"Just a couple of hours to go of this Friday the 13th. Seen two fishing boats out today and two cargo ships, they are my biggest worry at the moment, but so far no close calls. It is very strange coming back to civilisation. I have no idea at all about that is happening in the world. All I know, there is a new and better President of the USA, the economy is in the dumps and there has been snow in the South of England. Otherwise, it will be a big surprise to me. Normally I would read the paper every day and be in tune with events, but this race has taken over all my thoughts for the last 3 months and soon there will be a new world to adapt back into. Some of it will be great, like family, friends and hot showers. Some of it may be unwelcome, like traffic, pollution and noise.Even the apparently mundane, might hold new wonder. For instance, today I saw my first aeroplane fly overhead since the start of the race. It came straight over my head from the East, heading out across the Atlantic. I could not stop staring at it, it was amazing. As it flew directly over Bahrain Team Pindar in the bright, blue sky, its twin contrails streamed and swirled off its tail exactly like the wake of a ship. It was as if there was a sea above me that was mirroring the sea below, it was quite uncanny. It was probably something I would never normally pay attention to, and of course soon I am going to be alert to a whole new range of experiences, outside that of the sea, the sky and the boat.
Just 330 miles to the finish now and the sailing feels like I am on a lake after the rough waters I have been through lately. It is upwind sailing in 10-15 knots of wind, and will remain similar to this to the finish, so slow progress as I tack back and forth. The skies are mainly clear in the High Pressure and it does not really feel like February in the Northern Hemisphere yet. I am wearing a Musto beany hat and a few thermal layers, but nothing like the layers I wore in the Southern Ocean in it’s summer. I am hoping to finish Sunday before dark, that’s my goal and of course to stay ahead of my friend Dee who is close on my tail. Monday would be the latest finish, unless something goes awry. "
Brian THompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) in his daily message