghanistan was all worth it. This post will not answer that military or political debate.
The pain I currently feel is from the outside as a witness to the death, destruction, and enormous loss of hope unfolding for the Afghan population. However, if we are being honest this is nothing new for Afghanistan, just in a different form…and once again in the headlines. Instead of the Taliban terrorizing the population from the shadows, they are doing it as the newly formed transitional government. All while seeking legitimacy on the same level as any other nation state. On top of this…the 13 Marines, corpsman, and soldier KIA and numerous wounded.
Many veterans know people still in Afghanistan or their relatives. I am no different. When I was deployed in Helmand Province, I served with a dedicated translator who spent year after year working alongside of the US and NATO military forces. I owe in part my safe return home to this individual. We spent most of our time together on the Afghan side of a large military base, advising Afghan soldiers conducting a variety of intelligence roles. He excelled in sensing when a situation was about to become potentially hostile or when something just didn’t seem right.
I was not so much worried about the soldiers and police officers on the base that I knew, it was common for us to share meals, talk about our families, and our interests. It was the soldiers we didn’t know that concerned us the most. Sensing things off base line, this is where he really stepped up. Fortunately, he has lived in the US for the past few years. However, his immediate family remains under serious threat in Afghanistan and he is extremely worried about their safety. The major hurdle he now faces by requesting visas is the cost. If anyone is interested in supporting his family request the visas, please contact me separately. I wish I could share more of the story and his family, but the threat is still real.
I am lost for any eloquent words to sum up the current situation across Afghanistan so until then I will focus on the sailing…
August began in Getxo, Spain. I had just finished the first stage of Puru Challenge Mini Gascogna race from Port Bourgenay, France through the Bay of Biscay to Spain. 375 nautical miles in just under 3 days with conditions ranging from no wind to 30+ knot squalls at night. This was also the leg where my bow sprit support strut broke just over a day out from Spain. Luckily I was able to swap the struts as a temporary solution.
On 3 August we started the second stage back to France. This race was shortened and a straight shot back to Port Bourgenay due to the incoming weather and high sea state. Even though the race was only a day and a half long for me, the Bay of Biscay lived up to its reputation. The first afternoon there was absolutely no wind. After 6 hours of sailing we could still see the starting line. That evening the wind filled in at a perfect at 20-22 knots, with the big spinnaker up for hours, until most of us wiped out. That next morning and into the day we saw steady 30-32 knots of wind with gusts over 37 knots. That is a lot for a 21 foot boat!
Even though I did not place as well as I know I could have, I certainly learned a lot during these races. In the first stage I did not go as far east on the long leg south as I had planned, so when the anticipated shift finally arrived, I was not at the ideal angle. In the second race, I stuck to my overall game plan of going west to be the first to the new breeze once it filled in. However, off the starting line the boats that initially went east then cut across the course west proved the most successful. Over all challenging conditions but the race provided a great experience to continue to learn the boat and class.
Once the Puru Challenge race concluded, and a strong weather depression passed through Port Bourgenay, I sailed the 90 miles back to La Trinité-sur-Mer. This mostly upwind sail marked the end of the racing season for me and a change in focus to qualifying for the 2023 Mini Transat race.
By mid-August Jane had joined me in France to help prepare for my upcoming 1,000 nautical mile solo qualifying sail. More on this qualifier soon… Since I cannot stay in France for more than 90 days, the clock was ticking so we set sail for Ireland. Even though both countries are in the European Union, Ireland is not part of the Schengen area so this was perfect for a temporary change in location.
350 nautical miles later out of the Bay of Biscay and through the Celtic Sea, Jane and I arrived Kinsale, Ireland. This small coastal town just south of Cork was perfect for boat work and preparations. After checking the rig, making some improvements to the boat, and provisioning, Terminal Leave is once again ready for the upcoming sail.
Thank you for your continued support and make sure to keep an eye out through Facebook and Instagram for daily updates throughout my upcoming sail!
Thank you to my sponsors for making this all possible: Fawcett Boat Supplies, Switlik Survival Products, Gill Marine, New England Ropes, Yankee Marine, Harken, Great Clips
