THE QUIET CANADIAN CLOSES THE LOOP
31st May 2003

After a dreary spring, Newport finally managed to turn it on for the final arrival in the 2002/03 Around Alone race. A sparkling morning greeted Canadian sailor Derek Hatfield as he awoke to his last day at sea. The ocean off Rhode Island undulated lazily with a slight swell from some long forgotten wind as Hatfield and Spirit of Canada sailed the final few miles to the finish in a light southwesterly breeze. It was a bittersweet morning. Sweet because Derek’s dream of a solo circumnavigation was about to be realized, and bitter because after five years of intense work and focus it was all about to come to an end.

Derek’s Around Alone effort is the story of this race. Granted Bernard Stamm rocketed around the planet in record time and Brad Van Liew took a clean sweep of his class, but Derek and his plucky boat really captured the imagination of the public and the skipper inspired tens of thousands of people around the world with his determination and integrity. When all seemed lost after a devastating pitchpole at Cape Horn, Hatfield’s courage and energy kept the project going and his finish in Newport this morning is a testament to the strong will and never-give-up attitude that epitomized this campaign. Lesser men would have folded and gone back home to contemplate their options, but Derek got right back on the horse and kept on riding. In Derek’s final email from on board he thanked two key people that helped him get back on track. "To Al Power of Decoma International and Andrew Pindar of Pindar Group, thank you very much for your kind generosity and belief in Spirit of Canada. Without you, we definitely would not have been able to attain the goal that we set out to do." These two individuals recognized that Hatfield needed help to keep on going and stepped up to the plate to get the boat rerigged and back out sailing. They can take some small pride in Derek’s arrival this morning.

I can also personally take some pride in Derek’s finish. Five years ago when Spirit of Canada was still a lines drawing on computer screen, I trucked my own boat to the Toronto Boat Show in support of Derek’s campaign. The idea was to show the sailing public in Canada what one of these machines looked like and to allow them to take a look around an Open boat. That was the beginning for Derek. Since then he has worked tirelessly, barely taking a day off to first build his boat and then sail it around the world. The sense of accomplishment he must feel now that the trip is behind him is enormous.

There was a very poignant moment when Spirit of Canada approached the finish line. Hatfield glanced over to the committee boat and noticed a diminutive figure standing alongside his parents. The face was familiar. Three months ago when in Tauranga Derek had befriended a 7 year old boy by the name of Bryce Holmes. Bryce was there on the dock when he arrived and the two became firm friends. Derek had no idea that his Kiwi mate had made the trip to the US to witness his arrival and the delight on Hatfield’s face was a sight to behold. Small moments like that one make the worst storm fade instantly into a distant memory. Derek’s trip around the world was filled with moments, both big and small, and it’s probably the fleeting ones that he will remember best. Like winning his class in the Prologue race from Newport to New York last fall, and beating two of the larger 50 footers into England at the end of Leg 1. But the most lasting impact will be the period spent in Ushuaia in Southern Argentina fixing the boat after the capsize and especially returning to the spot where he had capsized. "It was a very emotional time," Derek said. "I forced myself to not think about where I was and what had happened. It was night when I got back to the exact spot where the boat had flipped and I just kept thinking about the leg ahead. It was really spooky."

By closing the loop on the circumnavigation Derek becomes Canada’s second sailor to finish the Around Alone, John Hughes being the first. The emotion in his voice was very evident when Derek described how he felt about his accomplishment. "The one thing that surprised me was how weak I felt," he said. "The boat was fantastic, but there were times when I felt really emotional and fragile especially once the other boats had finished. But I found a sure way to combat those feelings. I took a nap. It’s amazing how even a short 5-minute nap can change your outlook. It really was one of the keys to my success." Derek hopes to build upon this success and field a Class 1 entry in the next Around Alone. "I know now what to expect and I know that given the right boat and budget that I could be very competitive, perhaps even win the next race," he said. I say someone should step up to the plate and sponsor this man who is surely one of the best ambassadors to come out of Canada in decades.

Congratulations Derek. Your elapsed time for the leg was 48 days, 21 hours, 56 minutes, 25 seconds for an overall elapsed time of 245 days, 15 hours, 44 minutes, 45 seconds. Whichever way you count it that’s a long time at sea, but your stories from onboard kept droves of Canadians and many others enthralled during another long, cold winter, and for that we thank you. Welcome home.

--- Brian Hancock great.circle@verizon.net

Source: Around Alone Official Site