It’s possible to get sick of winter weather (and here in the Mid-Atlantic, more is on the way). But I don’t think it’s ever possible for any sailor to ever get sick of the Southern Ocean or the Jules Verne (unless, of course, you're actually in the Southern Ocean, where, by the time you reach Cape Horn, I expect you're thoroughly tired of the Southern Ocean).

Well, if the America’s Cup has gone multihull, there’s no reason the rest of the boating world can’t do the same. For decades, ocean rowers have slogged their way across the seas in monohulls of one sort or another. (I know, I don’t get it either, but there's no accounting for taste, or masochism, apparently.) And they have suffered, died, and set records doing it.

We all love to sail and spend time on the oceans. We love to look at crazy videos of kiteboarders doing 50-plus knots in ditches, and read about eccentric misanthropes who take to the oceans in seek of adventure. But sometimes I wonder if we all care enough, or do enough, to protect the oceans that provide all this wetass amusement. I'm pretty sure the answer is we don’t, since the oceans are in pretty bad shape.  

Back in June, I inked a big old X on the sailing calendar: the start of the 2010 Route Du Rhum. The reason was simple. It will hands-down be the most exciting sailboat race of the year, and it starts this coming weekend.