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Lining up for The Line- boat mail ABN Amro One

by Sidney Gavignet, ABN Amro One on 21 Nov 2005
ABN Amro One heads for the Equator in heavy seas. Volvo Ocean Race http://www.volvooceanrace.com
From: ABN AMRO ONE DAY 9 (2)
Sent: 20 November 2005
To: DUTY OFFICER 0853
Sent: 20 November 2005 13:33

Hello there,
I am now trying my report in English!

Being busy on ABN AMRO TWO, taking care of Nick Bice's case, King
Neptune wrote us an email:

Dear team members of ABN AMRO ONE, I know that most of you went through my
gates several times. Once again I wish you a warm welcome. Sorry not to be
with you, I have to prepare the ceremony for one of your colleagues few
miles behind. I am confident that you will run the ceremony for Robert
Greenhalgh and his first crossing of the equator according to the
tradition and to the rules.

For this purpose I name Young Kiwi Dave ( David Endean) busted leg:
minister 1; I name Irish Justin (Slattery) Lord of the foredeck: minister
2; I name Kiwi Moose (Mike Sanderson) Lord of the Maori
hook: minister 3; I name Tony Big T (Tony Mutter) (steering pedestal
tester) Lord of the sawing machine: minister 4; I name Crusty (Mark
Christensen) Lord of the broken bodies minister 5; I name Sidney
(Gavignet) the marvelous Lord of nowhere: minister 6; I name Kiwi Brad
(Jackson) Skunk Lord of the ugly smells: minister 7; I name Jan (Dekker)
shark tooth Lord of Cape Town: minister 8 and Stan.....The Man (Stan
Honey): minister 9.

Please proceed.
Yours sincerely King Neptune.

So we had to proceed, and I think King Neptune could be happy with us!

The equator is now behind us and we are all happy about that, it is one of
the important steps of this leg. Fernando de Noronha will be another one.

Even if we have an appreciable lead we won't be totally secure before
being on the southern highway to Cape Town. We know that the following
days after the islands will be critical and the forecast is not totally
clear at the moment.

So after crossing the equator, we now cross our fingers to have a good
weather to take us on the second half of the leg.

Hope you'll be able to understand my English.

A bientot.

Sidney Gavignet
B&G Zeus SR AUSRooster 2025Zhik 2024 December

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