This morning we had breakfast on the beach before we went to look at hte boats for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012. I'm not much of a boat person, so I wondered why all this hoopla was going on for one stinking race. Turns out it's not just a race in Alicante, as I thought, but a round the world race.
The race lasts for eight months and stops in ten countries and it all starts here. The Puma racing team (like the shoe brand...shoes!) has obviously dumped a ton of money in this thing as there are billboards, clothing stands, and advertisements everywhere.
The teams are made up of the best sailors in the world, and I have no idea why they do what they do, because this is no pleasure cruise. The sail 24 hours a day until they reach their next ports, sailing through extreme conditions whilst eating rehydrated rations and sleeping on canvas bunks all in the name of saving weight.
Sverre is a boat person. He can wander a marina for hours just looking at sailboats. I hope he'll have is own one day. I'm, as you know, more interested in horses and other land based activities, but I like boats and could learn to sail with him. Looking at the competition boats today was just as exciting for him as a Grand Prix horse show is for me. 
We did some shopping after vising the harbor, and stopped to have a beer or two (or three, we're on vacation, who's counting?) in the sun. We're now pleasently sun burned and tipsy enough not to feel it. I've determined that after this blogging siesta it's time for gelato before doing it all over again....
It is amazing how we become walled off in our own social worlds with little knowledge of others. As a former ocean racer, I can well understand the desire to, "go down to the sea in ships." The racing fraternity is small, competitive, and at a complete loss as to why not everyone has the same passion for streaking down a moonlit highway at 3:00 AM traveling at top speed with all sails up.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping you and Sverre get that boat some day.
B