by Skipper Rich Wilson, aboard Great American III

In this race around the world, we will pass many places and peoples. Some will be nearby, as were Spain, Morocco, and the Cape Verde Islands. Others will be very distant and far over the horizon, as will be South Africa, Madagascar, Australia and New Zealand.

In spite of their distances from Great American III, these places stimulate my imagination. What are the people like? What are the places like? What is the terrain of each country? What kind of weather is dominant? What variety of natural resources do these places hold? What forms of government do they have? What styles of food do they eat?

In the United States, one can identify regions with distinct differences: the northeast, south, southwest, west, mid-west, northwest, etc. In spite of the differences between regions we are all Americans, and we embrace and honor these differences within our society.

On a larger scale, we are also citizens of Planet Earth, and we should embrace and honor the differences among peoples, cultures and places worldwide. As we have come to travel extensively within the US, so should we try to travel extensively outside the US to learn firsthand about the rest of the world.

Out here, we are always sailing past invisible places. Although glad to be in the race, I know that I am missing a lot, and vow to visit many more countries afterward.