Picture: The "Comms Officer" at Work
Author: Toby

Norm Weill joined as the first volunteer for the crossing. What was HE thinking? As probably the least experienced sailor and the only one who had never been off-shore overnight, Norm filled the bill as our trusted Communications Officer. He never missed a watch and had the 2:00 to 4:00 am shift... constantly keeping me company during the big, blowing end to the race as I tried to cover most of the late night shifts while sleeping when I could on deck.

Norm also became the ships IT officer. As I constantly ran into problems with the various software on the new Dell "Boat Computer" which was bought the night before the "first" race start. Norm to the rescue! His patient, follow the instructions mannerisms prevailed and the computer WENT DOWN! We, rather Norm, mastered it. And a little call-in support from Darell Strubbe from work didn't hurt when we needed to make our weather-fax software operate. (Maybe I shouldn't say operate. We never downloaded a single weather-fax the entire trip.)

In reminiscing about the trip after arrival in Nanny Cay, Norm tells the story of us below deck sleeping when one giant wave crashed across the sides, leaving a huge wave of water over the side hatches. He still believes that we were healed to the gunwales!

He, like the rest of the crew, seldom (OK never) showered. We resorted to Rite Aid's fabulous 11 inch body wipes for hygiene. To quote Norm, "If you want to freshen up, and you haven't showered in nine days, body wipes are pretty good stuff."