From The Deck of Prospector 12 July 2015 1430Z

From The Deck of Prospector 12 July 2015 1430Z

Camaraderie

There are few things in life that build camaraderie like team sports. I

have had the good fortune to play team sports since childhood and can

say that some of the relationships developed in those early years are

still my closest.

When it comes to sailing there are many types of racing and racing

teams and programs, from inshore buoy racing to middle distance

offshore and long distance offshore. Some of these programs are fully

pro, some a mix and some fully amateur.

The Transatlantic Race falls in to the last category and the Prospector

team falls into the fully amateur category.  Last year when Brendan

approached me about joining the program I knew only a few people on

the program well and most were acquaintances that I knew from

different programs and had competed against over the years. And

some I did not know at all.  Having sailed with Brendan for several years

on Barleycorn and knowing the people he engaged with made the

decision an easy “yes”.

First I cannot say enough about Tery, Quinn, Scotty and Colette for the

outstanding job in getting the boat prepped and provisioned for this

event.  This is a monumental undertaking and has been executed to

perfection.  Of course none of this would be possible without the vision

and follow through of the partnership that drives this program.  The

partners are individually and jointly top notch to sail with and I consider

myself very fortunate to be a part of this program. 

Fast forward to July 2015 and 12 months of anticipation and practice

refining the crew, the boat, the sails and so many other aspects of the

program. This included the Vineyard Race, the Caribbean 600, and the

Annapolis to Newport Race as lead ups to the TR.

The TR is the equivalent to an ultra-marathon or an iron man triathlon.

There are no breaks, you don’t get off the water at the end of the day

and have a nice meal with friends or family, you don’t check in with the

office and tuck your kid into bed.  You are on the grind 24 hours a day

with 14 other people who have 14 different personalities, sharing a

living space that is 60 feet in length and 15 feet in width at its widest

point. You share 1 bathroom, you get one cubby that is approx 3 cubic

feet to put what you deem necessary to bring for 2 weeks at sea, you

share a bunk with your watch partner. There is no cocktail hour, there

is no nightly news, there is no shower, there is no ice cream before bed,

there is no calling in sick, and there is no communication with the

outside world. You cast the lines off the dock, check your ego at the

door and you are in the hands of your fellow crewmates – period.

I have personally had the good fortune to compete in many different

racing programs both inshore and offshore with semi professional and

amateur teams. Most of these experiences have been very rewarding,

some have been disastrous but at the end of the day when you

measure it all you have to ask yourself – “would I go offshore with this

person?”  

During this race we have experienced a lot of heavy weather sailing,

and some very challenging situations. In all of this I have not only been

impressed but I have been astounded by camaraderie and seamanship

of this team. Each and every one of us has pushed ourselves and each

other beyond our boundaries and worked together as a team to

overcome adversities handed to us by Mother Nature. In 2 weeks I have

learned things about myself and learned lessons from my teammates

that will make me a better person and serve me well in future

endeavors, all through the camaraderie of this crew.  Through all of the

challenges we have faced together we have laughed, joked busted each

others balls and our own and done so with a smile, knowing that we are

all our brothers keepers.

As much as I am looking forward to hearing the voices of my loved ones

at home, taking a shower, having a beer and enjoying a meal that was

not a product of boiling water…. There is a large part of me that does

not want this journey to end.

Tim Keyworth