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WEEK 12 - Enjoying The Moment

Updated: 5 days ago

Ollie chilling out with his orchid
Ollie chilling out with his orchid

After a challenging Week 11, Week 12 has seen the return of Ollie’s signature smile and upbeat spirit. With repairs ticked off, personal milestones reached, and moments of reflection, it's been a week of renewal— for both the boat and the skipper sailing it.


Mending the Mainsail


Fresh off his successful mast climb on Day 79, Monday 27th January, Ollie tackled the next big fix: patching up the hole in his mainsail. Lowering the sail, he set to work applying Kevlar patches on both sides of the tear.


In true resourceful sailor fashion, he laughed at himself as he found the perfect circular template for cutting the patches, his toilet bucket! He cleaned the damaged area, applied the patches, and soon had the mainsail back up and powering him forward.


Before
Before

After
After

Solo, but never Alone


On Day 81, Wednesday 29th January, Ollie revealed one of his most treasured sources of motivation, a box of handwritten notes from his wife, one for each day of the race.

After a tough few days, the latest message visibly lifted his spirits:


"While I’m following my dream, sailing non-stop and solo around the world, my wife is working incredibly hard, managing so much of the campaign behind the scenes. Without her, I wouldn’t be here."

It’s a beautiful reminder that while Vendee Globe sailing may be a solo sport, no solo sailor crosses an ocean entirely alone.


Freshen Up Friday


There’s nothing like a good shower to reset the mind and body—even in the middle of the Atlantic!


On Day 83, Friday 31st January, after dodging squalls for the previous 24 hours, Ollie seized the opportunity during a rare hot, calm spell to freshen up and do some laundry.


His method? Buckets of seawater for washing, lots of soap, followed by a freshwater rinse to conserve precious supplies. A small luxury, but another huge morale boost!





Lessons from the Vendée Globe: Enjoy the Moment


Reflecting on what Ollie will take from this experience into life beyond the race, he shared a powerful lesson:


“There are always reasons not to be happy; some problem or other in the background that bothers you. But it’s such a shame to let it stop you enjoying the moment, you need to take a step back and look for enjoyment in every day. You should go through life happy, despite minor problems and challenges.”

A lesson for all of us, whether at sea or on land.




Back to the Northern Hemisphere


Day 85, Sunday 2nd February, marked one of the final major milestones of the race, Ollie crossed the equator back into the Northern Hemisphere! His reward? Straight into tough, upwind slamming conditions, which is sure to test his newly rediscovered good mood.

 

With the finish line is getting closer, Ollie is proving that resilience, gratitude, and a positive mindset are just as vital as seamanship.

 

Ollie has now completed 87% of the course, and has under 3,000 miles to go to the finish at Les Sables D’Olonne. But the race is far from over, as Ollie continues to seek the optimum balance between performance and safety; mindful of his keel limitations when sailing on port tack and keeping a close eye on the North Atlantic weather systems.


Keep following and supporting Ollie's progress via the tracker visible on our website, www.oliverheer.com or via our social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.




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