Terry Kemp has a mystery woman waiting for him in Halifax, and he can’t for the life of him figure out who it is.
The 60-year-old retired flight operations manager from Staines, England, was planning on meeting his girlfriend, Debs, when he arrived in Nova Scotia. But then she unexpectedly told him she wouldn’t be coming. Instead a secret guest is coming to meet him and all Kemp knows is it’s a female and someone he’ll be “happy to see.”
“I asked if it was an ex-girlfriend,” he told his crewmates over dinner. “I shouldn’t have asked that one.”
The rest of the crew of the Nova Scotia has been having a lot of fun with his mystery guest scenario. Kemp knows it’s an old friend, but the trouble is he’s got a lot of friends.
“I couldn’t get to sleep last night because I was wracking my brain going through everyone I know,” he said. “I just can’t figure it out.”
Deb’s spontaneity fits well with Kemp, who retired from his job in December and decided to come on the round the world race. He’s had some awe-inspiring moments — dolphins riding alongside the ship, a lightning storm blazing in the night sky — and some scary ones — almost losing his pinky finger taking down the sail, watching lightning hit the mast of the ship.
“I’ve loved every minute of it. I haven’t stopped smiling since I got on the boat,” he said.
