Life serves up curve balls all the time and we observe and adapt as required. The decision to abandon my voyage to bring RF home was filled with disappointment but not a difficult decision. Facts outweigh emotions, so as long as decisions are made this way the safety factor remains within acceptable limits. In this instance I understand the weather enough to know when a spanking is about to be had.
The Route du Rhum is a solo transatlantic race from St Malo to Guadaloupe held every 4 years. If I had departed The Netherlands when the autopilot went belly-up, it would have put me in the same water as the 124 odd entrants heading straight into five LOW pressure systems barreling across the Nth Atlantic. So how did these skippers fare you ask?......not very well as I expected. In the first 2 days over 50 either retired, broke, capsized, dis-masted or sought shelter. Check out this link (route du rhum) to see a summary of the carnage and keep in mind boats are still racing as I write.
So its back to planning and the even more difficult decision when one is a fleet owner.....deciding if I should sell my beautiful Sigma 36 'Rogue Wave'......yep, another curve ball.
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