December 31st December 2008: On the 6th Day of Christmas...
...my skipper said to me, when you are in the Southern Ocean you are closer to a satellite than you are to the nearest civilisation. Todays website belongs to fellow crew member Pete Collins and can be found at http://www.collinsoceanracing.com/
Pete is an experienced sailor with more than a passing interest in adventure sports. His CV lists numerous achievements including long distance running, rock climbing, mountaineering and cycling. He is signed up to compete in the full 09-10 race and has set up a very impressive web site which gives a good insight into his preparations. He has secured sponsorship from a number of corporate concerns including Turner and Townsend and is committed to raising money to support his nominated charity, Cancer Research UK.
...my skipper said to me, when you are in the Southern Ocean you are closer to a satellite than you are to the nearest civilisation. Todays website belongs to fellow crew member Pete Collins and can be found at http://www.collinsoceanracing.com/
Pete is an experienced sailor with more than a passing interest in adventure sports. His CV lists numerous achievements including long distance running, rock climbing, mountaineering and cycling. He is signed up to compete in the full 09-10 race and has set up a very impressive web site which gives a good insight into his preparations. He has secured sponsorship from a number of corporate concerns including Turner and Townsend and is committed to raising money to support his nominated charity, Cancer Research UK.
December 30th 2008: On the 5th Day of Christmas...
...my skipper said to me, keep yourself hydrated with lots of water. We've got two websites for the price of one today since BAA Communities Trust are working in partnership with Solent Skill Quest Limited to support my work with local schools. The Meridian360 site provides an on line educational resource through which students at both primary and secondary schools can follow the 09-10 race and link it to science, maths, geography, engineering and other curricula.
BAA Communities Trust was set up in 1996 and to date have distributed almost £4m to causes in the communities close to BAA Airports. The Trust focuses its spending on local community projects and initiatives put forward by BAA staff. The Trust aims to create opportunities for young people, protect the environment, promote active communities and break down barriers to employment. They are supporting by my local schools project through Solent Skill Quest who work in partnership with businesses, schools and colleges to broker relationships and facilitate learning that helps young people and adults develop their employment skills.
...my skipper said to me, keep yourself hydrated with lots of water. We've got two websites for the price of one today since BAA Communities Trust are working in partnership with Solent Skill Quest Limited to support my work with local schools. The Meridian360 site provides an on line educational resource through which students at both primary and secondary schools can follow the 09-10 race and link it to science, maths, geography, engineering and other curricula.
BAA Communities Trust was set up in 1996 and to date have distributed almost £4m to causes in the communities close to BAA Airports. The Trust focuses its spending on local community projects and initiatives put forward by BAA staff. The Trust aims to create opportunities for young people, protect the environment, promote active communities and break down barriers to employment. They are supporting by my local schools project through Solent Skill Quest who work in partnership with businesses, schools and colleges to broker relationships and facilitate learning that helps young people and adults develop their employment skills.
December 29th 2008: On the 4th Day of Christmas...
...my skipper said to me, there's a crew get together on Saturday 17th January at the London Boat Show. Today I wanted to introduce you to another Clipper Crew Member, Julia Taylor who has her own blog at http://www.jatroundtheworld.com/.
Julia and I sailed together on Clipper Durban when we completed our Part B training in August. We had some pretty rough weather heading out of the Solent and as I recall, Julia handled it a lot better than I did! My lasting memory of Julia from that week will be volunteering as a real life casualty in a ‘man overboard’ drill. This involved her putting on an immersion suit (even in late summer, prolonged exposure in the water can be a risky business) waiting patiently in the water for the boat to turn and for another crew member, Peter, to be lowered from the boat and lead the rescue.
For Julia the opportunity to compete in the full circumnavigation is the dream of a lifetime come true and like many crew members she will be raising money for charity; her chosen beneficiary being The Sacha Borthwick Foundation.
Julia is Founder and Director of her own recruitment and search and selection agency that operates throughout the UK and across all sectors and she will be taking time out of work to compete in the race.
...my skipper said to me, there's a crew get together on Saturday 17th January at the London Boat Show. Today I wanted to introduce you to another Clipper Crew Member, Julia Taylor who has her own blog at http://www.jatroundtheworld.com/.
Julia and I sailed together on Clipper Durban when we completed our Part B training in August. We had some pretty rough weather heading out of the Solent and as I recall, Julia handled it a lot better than I did! My lasting memory of Julia from that week will be volunteering as a real life casualty in a ‘man overboard’ drill. This involved her putting on an immersion suit (even in late summer, prolonged exposure in the water can be a risky business) waiting patiently in the water for the boat to turn and for another crew member, Peter, to be lowered from the boat and lead the rescue.
For Julia the opportunity to compete in the full circumnavigation is the dream of a lifetime come true and like many crew members she will be raising money for charity; her chosen beneficiary being The Sacha Borthwick Foundation.
Julia is Founder and Director of her own recruitment and search and selection agency that operates throughout the UK and across all sectors and she will be taking time out of work to compete in the race.
December 28th 2008: On the 3rd Day of Christmas...
...my skipper said to me, this time next year the fleet will be resting in Fremantle. Todays website comes in the form of my race partner, Eastleigh Borough Council at www.eastleigh.gov.uk.
Eastleigh Borough Council serves a population of just over 117,000 and area of over 30 square miles stretching from Chandler’s Ford in the North to the Hamble shores in the South. Eastleigh is at the centre of the communication network in the South of England and Eastleigh Town sits at the junction of the M27 South Coast motorway and the M3 which provides easy access to London and the Midlands. Eastleigh also lies on the Waterloo to Weymouth main line railway and hosts an international airport that connects to the hubs at Rotterdam (Schipol) and Paris (Charles De Gaulle). The declining railway industry provides a wonderful opportunity for regeneration over the next few years with the Eastleigh Riverside providing 130 acres of prime real estate that will be used to stimulate the economy with mixed employment and high quality jobs.
...my skipper said to me, this time next year the fleet will be resting in Fremantle. Todays website comes in the form of my race partner, Eastleigh Borough Council at www.eastleigh.gov.uk.
Eastleigh Borough Council serves a population of just over 117,000 and area of over 30 square miles stretching from Chandler’s Ford in the North to the Hamble shores in the South. Eastleigh is at the centre of the communication network in the South of England and Eastleigh Town sits at the junction of the M27 South Coast motorway and the M3 which provides easy access to London and the Midlands. Eastleigh also lies on the Waterloo to Weymouth main line railway and hosts an international airport that connects to the hubs at Rotterdam (Schipol) and Paris (Charles De Gaulle). The declining railway industry provides a wonderful opportunity for regeneration over the next few years with the Eastleigh Riverside providing 130 acres of prime real estate that will be used to stimulate the economy with mixed employment and high quality jobs.
December 27th 2008: On the 2nd Day of Christmas...
...my Skipper said to me, when in doubt use a bowline! And make sure you check out Elaine's website at http://neptunecalling.blog.com/
I met Elaine at the end of the 07-08 race in Liverpool as we prepared to join our respective Clipper Boats for the return trip to Gosport. I sailed on Durban 2010 and Beyond whilst Elaine joined up with Liverpool 08. We met again on a sea survival course in Gosport and later we sailed together on Qingdao for the delivery trip to St Katharine Dock. By coincidence, I also sailed with Elaine’s brother Paul on my Part A training last Easter and shared an interesting mother watch in a force 8 gale!
Elaine, a trained physiotherapist from Gloucestershire, has an amazing story to tell so I would strongly encourage you to read through her blog. I’ve been dreaming about this race for over two years and it has consumed so much of my life in the intervening time. That is a drop in the ocean (no pun intended) compared to Elaine’s story which started as far back as 1997 when she witnessed the return of the BT Global Challenge at Southampton. Signed up for the 2008/09 race, and having completed her initial training on the Challenge boats, Elaine’s dreams were dashed when Challenge Business went into administration.
Fortunately for Elaine, and for us, Clipper Ventures were keen to give the disappointed Challenge crew a further opportunity to sail around the world and Elaine will be joining us for the full circumnavigation as well as raising funds for the Philip Green Memorial Trust which helps to improve the lives for sick and disabled children.
...my Skipper said to me, when in doubt use a bowline! And make sure you check out Elaine's website at http://neptunecalling.blog.com/
I met Elaine at the end of the 07-08 race in Liverpool as we prepared to join our respective Clipper Boats for the return trip to Gosport. I sailed on Durban 2010 and Beyond whilst Elaine joined up with Liverpool 08. We met again on a sea survival course in Gosport and later we sailed together on Qingdao for the delivery trip to St Katharine Dock. By coincidence, I also sailed with Elaine’s brother Paul on my Part A training last Easter and shared an interesting mother watch in a force 8 gale!
Elaine, a trained physiotherapist from Gloucestershire, has an amazing story to tell so I would strongly encourage you to read through her blog. I’ve been dreaming about this race for over two years and it has consumed so much of my life in the intervening time. That is a drop in the ocean (no pun intended) compared to Elaine’s story which started as far back as 1997 when she witnessed the return of the BT Global Challenge at Southampton. Signed up for the 2008/09 race, and having completed her initial training on the Challenge boats, Elaine’s dreams were dashed when Challenge Business went into administration.
Fortunately for Elaine, and for us, Clipper Ventures were keen to give the disappointed Challenge crew a further opportunity to sail around the world and Elaine will be joining us for the full circumnavigation as well as raising funds for the Philip Green Memorial Trust which helps to improve the lives for sick and disabled children.
December 26th 2008: On the 1st Day of Christmas...
...my Skipper said to me, check out this website. http://www.gra.uk.com/
Grahame Robb Associates is one of my personal race partners for the 09-10 Race. They specialise in designing and delivering staff development programmes to public and private sector clients. First formed in 1989, they now employ over 20 permanent and associate members of staff with a wealth of experience in all areas of training provision. 2008 has been a particularly good year for the company who recently acquired a major Corporate Outdoor Learning centre at Wokefield Park, Reading, which includes one of the largest rope courses in Europe.
Over the 12 days of Christmas, we will link to a different web site each day, alternating between personal race partners and other crew members that I have met through training and through the web. It is great to meet people who, like me, are excited and committed to facing probably the greatest challenge we will face in our lives. We can't do it on our own. We need each other to achieve our goals. We hope you will enjoy the fresh perspective that they bring to the race.
...my Skipper said to me, check out this website. http://www.gra.uk.com/
Grahame Robb Associates is one of my personal race partners for the 09-10 Race. They specialise in designing and delivering staff development programmes to public and private sector clients. First formed in 1989, they now employ over 20 permanent and associate members of staff with a wealth of experience in all areas of training provision. 2008 has been a particularly good year for the company who recently acquired a major Corporate Outdoor Learning centre at Wokefield Park, Reading, which includes one of the largest rope courses in Europe.
Over the 12 days of Christmas, we will link to a different web site each day, alternating between personal race partners and other crew members that I have met through training and through the web. It is great to meet people who, like me, are excited and committed to facing probably the greatest challenge we will face in our lives. We can't do it on our own. We need each other to achieve our goals. We hope you will enjoy the fresh perspective that they bring to the race.
December 17th 2008: Explorers of Christmas Past
You’re probably wondering what possible connection there could be between the Clipper Race and Earthrise on the moon as witnessed by Apollo astronauts. The answer is that 40 years ago this month, Sir Robin Knox Johnston was in the middle of his record breaking solo non stop circumnavigation of the world. Aboard his tiny ketch Suhaili, he was sailing deep in the Southern Oceans between New Zealand and Cape Horn. The Southern Oceans are so desolate that it is difficult to be further away from civilisation – unless you are an astronaut!
At the very same time that Robin was making his mark as one of the great adventurers of our time, Borman, Lovell and Anders were becoming the first people to leave earth’s orbit and circumnavigate the moon in Apollo 8. This was where they took this spectacular shot that has inspired millions ever since. The first time anyone had seen our own planet in this way.
This time next year the crews of 10 Clipper yachts will be pushing their own personal boundaries of human achievement in the Southern Oceans as they dip into the ‘Roaring Forties’ on their way to an exciting Christmas break in Fremantle, Western Australia. This is the only time that they have an extended stay in port, with a scheduled arrival around 16 December and the start of Leg 4 scheduled for 1 January 2010. That will allow time for the boats to be lifted out of the water and have their hulls re-treated. It will also give the crews a good chance to relax with friends and family before they start the hard work of preparing for the next leg up to China.
You’re probably wondering what possible connection there could be between the Clipper Race and Earthrise on the moon as witnessed by Apollo astronauts. The answer is that 40 years ago this month, Sir Robin Knox Johnston was in the middle of his record breaking solo non stop circumnavigation of the world. Aboard his tiny ketch Suhaili, he was sailing deep in the Southern Oceans between New Zealand and Cape Horn. The Southern Oceans are so desolate that it is difficult to be further away from civilisation – unless you are an astronaut!
At the very same time that Robin was making his mark as one of the great adventurers of our time, Borman, Lovell and Anders were becoming the first people to leave earth’s orbit and circumnavigate the moon in Apollo 8. This was where they took this spectacular shot that has inspired millions ever since. The first time anyone had seen our own planet in this way.
This time next year the crews of 10 Clipper yachts will be pushing their own personal boundaries of human achievement in the Southern Oceans as they dip into the ‘Roaring Forties’ on their way to an exciting Christmas break in Fremantle, Western Australia. This is the only time that they have an extended stay in port, with a scheduled arrival around 16 December and the start of Leg 4 scheduled for 1 January 2010. That will allow time for the boats to be lifted out of the water and have their hulls re-treated. It will also give the crews a good chance to relax with friends and family before they start the hard work of preparing for the next leg up to China.
December 5th 2008: Top Ten Trivia for the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10
10 - Ten months at sea. Ten points awarded to the winner of each individual race. Sailing in a fleet of ten Dubois racing yachts holding ten tanks - 4 fuel tanks (giving a total of 1400 litres fuel), 2 fresh water tanks (390 litres), 2 black tanks (for sewage in coastal waters - 242 litres) and 2 grey tanks (from sinks and shower trays - 242 litres)
9 - Only nine months now until the race starts in Hull on 13th September 2009. Up to nine layers of clothing will protect the crew as they dash through the southern oceans!
8 - Eight yachts were in the original Clipper Round the World Race in 1996 which strangely enough sailed east to west. The true clipper route was introduced with the current fleet of racing yachts in 05-06 to take advantage of their design which favoured downwind sailing. This new fleet is eight foot longer than the older yachts but three tonnes lighter. On each boat, the crew are allocated one of eight roles - bowman, mid-bow crew, mast crew, snakepit crew, grinders, trimmers, running backstays and helmsman. The duties are normally rotated over a period to ensure everyone gets a chance of variation and additional experience.
7 - Seven legs across seven seas. The 09-10 race will be the seventh organised by Clipper Ventures.
6 - Six controls on the mainsail - Leach line, vang, main sheet, traveller, cunningham and halyard. Each sail has six main points - luff, leach, head, clew, tack and foot. Each crew member needs to be proficient in around six knots - the bowline, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, rolling hitch, admirals knot and cleat hitch.
5 - There are five winches available in the snakepit - but about 17 lines coming in. There are five points of sail - close haul, fine reach, broad reach, beam reach and run and each round the world crew member will probably need five shots (Typhoid, Diptheria, Hepatitis A, Polio and Yellow Fever).
4 - Each boat has four different types of flare for emergencies - parachute flare, red flare (hand held), white flare (potential collisions) and orange smoke flare (used downwind in daylight). Each boat is secured at the quayside by four mooring lines (bow, stern and two spring lines) and each watch (daytime) is normally of four hours duration.
3 - Each boat has three spinnakers and three yankees in the wardrobe of sails. The mainsail can have up to three reefs. There are three gears on the primary winch and three sets of spreaders on the mast.
2 - There are normally two watches rotating on each boat from which two crew are pulled out to become 'mothers' for the day - cooking, cleaning (including the two heads) and supplying the hungry crew with endless cups of tea and water to fend off the effects of dehydration.
1 - There is only one race that circumnavigates the world and is open to non-professional sailors and that is the Clipper Round the World Race. Each boat has one professional sailor on board - and that is the skipper.
10 - Ten months at sea. Ten points awarded to the winner of each individual race. Sailing in a fleet of ten Dubois racing yachts holding ten tanks - 4 fuel tanks (giving a total of 1400 litres fuel), 2 fresh water tanks (390 litres), 2 black tanks (for sewage in coastal waters - 242 litres) and 2 grey tanks (from sinks and shower trays - 242 litres)
9 - Only nine months now until the race starts in Hull on 13th September 2009. Up to nine layers of clothing will protect the crew as they dash through the southern oceans!
8 - Eight yachts were in the original Clipper Round the World Race in 1996 which strangely enough sailed east to west. The true clipper route was introduced with the current fleet of racing yachts in 05-06 to take advantage of their design which favoured downwind sailing. This new fleet is eight foot longer than the older yachts but three tonnes lighter. On each boat, the crew are allocated one of eight roles - bowman, mid-bow crew, mast crew, snakepit crew, grinders, trimmers, running backstays and helmsman. The duties are normally rotated over a period to ensure everyone gets a chance of variation and additional experience.
7 - Seven legs across seven seas. The 09-10 race will be the seventh organised by Clipper Ventures.
6 - Six controls on the mainsail - Leach line, vang, main sheet, traveller, cunningham and halyard. Each sail has six main points - luff, leach, head, clew, tack and foot. Each crew member needs to be proficient in around six knots - the bowline, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, rolling hitch, admirals knot and cleat hitch.
5 - There are five winches available in the snakepit - but about 17 lines coming in. There are five points of sail - close haul, fine reach, broad reach, beam reach and run and each round the world crew member will probably need five shots (Typhoid, Diptheria, Hepatitis A, Polio and Yellow Fever).
4 - Each boat has four different types of flare for emergencies - parachute flare, red flare (hand held), white flare (potential collisions) and orange smoke flare (used downwind in daylight). Each boat is secured at the quayside by four mooring lines (bow, stern and two spring lines) and each watch (daytime) is normally of four hours duration.
3 - Each boat has three spinnakers and three yankees in the wardrobe of sails. The mainsail can have up to three reefs. There are three gears on the primary winch and three sets of spreaders on the mast.
2 - There are normally two watches rotating on each boat from which two crew are pulled out to become 'mothers' for the day - cooking, cleaning (including the two heads) and supplying the hungry crew with endless cups of tea and water to fend off the effects of dehydration.
1 - There is only one race that circumnavigates the world and is open to non-professional sailors and that is the Clipper Round the World Race. Each boat has one professional sailor on board - and that is the skipper.
November 10th 2008: Following in the Wake of Legends
This time next year I will have already completed leg 1 of the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10 and on leg 2 we will be approaching South Africa and a rendezvous at Durban. As we sail east south east from Brazil, the temperatures will drop sharply and the rolling waves will get progressively bigger. We will be studying the grib files that provide valuable data on weather wind and current and trying to decide how far south we go (and how soon) to gain the strongest winds that will propel us towards Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of South Africa. Helming skills will be put to the test on this leg and it will be important for some crew members to step forward and demonstrate their competence otherwise the skipper will be left with the lions share of the work at the expense of much needed sleep.
There will probably not be time to reflect on history and that will be a shame because 14 November 2009 will mark 100 years on from the date that Joshua Slocum was lost at sea. Joshua Slocum was the first sailor to complete a circumnavigation of the world and was sailing down to the West Indies for the winter when, it is believed, his boat ‘Spray’ capsized in heavy seas. Experts have subsequently speculated that the Spray was not as stable as some had thought and was vulnerable to capsizing when heeled well over. All this makes his first circumnavigation in the Spray even more remarkable. Joshua left Boston on April 24th 1895 and returned to Rhode Island on June 27th 1898; 38 months and 46,000 miles later. Clipper crews will be able to visit a monument to Joshua Slocum at Brier Island when they stop over at Nova Scotia on leg 7.
Going forward to 1959 we find the first British sailor to circumnavigate the world. John Guzzwell completed his trip on a twenty-foot yawl called ‘Trekka’ over a four-year period leaving Victoria (British Columbia) on September 10th 1955 and returning on September 12th 1959 – ironically exactly 50 years before the start of our race. There are other connections. John was born in my home town of Southampton and later emigrated to live in Orcas Island and Vancouver Island where I have both friends and family. He now lives a short ferry ride from Seattle and is still active in the marine industry. As our picture shows he is also often to be seen in the Puget Sound sailing his craft 'Endangered Species'.
In more recent times, we have familiar names such as Sir Francis Chichester who completed the first circumnavigation of the world by the traditional clipper route which gives our race its name. He completed his journey in nine months and one day making only one stop in Australia. At the time it was the fastest circumnavigation (226 days). Ironically Sir Alec Rose was due to set sail around the same time but a series of misfortunes delayed his departure by around one year but he completed his circumnavigation in 354 days.
Finally we come to 1968 and the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. Sir Robin Knox Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures plc, won the race and in doing so became the first sailor to solo circumnavigate the world non stop in his wooden ketch ‘Suhaili’. He left Falmouth on June 14th 1968 and returned on April 22nd 1969; a total of 312 days at sea. Eight other sailors entered the race but four retired before leaving the Atlantic Ocean. Chay Blyth sailed past the Cape of Good Hope before retiring. Bernard Moitessier rejected the philosophy behind a commercialised competition and retired from a strong position and sailed for Tahiti. By the time he arrived he had completed 1½ circumnavigations! Nigel Tetley was leading with just over 1,000 miles to go when his boat sunk but he later became the first person to circumnavigate the world in a trimaran. The last competitor was Donald Crowhurst who tragically lost his life in the Atlantic. The story of his preparation and deteriorating health is both moving and yet somehow inspiring. Sir Robin Knox Johnston subsequently donated his prize money to the family of Donald Crowhurst.
This time next year I will have already completed leg 1 of the Clipper Round the World Race 09-10 and on leg 2 we will be approaching South Africa and a rendezvous at Durban. As we sail east south east from Brazil, the temperatures will drop sharply and the rolling waves will get progressively bigger. We will be studying the grib files that provide valuable data on weather wind and current and trying to decide how far south we go (and how soon) to gain the strongest winds that will propel us towards Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of South Africa. Helming skills will be put to the test on this leg and it will be important for some crew members to step forward and demonstrate their competence otherwise the skipper will be left with the lions share of the work at the expense of much needed sleep.
There will probably not be time to reflect on history and that will be a shame because 14 November 2009 will mark 100 years on from the date that Joshua Slocum was lost at sea. Joshua Slocum was the first sailor to complete a circumnavigation of the world and was sailing down to the West Indies for the winter when, it is believed, his boat ‘Spray’ capsized in heavy seas. Experts have subsequently speculated that the Spray was not as stable as some had thought and was vulnerable to capsizing when heeled well over. All this makes his first circumnavigation in the Spray even more remarkable. Joshua left Boston on April 24th 1895 and returned to Rhode Island on June 27th 1898; 38 months and 46,000 miles later. Clipper crews will be able to visit a monument to Joshua Slocum at Brier Island when they stop over at Nova Scotia on leg 7.
Going forward to 1959 we find the first British sailor to circumnavigate the world. John Guzzwell completed his trip on a twenty-foot yawl called ‘Trekka’ over a four-year period leaving Victoria (British Columbia) on September 10th 1955 and returning on September 12th 1959 – ironically exactly 50 years before the start of our race. There are other connections. John was born in my home town of Southampton and later emigrated to live in Orcas Island and Vancouver Island where I have both friends and family. He now lives a short ferry ride from Seattle and is still active in the marine industry. As our picture shows he is also often to be seen in the Puget Sound sailing his craft 'Endangered Species'.
In more recent times, we have familiar names such as Sir Francis Chichester who completed the first circumnavigation of the world by the traditional clipper route which gives our race its name. He completed his journey in nine months and one day making only one stop in Australia. At the time it was the fastest circumnavigation (226 days). Ironically Sir Alec Rose was due to set sail around the same time but a series of misfortunes delayed his departure by around one year but he completed his circumnavigation in 354 days.
Finally we come to 1968 and the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. Sir Robin Knox Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures plc, won the race and in doing so became the first sailor to solo circumnavigate the world non stop in his wooden ketch ‘Suhaili’. He left Falmouth on June 14th 1968 and returned on April 22nd 1969; a total of 312 days at sea. Eight other sailors entered the race but four retired before leaving the Atlantic Ocean. Chay Blyth sailed past the Cape of Good Hope before retiring. Bernard Moitessier rejected the philosophy behind a commercialised competition and retired from a strong position and sailed for Tahiti. By the time he arrived he had completed 1½ circumnavigations! Nigel Tetley was leading with just over 1,000 miles to go when his boat sunk but he later became the first person to circumnavigate the world in a trimaran. The last competitor was Donald Crowhurst who tragically lost his life in the Atlantic. The story of his preparation and deteriorating health is both moving and yet somehow inspiring. Sir Robin Knox Johnston subsequently donated his prize money to the family of Donald Crowhurst.
October 24th 2008: Refitting Boats for the 09-10 Race
Although I have no sea training scheduled until the spring of 2009, the Clipper boats will be in almost constant use during the winter, promoting the race around the world and undertaking Part A and B training for recently recruited crew members. In between, each boat will be taken out of the water in Hamble and will undergo an extensive refit ahead of the 09-10 race. In preparation, the mast and all standing rigging will be removed from the boat. This will make it easier to lift out of the water. After that most moving parts will be removed to facilitate repainting which is truly an enormous job. Essential preparation can typically mean sanding of interiors but it can mean chipping rust, angle grinding plus several coats of primer including hard to reach places like bilges and lockers. All the internal boards, deck areas and hull will require extensive filling and sanding – in some cases filling and fairing (an epoxy resin) may be required to provide a smooth surface to minimise drag through the water. At each stage – filler, primer and topcoat – the working temperature is critical and drying time has to be built in to the equation. All in all, some of the more complex parts of the boat can take several weeks to complete.
All the plumbing and electrics are checked and replaced where appropriate and extensive checks are made on the engine, generator, gearbox and propeller shaft. Batteries are then changed on the EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) and the SART (Search and Rescue Transponder).
Finally the hull is painted and anti-fouled before going back into the water when the mast and standing rigging will be re-introduced. For the race, we will also have new running rigging and new sails. The latter will not be delivered to the boat until just before the race but it will be useful to break in some of the new running rigging beforehand as new ropes are notoriously difficult to work with.
Although I have no sea training scheduled until the spring of 2009, the Clipper boats will be in almost constant use during the winter, promoting the race around the world and undertaking Part A and B training for recently recruited crew members. In between, each boat will be taken out of the water in Hamble and will undergo an extensive refit ahead of the 09-10 race. In preparation, the mast and all standing rigging will be removed from the boat. This will make it easier to lift out of the water. After that most moving parts will be removed to facilitate repainting which is truly an enormous job. Essential preparation can typically mean sanding of interiors but it can mean chipping rust, angle grinding plus several coats of primer including hard to reach places like bilges and lockers. All the internal boards, deck areas and hull will require extensive filling and sanding – in some cases filling and fairing (an epoxy resin) may be required to provide a smooth surface to minimise drag through the water. At each stage – filler, primer and topcoat – the working temperature is critical and drying time has to be built in to the equation. All in all, some of the more complex parts of the boat can take several weeks to complete.
All the plumbing and electrics are checked and replaced where appropriate and extensive checks are made on the engine, generator, gearbox and propeller shaft. Batteries are then changed on the EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) and the SART (Search and Rescue Transponder).
Finally the hull is painted and anti-fouled before going back into the water when the mast and standing rigging will be re-introduced. For the race, we will also have new running rigging and new sails. The latter will not be delivered to the boat until just before the race but it will be useful to break in some of the new running rigging beforehand as new ropes are notoriously difficult to work with.
October 14th 2008: Delivering Clipper Qingdao to St Katharine Dock
I arrived at Clarence Marina Gosport around 5pm on Thursday to join the crew of Clipper Qingdao. Lots of new faces and some familiar ones too. It was good to meet up with Peter (Part A & B) and Elaine (Sea Survival). We were joined by Gill, Tom, Owen, Paul I & II, Ron I & II, Ian, Mark, and Jon to make a full crew. Over 4 days you don’t have quite as much time to get to know everyone but hopefully I’ve remembered the names well. They were certainly a pleasure to sail with and we laughed, ate and worked well together under the leadership of Simon Bradley, who completed the 07-08 race as skipper of Clipper Jamaica, and Emily Caruso the First Mate.
Leaping into mother watch for the first meal we prepared some stir fry before a quick orientation and briefing on the trip ahead. Finally we adjourned to the pub in Gosport. I don’t think I was alone in being pretty pleased to be back on the boat again and several found sleep difficult that first night. We rose early and rigged the boat ready for departure around 10am. We were a few minutes late due to a faulty gas alarm but were pleasantly surprised when we set sail to find that we had plenty of light wind for sailing so we would not, as feared, be motoring all the way.
We worked as one team raising the yankee and stay sail and got some pretty good speeds down the coast past Brighton and Beachy Head throwing in a couple of tacks for good measure. This wasn’t a training session but you had the feeling that the skipper was (quite rightly) satisfying himself that we could carry out most of the manoeuvres required should we need to. I also had the dubious pleasure of assisting First Mate Emily to disassemble and reassemble one of the heads in an attempt to get the flush mechanism to work again. We were unsuccessful but acquired a depth of knowledge on working heads that neither of us expected. Not the nicest job in the world, that’s for sure.
As evening approached, we went into a watch system and my watch stayed on until 8pm by which time I was getting exceptionally tired (due to lack of sleep the night before). I always find this first switch of watches a difficult time of adjustment and I was almost too tired to eat but by the time I returned to deck, around midnight, I was fully recovered. We shared the helm through the night and enjoyed the night sky which took on a spectacular appearance after moon set around 3:30am. We even learnt our first two or three constellations! By the time I next reported on watch, around 8am, we were approaching Ramsgate where we had decided to moor up for the day. It was a relatively short trip to London and we could only enter St Katharine Dock around lunchtime so by leaving at dusk we should arrive bang on schedule. The break was very enjoyable and we explored the town, tried out the local restaurants, relaxed and chatted in a way we will no doubt replicate in many ports around the world next year. I even had my first experience of acupuncture on a trapped nerve in my arm. Thanks Elaine!
Quite suddenly around 10pm, the fog came in and we left with crew placed all around the deck on watch for approaching vessels, navigational buoys and lobster pots. To be honest it was more like sea mist and very patchy at that so it was not too arduous a nights sailing. Our entrance to the mouth of the Thames was a different matter altogether. Without the benefit of navigation lights, other vessels were even more difficult to spot and with visibility down to a few hundred yards we were increasingly cautious and extra vigilant. It was a combination of visual awareness, careful course planning and constant checking of the radar although it was clear this was struggling to pick up vessels around the numerous sharp bends that make up the River Thames. At one time, we heard this deep fog horn which could only come from a freighter but it was very difficult to accurately place the sound so we slowed right down until the vessel showed herself crossing our bows a short way ahead. In all, we encountered and safely negotiated two or three vessels at relatively close quarters and although we failed to get the views we were hoping for there was no doubt that this was all good experience as we prepare ourselves for the big race.
In the event, a pilot boat was sent to escort us to St Katharine dock so after an ‘interesting’ couple of hours we finally passed the Thames flood barrier in glorious sunshine and enjoyed a spectacular trip the remaining few miles to our dock. We passed efficiently through the lock and witnessed some really impressive mooring by the skipper who managed to make a difficult task look incredibly easy. Even more so considering how little sleep the skipper and first mate are able to grab on these trips.
I arrived at Clarence Marina Gosport around 5pm on Thursday to join the crew of Clipper Qingdao. Lots of new faces and some familiar ones too. It was good to meet up with Peter (Part A & B) and Elaine (Sea Survival). We were joined by Gill, Tom, Owen, Paul I & II, Ron I & II, Ian, Mark, and Jon to make a full crew. Over 4 days you don’t have quite as much time to get to know everyone but hopefully I’ve remembered the names well. They were certainly a pleasure to sail with and we laughed, ate and worked well together under the leadership of Simon Bradley, who completed the 07-08 race as skipper of Clipper Jamaica, and Emily Caruso the First Mate.
Leaping into mother watch for the first meal we prepared some stir fry before a quick orientation and briefing on the trip ahead. Finally we adjourned to the pub in Gosport. I don’t think I was alone in being pretty pleased to be back on the boat again and several found sleep difficult that first night. We rose early and rigged the boat ready for departure around 10am. We were a few minutes late due to a faulty gas alarm but were pleasantly surprised when we set sail to find that we had plenty of light wind for sailing so we would not, as feared, be motoring all the way.
We worked as one team raising the yankee and stay sail and got some pretty good speeds down the coast past Brighton and Beachy Head throwing in a couple of tacks for good measure. This wasn’t a training session but you had the feeling that the skipper was (quite rightly) satisfying himself that we could carry out most of the manoeuvres required should we need to. I also had the dubious pleasure of assisting First Mate Emily to disassemble and reassemble one of the heads in an attempt to get the flush mechanism to work again. We were unsuccessful but acquired a depth of knowledge on working heads that neither of us expected. Not the nicest job in the world, that’s for sure.
As evening approached, we went into a watch system and my watch stayed on until 8pm by which time I was getting exceptionally tired (due to lack of sleep the night before). I always find this first switch of watches a difficult time of adjustment and I was almost too tired to eat but by the time I returned to deck, around midnight, I was fully recovered. We shared the helm through the night and enjoyed the night sky which took on a spectacular appearance after moon set around 3:30am. We even learnt our first two or three constellations! By the time I next reported on watch, around 8am, we were approaching Ramsgate where we had decided to moor up for the day. It was a relatively short trip to London and we could only enter St Katharine Dock around lunchtime so by leaving at dusk we should arrive bang on schedule. The break was very enjoyable and we explored the town, tried out the local restaurants, relaxed and chatted in a way we will no doubt replicate in many ports around the world next year. I even had my first experience of acupuncture on a trapped nerve in my arm. Thanks Elaine!
Quite suddenly around 10pm, the fog came in and we left with crew placed all around the deck on watch for approaching vessels, navigational buoys and lobster pots. To be honest it was more like sea mist and very patchy at that so it was not too arduous a nights sailing. Our entrance to the mouth of the Thames was a different matter altogether. Without the benefit of navigation lights, other vessels were even more difficult to spot and with visibility down to a few hundred yards we were increasingly cautious and extra vigilant. It was a combination of visual awareness, careful course planning and constant checking of the radar although it was clear this was struggling to pick up vessels around the numerous sharp bends that make up the River Thames. At one time, we heard this deep fog horn which could only come from a freighter but it was very difficult to accurately place the sound so we slowed right down until the vessel showed herself crossing our bows a short way ahead. In all, we encountered and safely negotiated two or three vessels at relatively close quarters and although we failed to get the views we were hoping for there was no doubt that this was all good experience as we prepare ourselves for the big race.
In the event, a pilot boat was sent to escort us to St Katharine dock so after an ‘interesting’ couple of hours we finally passed the Thames flood barrier in glorious sunshine and enjoyed a spectacular trip the remaining few miles to our dock. We passed efficiently through the lock and witnessed some really impressive mooring by the skipper who managed to make a difficult task look incredibly easy. Even more so considering how little sleep the skipper and first mate are able to grab on these trips.
October 9th 2008: Qingdao
As I head down to Gosport for the delivery trip to St Katharine Dock, I thought it would be a good time to provide a bit of background on the boat and city that bears the name Qingdao.
Qingdao was skippered by Marcus Cholerton-Brown and finished 4th overall in the Clipper Round the World Race. She secured four pennants, finishing 2nd into Panama and Cork and 3rd place into Fremantle and New York. She was one of 5 boats to avoid any penalties for professional sail repairs which is pretty impressive going.
The city of Qingdao attained international fame as the main Olympic venue for sailing events in the summer Olympics of 2008. Twinned with Southampton she is home to 8 million Chinese people and is becoming a popular sailing resort boosted, no doubt, by their role as a stopover for the Round the World Race. It is understood that there is a commitment to being part of the 09-10 race which is really good news (assuming it is confirmed) because they were preceived by many crew as outstanding hosts in the 07-08 race.
As I head down to Gosport for the delivery trip to St Katharine Dock, I thought it would be a good time to provide a bit of background on the boat and city that bears the name Qingdao.
Qingdao was skippered by Marcus Cholerton-Brown and finished 4th overall in the Clipper Round the World Race. She secured four pennants, finishing 2nd into Panama and Cork and 3rd place into Fremantle and New York. She was one of 5 boats to avoid any penalties for professional sail repairs which is pretty impressive going.
The city of Qingdao attained international fame as the main Olympic venue for sailing events in the summer Olympics of 2008. Twinned with Southampton she is home to 8 million Chinese people and is becoming a popular sailing resort boosted, no doubt, by their role as a stopover for the Round the World Race. It is understood that there is a commitment to being part of the 09-10 race which is really good news (assuming it is confirmed) because they were preceived by many crew as outstanding hosts in the 07-08 race.
August 29th 2008: Part B Training - Faster, Faster, Faster; Grind, Grind, Grind!
If Part A was about teaching us how to sail safely on a big boat, Part B was definitely about getting the boat to sail faster and to start to think about how we can perform effectively as a team under race conditions.
As we left Weymouth on Wednesday morning the conditions were just about perfect for sailing. We quickly raised the main sail and headsail. With the wind behind us we were able to pole out the head sail and then swing the main sail back the other side (see picture). In this ‘goose wing’ configuration we were soon reaching speeds of over 10 knots but then the skipper pointed out a gap between the sails so we hoisted the staysail to fill it and increased our speed even further. Finally we hoisted the heavyweight spinnaker to get us up to around 14 knots. It was amazing to think how long it had taken us to reach Weymouth against the wind. Coming the other way it seemed very different, a little more than two hours before we were flying past The Needles and heading on toward Niton. We might have made even better progress than that but our sail changes took about 15 minutes. Under race conditions we need to get that down to around 4 minutes or less!!
We then turned into the Solent and dropped the spinnaker which is perhaps a more labour intensive and delicate operation than other sail drops. To start with, we have to release the spinnaker from the end of the pole and then pull it under the headsail and down into the main cabin without the wind catching it. Once down below the three corners are stretched out as far as possible and rolled in from the edges before being tied off with wool. It then resembles a chain of sausages as we fold it in to the sail bag. It’s a long and tedious job which has to be done properly otherwise the sail will not raise correctly next time it is used and will cost valuable seconds (or even minutes) under race conditions. After a lesson in navigating up and down Southampton Water amidst quite heavy traffic we anchored in Osborne Bay and drew lots on the anchor watch. Somewhat predictably I ended up with the 4am slot. This is when I had to get up and check we had not drifted by taking readings on three pre-defined locations.
Thursday was an early rise and lots of pole drills – including climbs up the mast and to the end of the spinnaker pole with minimal assistance. I did not do the mast climb this time but attempted to climb towards the spinnaker pole. I almost made it and realised that it’s OK so long as you don’t stop, in which case its pretty much impossible to start again! Good practice though and I’m sure I’ll make it next time. Through the week we had hoisted pretty much every sail in our armoury and this morning we took the opportunity to complete the set by raising our storm jib and storm sail – pocket handkerchief sized sails that are used in the strongest winds we face just to keep moving with minimal risk of sail damage. You can spot storm sails quite easily because they have these large orange dots to make the boat more visible to search and rescue vessels. Our configuration caused a few wry smiles from crews on other boats who were sailing under spinnaker and I guess they knew we were training!
After lunch we set off for a simulated race around the Isle of Wight. This time we were very quick past The Needles because the tide was with us. We did not beat the record of 3 hours 50 minutes for the circumnavigation of the island but our (approximate) 7 hour trip did include two man overboard drills – one at night – a lot of winch work and so many sail changes and spinnaker packs that my arms were aching as we slipped into Gosport around 10pm.
Friday was my day to accompany Katharine on ‘mother’ watch – cooking and cleaning the boat from bow to stern. Not the most popular task but after a 15 hour day the day before the light duties had a slight attraction. Light winds above deck meant the crew were also having an opportunity to recover but as the Skipper pointed out, races can be won or lost in light winds so we were all busy watching for clouds, ripples on the water, fine tuning on the trim and using any method we could just to keep the boat moving.
Saturday was pretty much more of the same although having had a good debate in the pub the previous evening about the best method of recovery for a casualty in the water we repeated the 'man overboard' exercise. This time Jules volunteered as a real life casualty and Peter donned an imersion suit to lead the recovery. Once on deck, Jules was moved into the recover position before being stretchered below and checked for injury and hypothermia. The afternoon involved yet another deep clean of the boat before we adjourned for an introduction to "Part–E" training over the water at Gunwharf sharing the ferry across with Captain Hook, Little Red Riding Hood and numerous other costumes that I could not identify but were presumably (hopefully) on their way to a great party!.
All in all it was a fantastic week which turned us from novice sailors into a quite competent crew brimming with confidence. The reality of it all is starting to sink in now. The skipper reminded us that Part C training will take place next June, by which time we will know which boat, crew and skipper we will be sailing with and we will have just 10 weeks to the start of the race. In the meantime, there are numerous delivery trips to help me gain experience and classroom training on communications, navigation and meteorology
If Part A was about teaching us how to sail safely on a big boat, Part B was definitely about getting the boat to sail faster and to start to think about how we can perform effectively as a team under race conditions.
As we left Weymouth on Wednesday morning the conditions were just about perfect for sailing. We quickly raised the main sail and headsail. With the wind behind us we were able to pole out the head sail and then swing the main sail back the other side (see picture). In this ‘goose wing’ configuration we were soon reaching speeds of over 10 knots but then the skipper pointed out a gap between the sails so we hoisted the staysail to fill it and increased our speed even further. Finally we hoisted the heavyweight spinnaker to get us up to around 14 knots. It was amazing to think how long it had taken us to reach Weymouth against the wind. Coming the other way it seemed very different, a little more than two hours before we were flying past The Needles and heading on toward Niton. We might have made even better progress than that but our sail changes took about 15 minutes. Under race conditions we need to get that down to around 4 minutes or less!!
We then turned into the Solent and dropped the spinnaker which is perhaps a more labour intensive and delicate operation than other sail drops. To start with, we have to release the spinnaker from the end of the pole and then pull it under the headsail and down into the main cabin without the wind catching it. Once down below the three corners are stretched out as far as possible and rolled in from the edges before being tied off with wool. It then resembles a chain of sausages as we fold it in to the sail bag. It’s a long and tedious job which has to be done properly otherwise the sail will not raise correctly next time it is used and will cost valuable seconds (or even minutes) under race conditions. After a lesson in navigating up and down Southampton Water amidst quite heavy traffic we anchored in Osborne Bay and drew lots on the anchor watch. Somewhat predictably I ended up with the 4am slot. This is when I had to get up and check we had not drifted by taking readings on three pre-defined locations.
Thursday was an early rise and lots of pole drills – including climbs up the mast and to the end of the spinnaker pole with minimal assistance. I did not do the mast climb this time but attempted to climb towards the spinnaker pole. I almost made it and realised that it’s OK so long as you don’t stop, in which case its pretty much impossible to start again! Good practice though and I’m sure I’ll make it next time. Through the week we had hoisted pretty much every sail in our armoury and this morning we took the opportunity to complete the set by raising our storm jib and storm sail – pocket handkerchief sized sails that are used in the strongest winds we face just to keep moving with minimal risk of sail damage. You can spot storm sails quite easily because they have these large orange dots to make the boat more visible to search and rescue vessels. Our configuration caused a few wry smiles from crews on other boats who were sailing under spinnaker and I guess they knew we were training!
After lunch we set off for a simulated race around the Isle of Wight. This time we were very quick past The Needles because the tide was with us. We did not beat the record of 3 hours 50 minutes for the circumnavigation of the island but our (approximate) 7 hour trip did include two man overboard drills – one at night – a lot of winch work and so many sail changes and spinnaker packs that my arms were aching as we slipped into Gosport around 10pm.
Friday was my day to accompany Katharine on ‘mother’ watch – cooking and cleaning the boat from bow to stern. Not the most popular task but after a 15 hour day the day before the light duties had a slight attraction. Light winds above deck meant the crew were also having an opportunity to recover but as the Skipper pointed out, races can be won or lost in light winds so we were all busy watching for clouds, ripples on the water, fine tuning on the trim and using any method we could just to keep the boat moving.
Saturday was pretty much more of the same although having had a good debate in the pub the previous evening about the best method of recovery for a casualty in the water we repeated the 'man overboard' exercise. This time Jules volunteered as a real life casualty and Peter donned an imersion suit to lead the recovery. Once on deck, Jules was moved into the recover position before being stretchered below and checked for injury and hypothermia. The afternoon involved yet another deep clean of the boat before we adjourned for an introduction to "Part–E" training over the water at Gunwharf sharing the ferry across with Captain Hook, Little Red Riding Hood and numerous other costumes that I could not identify but were presumably (hopefully) on their way to a great party!.
All in all it was a fantastic week which turned us from novice sailors into a quite competent crew brimming with confidence. The reality of it all is starting to sink in now. The skipper reminded us that Part C training will take place next June, by which time we will know which boat, crew and skipper we will be sailing with and we will have just 10 weeks to the start of the race. In the meantime, there are numerous delivery trips to help me gain experience and classroom training on communications, navigation and meteorology
August 25th 2008: Part B Training - Baptism of Fire
Having suffered force 8 and force 7 winds on my first two Clipper trips, I was looking forward to this 'summer' training session. In the event, Part B training proved to be an excellent week with mixed weather and lots of new experiences. The crew that I sailed with were all first class and it was a pleasure to meet up again with Ricky (Skipper), Gordon (First Mate from Part A), Peter (Part A), Barbara (Sea Survival) as well as John and Jeremy who I met in Liverpool. Also crewing were Jules, Scott, Katharine, Derek, Stephen, Guido and Frank.
On arrival, and after introductions, Ricky explained that the plan was to sail towards Lands End and then do a lot of spinnaker work coming back - something he saw as a key skill for competing in the Round the World Race. Towards the end of the week he expected very light winds. This is where races are won of lost so it is important that we all know how to deal with them. The downside of all this was that strong winds were expected on Monday so we would leave a little later in the day so as to avoid the worst conditions.
After a good nights rest Monday morning was spent stocking and rigging the boat ready for the trip and practising, in the safety of the dock, how to rig spinnaker poles. We left around 3pm into some pretty strong winds. It seemed to take forever to battle against both the tide and the wind and head out of the Solent, past The Needles and on towards Christchurch Bay. By 6pm we had still not passed The Needles and after dinner my watch stayed on deck. Not only were some 10 or 12 tacks required between Yarmouth and Hurst Castle but each time we tacked we went as close to the shore as the keel would allow. Believe me - that was sometimes very close indeed but the skipper was at the helm and he knows these waters very well..
All this time the boat was heeling at around 35 degrees and Barbara and I were on the staysail winches. With tacks every few minutes we did not have time to consider the rough conditions although as the boat 'slammed' down from one wave, we were completely soaked and amused to note that the snake pit next to us was completely filled with water! Fatigue was starting to kick in by 10pm and I jammed myself in between the coffee grinder and the lower edge of the deck so that I could even shut my eyes before the next tack. One or two were obviously feeling the effects of sea sickness but I confidently went off watch for a good 3 hours sleep around 11pm.
I think I had actually fallen asleep when one particular tack threw me from one side of my bunk to the other (I was well forward and movement is accentuated towards the bow) and I succumbed to sea sickness. I never made my 2am watch and drifted in and out of sleep throughout the night listening to the boat going very quiet - fooling me into thinking we had entered calmer waters - before slamming hard down into the water with a jaw shuddering thud. Basically what was happening, as Gordon later told me, was that we were sailing as close to the wind as possible and the 'quiet' - which lasted 1 or 2 seconds was the bow of the boat climbing each wave and then entering the 'void' the other side. Of course what goes up has to come down and gravity meant the bow then 'slammed' hard into the trough of the wave the other side. Although the wave height was not that huge, it was rough enough to cause over half of the crew to suffer varying degrees of sea sickness. At one point we recorded true wind speeds of 42 knots which puts it just into force 9 (strong gale). One crew member got up half way through the night and described the scene as akin to that of a war movie with bodies lying in bunks, on the floor and across the saloon seating; the common factor was that none of us could move!
By dawn we had passed Portland Bill but the boat was in a bit of a mess and Ricky took the sensible decision of diverting to Weymouth. In the race we would not have such a luxury and we would simply have to work through the sea sickness. Since we were not learning much in our bunks the decision was a sensible one and by supper time we were all recovered sufficiently to enjoy fish and chips on Weymouth Quay. A report of how we fared after Weymouth will follow later in the week.
Having suffered force 8 and force 7 winds on my first two Clipper trips, I was looking forward to this 'summer' training session. In the event, Part B training proved to be an excellent week with mixed weather and lots of new experiences. The crew that I sailed with were all first class and it was a pleasure to meet up again with Ricky (Skipper), Gordon (First Mate from Part A), Peter (Part A), Barbara (Sea Survival) as well as John and Jeremy who I met in Liverpool. Also crewing were Jules, Scott, Katharine, Derek, Stephen, Guido and Frank.
On arrival, and after introductions, Ricky explained that the plan was to sail towards Lands End and then do a lot of spinnaker work coming back - something he saw as a key skill for competing in the Round the World Race. Towards the end of the week he expected very light winds. This is where races are won of lost so it is important that we all know how to deal with them. The downside of all this was that strong winds were expected on Monday so we would leave a little later in the day so as to avoid the worst conditions.
After a good nights rest Monday morning was spent stocking and rigging the boat ready for the trip and practising, in the safety of the dock, how to rig spinnaker poles. We left around 3pm into some pretty strong winds. It seemed to take forever to battle against both the tide and the wind and head out of the Solent, past The Needles and on towards Christchurch Bay. By 6pm we had still not passed The Needles and after dinner my watch stayed on deck. Not only were some 10 or 12 tacks required between Yarmouth and Hurst Castle but each time we tacked we went as close to the shore as the keel would allow. Believe me - that was sometimes very close indeed but the skipper was at the helm and he knows these waters very well..
All this time the boat was heeling at around 35 degrees and Barbara and I were on the staysail winches. With tacks every few minutes we did not have time to consider the rough conditions although as the boat 'slammed' down from one wave, we were completely soaked and amused to note that the snake pit next to us was completely filled with water! Fatigue was starting to kick in by 10pm and I jammed myself in between the coffee grinder and the lower edge of the deck so that I could even shut my eyes before the next tack. One or two were obviously feeling the effects of sea sickness but I confidently went off watch for a good 3 hours sleep around 11pm.
I think I had actually fallen asleep when one particular tack threw me from one side of my bunk to the other (I was well forward and movement is accentuated towards the bow) and I succumbed to sea sickness. I never made my 2am watch and drifted in and out of sleep throughout the night listening to the boat going very quiet - fooling me into thinking we had entered calmer waters - before slamming hard down into the water with a jaw shuddering thud. Basically what was happening, as Gordon later told me, was that we were sailing as close to the wind as possible and the 'quiet' - which lasted 1 or 2 seconds was the bow of the boat climbing each wave and then entering the 'void' the other side. Of course what goes up has to come down and gravity meant the bow then 'slammed' hard into the trough of the wave the other side. Although the wave height was not that huge, it was rough enough to cause over half of the crew to suffer varying degrees of sea sickness. At one point we recorded true wind speeds of 42 knots which puts it just into force 9 (strong gale). One crew member got up half way through the night and described the scene as akin to that of a war movie with bodies lying in bunks, on the floor and across the saloon seating; the common factor was that none of us could move!
By dawn we had passed Portland Bill but the boat was in a bit of a mess and Ricky took the sensible decision of diverting to Weymouth. In the race we would not have such a luxury and we would simply have to work through the sea sickness. Since we were not learning much in our bunks the decision was a sensible one and by supper time we were all recovered sufficiently to enjoy fish and chips on Weymouth Quay. A report of how we fared after Weymouth will follow later in the week.
August 2nd 2008: The Baton is Passed
Bringing the boats back from Liverpool last month was a watershed in many ways for both 07-08 crews and prospective 09-10 crew members. We met round the world sailors who needed to say their own goodbyes to a boat that had been their home and friend for the best part of ten and a half months. We also met a few 'leggers' who had clearly missed the camaraderie of Clipper racing since completing their tour of duty and were returning for one last burst of ocean sailing - a bit like meeting up with an old friend one last time.
For us 09-10 students the trip was a golden opportunity to hear first hand the good, the bad and the ugly of racing around the world. We heard stories that pretty much confirmed what we already knew - that conditions are hostile, that the raw energy of nature is something to be feared and respected and that there is a real challenge being stuck in a 68 foot plastic fibre box with 18 people you do not know very well (at least to start with!). This information means so much more coming to you first hand rather than reading it in a book. We hung on every word, sharing the experiences as they were re-told and making mental notes on the tips offered (the ocean sleeping bag has definately gone to the top of my shopping list!).
As the trip progressed the mood noticeably changed and the fond memories of 07-08 were slowly but surely replaced by the hopes and aspirations for 09-10. Which boat would we be on? Who will be our skipper? Will Hawaii be a stopover? Where will we stop in South Africa since it seems Durban is focusing on soccer in 2010 rather than sailing? The 07-08 crew seemed as excited about it as we were and it struck me many of them would sign up again in a heartbeat just to be part of this incredible adventure.
When the race starts in Hull next year, you can be sure the pontoons will be filled not just by 09-10 crews but 07-08 crews, probably a few 05-06 crews (and earlier) and a handful of 11-12 crews who will by then have already signed up. The baton has definitely been passed and the clock is now ticking!
Bringing the boats back from Liverpool last month was a watershed in many ways for both 07-08 crews and prospective 09-10 crew members. We met round the world sailors who needed to say their own goodbyes to a boat that had been their home and friend for the best part of ten and a half months. We also met a few 'leggers' who had clearly missed the camaraderie of Clipper racing since completing their tour of duty and were returning for one last burst of ocean sailing - a bit like meeting up with an old friend one last time.
For us 09-10 students the trip was a golden opportunity to hear first hand the good, the bad and the ugly of racing around the world. We heard stories that pretty much confirmed what we already knew - that conditions are hostile, that the raw energy of nature is something to be feared and respected and that there is a real challenge being stuck in a 68 foot plastic fibre box with 18 people you do not know very well (at least to start with!). This information means so much more coming to you first hand rather than reading it in a book. We hung on every word, sharing the experiences as they were re-told and making mental notes on the tips offered (the ocean sleeping bag has definately gone to the top of my shopping list!).
As the trip progressed the mood noticeably changed and the fond memories of 07-08 were slowly but surely replaced by the hopes and aspirations for 09-10. Which boat would we be on? Who will be our skipper? Will Hawaii be a stopover? Where will we stop in South Africa since it seems Durban is focusing on soccer in 2010 rather than sailing? The 07-08 crew seemed as excited about it as we were and it struck me many of them would sign up again in a heartbeat just to be part of this incredible adventure.
When the race starts in Hull next year, you can be sure the pontoons will be filled not just by 09-10 crews but 07-08 crews, probably a few 05-06 crews (and earlier) and a handful of 11-12 crews who will by then have already signed up. The baton has definitely been passed and the clock is now ticking!
July 21st 2008: Sea Survival Reflections
The one day course at Gosport on Sea Survival came highly recommended and it is clear to see why. We were taken through a classroom style presentation in the morning with some sound advice based extensively on the experience gained from the infamous 1979 Fastnet Race when 15 people lost their lives in a force 11 storm – 6 because safety lines broke. 306 yachts started the race but 69 did not finish. 23 of those were lost or abandoned. As with every tragedy of this magnitude, there are lessons that can be learnt and the one that was drilled home to us is that several of the yachts ‘abandoned’ never actually sank. You naturally hope and pray that such a decision will never be required in the Clipper Round the World Race but the decision to abandon boat will only be made if it is clear that the yacht is about to sink. The Clipper fleet are all fitted with watertight doors separating three compartments so it is highly unlikely that a sinking will occur.
The best part of the course though was in the swimming pool where we rigorously practised the procedure for abandoning boat and entering an ‘uncooperative’ life raft. We learnt how to swim most effectively in an inflated jacket, using the face screen to protect us in rough seas. We learnt how to link with casualties and practised different techniques to gauge which was effective in different sea conditions. Lastly we learnt how to take control of the situation in the life raft and which procedures would be most effective to prolonging the life of crew members whilst a rescue was underway.
The benefits were two fold. The procedures, priorities and rules on survival are now very clear. More importantly, I feel really confident that I would be able to keep calm in such a situation which will give me the best possible chance of survival. At the end of the day, being a good swimmer is not going to help you survive in those circumstances. Common sense and confidence is.
July 16th 2008: Sea Survival Training
Just 6 days after sailing 550 miles from Liverpool I return to Gosport this weekend for sea survival training. This one day course is intended to prepare me for a variety of rare emergency situations such as being washed overboard or evacuating the boat to a life raft. With a practical session in a swimming pool I will gain first hand experience of the problems of entering or assisting colleagues on to an inflated and uncooperative life raft whilst fully kitted out. We will also be acquainted with various types of safety equipment.
The one day course at Gosport on Sea Survival came highly recommended and it is clear to see why. We were taken through a classroom style presentation in the morning with some sound advice based extensively on the experience gained from the infamous 1979 Fastnet Race when 15 people lost their lives in a force 11 storm – 6 because safety lines broke. 306 yachts started the race but 69 did not finish. 23 of those were lost or abandoned. As with every tragedy of this magnitude, there are lessons that can be learnt and the one that was drilled home to us is that several of the yachts ‘abandoned’ never actually sank. You naturally hope and pray that such a decision will never be required in the Clipper Round the World Race but the decision to abandon boat will only be made if it is clear that the yacht is about to sink. The Clipper fleet are all fitted with watertight doors separating three compartments so it is highly unlikely that a sinking will occur.
The best part of the course though was in the swimming pool where we rigorously practised the procedure for abandoning boat and entering an ‘uncooperative’ life raft. We learnt how to swim most effectively in an inflated jacket, using the face screen to protect us in rough seas. We learnt how to link with casualties and practised different techniques to gauge which was effective in different sea conditions. Lastly we learnt how to take control of the situation in the life raft and which procedures would be most effective to prolonging the life of crew members whilst a rescue was underway.
The benefits were two fold. The procedures, priorities and rules on survival are now very clear. More importantly, I feel really confident that I would be able to keep calm in such a situation which will give me the best possible chance of survival. At the end of the day, being a good swimmer is not going to help you survive in those circumstances. Common sense and confidence is.
July 16th 2008: Sea Survival Training
Just 6 days after sailing 550 miles from Liverpool I return to Gosport this weekend for sea survival training. This one day course is intended to prepare me for a variety of rare emergency situations such as being washed overboard or evacuating the boat to a life raft. With a practical session in a swimming pool I will gain first hand experience of the problems of entering or assisting colleagues on to an inflated and uncooperative life raft whilst fully kitted out. We will also be acquainted with various types of safety equipment.
July 13th 2008: The Delivery Trip
As Val headed south in the car I went down to join Clipper Durban 2010 and Beyond to help crew the boat back to Gosport where she will be used in Part B & C training courses. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to gain a little more experience at sea ahead of my own Part B training in August and my first opportunity to sail on one of the boats that will take part in the 09-10 race.
The race boats are 8 foot longer than the Clipper 60 that I sailed on in Part A training. More importantly, they are considerably wider, appearing about 35% wider and flatter on the deck making movement easier.
There were 10 crew in all for the return trip. Jeremy was, like me,a committed RTW for the 09-10 race. We joined skipper Ricky Chalmers and his wife Maggie, 07-08 RTW crew member Hagen and leggers Anne and Dave (both legs 1,2 and 3) and Lucy (legs 5,6 and 7). There was also Alan from Durban who is seriously thinking of signing up for some part of 09-10 and Fiona who, having just joined Clipper Ventures for the corporate season, was our first mate. There were others I recognised or met on other boats including Ali and Gordon who took us on Part A training skippering Uniquely Singapore and Glasgow respectively.
The departure on Monday afternoon was really quite a surprise for me as there were many sightseers around the dock when we moved first to the Canning Half Tide Lock and then into the Mersey and we even had a round of applause as we cast off after Nova Scotia. The 07-08 crews certainly deserved that send off and I definitely felt like I was joining something quite special. That feeling continued as we motored down the Mersey with Nova Scotia and Western Australia.
The plan was to motor as far as Anglesey with the wind on the nose and then as we headed south through the Irish Sea we could sail a beam reach which should give us some quite good speeds. This we did and sailed through the night as the British summer did its best with heavy rain, pretty cool temperatures and winds that slowly but surely built up towards force 7. Skipper Ricky was keen to make the trip relatively straightforward so we set the sails for the duration with the option to reef the main or drop the sails and motor should conditions demand it.
The first 24 hours saw some close sailing with the rest of the fleet. It was fascinating to see boats skew off on a course of their own only to re-appear hours later only a hundred metres or so away! I found myself looking at other yachts we passed and tried to figure out what was different about the rigging that might explain the difference is speed. 200 miles after leaving Liverpool we still found ourselves exchanging places with Nova Scotia then Uniquely Singapore.
By the next morning when I woke after an off watch the boat was again heading into the wind and we were motoring under a reefed main sail. The weather was appalling and I was not feeling 100% which heightens the uncomfortable sensation delivered by wet clothing. The foul weather gear was starting to succumb to the water in several places and I would have to wait till my next off watch to use my sleeping bag to help dry the clothes.
By Wednesday morning we had turned Lands End and were heading up to Weymouth where we moored for the night and enjoyed a shower and a pub meal. We were triple berthed against two tugs so climbing back onto the boat afterwards was a special challenge!
Our own Mystic Meg (Anne) had predicted that the rain would disappear on Thursday and we would have sunshine all the way to Southampton so it was no surprise to see black clouds blanketing out the early morning sunshine as left Weymouth! To be fair though we did have some extraordinary good weather soon after and even managed to sail under spinnaker from Lulworth Cove to Southampton.
At Southampton, we managed to visit the Pitcher and Piano, experience a chocolate fondue at the Banana Bar (thanks Alan!) and see Ricky get a well deserved hero’s welcome at his local yacht club. Much of the deep clean on the boat was carried out in Southampton which meant we were able to get away from Gosport quite early on Friday morning.
All in all a great experience made all the more enjoyable by a great crew. Thanks guys!
As Val headed south in the car I went down to join Clipper Durban 2010 and Beyond to help crew the boat back to Gosport where she will be used in Part B & C training courses. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to gain a little more experience at sea ahead of my own Part B training in August and my first opportunity to sail on one of the boats that will take part in the 09-10 race.
The race boats are 8 foot longer than the Clipper 60 that I sailed on in Part A training. More importantly, they are considerably wider, appearing about 35% wider and flatter on the deck making movement easier.
There were 10 crew in all for the return trip. Jeremy was, like me,a committed RTW for the 09-10 race. We joined skipper Ricky Chalmers and his wife Maggie, 07-08 RTW crew member Hagen and leggers Anne and Dave (both legs 1,2 and 3) and Lucy (legs 5,6 and 7). There was also Alan from Durban who is seriously thinking of signing up for some part of 09-10 and Fiona who, having just joined Clipper Ventures for the corporate season, was our first mate. There were others I recognised or met on other boats including Ali and Gordon who took us on Part A training skippering Uniquely Singapore and Glasgow respectively.
The departure on Monday afternoon was really quite a surprise for me as there were many sightseers around the dock when we moved first to the Canning Half Tide Lock and then into the Mersey and we even had a round of applause as we cast off after Nova Scotia. The 07-08 crews certainly deserved that send off and I definitely felt like I was joining something quite special. That feeling continued as we motored down the Mersey with Nova Scotia and Western Australia.
The plan was to motor as far as Anglesey with the wind on the nose and then as we headed south through the Irish Sea we could sail a beam reach which should give us some quite good speeds. This we did and sailed through the night as the British summer did its best with heavy rain, pretty cool temperatures and winds that slowly but surely built up towards force 7. Skipper Ricky was keen to make the trip relatively straightforward so we set the sails for the duration with the option to reef the main or drop the sails and motor should conditions demand it.
The first 24 hours saw some close sailing with the rest of the fleet. It was fascinating to see boats skew off on a course of their own only to re-appear hours later only a hundred metres or so away! I found myself looking at other yachts we passed and tried to figure out what was different about the rigging that might explain the difference is speed. 200 miles after leaving Liverpool we still found ourselves exchanging places with Nova Scotia then Uniquely Singapore.
By the next morning when I woke after an off watch the boat was again heading into the wind and we were motoring under a reefed main sail. The weather was appalling and I was not feeling 100% which heightens the uncomfortable sensation delivered by wet clothing. The foul weather gear was starting to succumb to the water in several places and I would have to wait till my next off watch to use my sleeping bag to help dry the clothes.
By Wednesday morning we had turned Lands End and were heading up to Weymouth where we moored for the night and enjoyed a shower and a pub meal. We were triple berthed against two tugs so climbing back onto the boat afterwards was a special challenge!
Our own Mystic Meg (Anne) had predicted that the rain would disappear on Thursday and we would have sunshine all the way to Southampton so it was no surprise to see black clouds blanketing out the early morning sunshine as left Weymouth! To be fair though we did have some extraordinary good weather soon after and even managed to sail under spinnaker from Lulworth Cove to Southampton.
At Southampton, we managed to visit the Pitcher and Piano, experience a chocolate fondue at the Banana Bar (thanks Alan!) and see Ricky get a well deserved hero’s welcome at his local yacht club. Much of the deep clean on the boat was carried out in Southampton which meant we were able to get away from Gosport quite early on Friday morning.
All in all a great experience made all the more enjoyable by a great crew. Thanks guys!
July 12th 2008: A Warm Liverpool Welcome for the Clipper Fleet
For those who were fortunate enough to see the finish in Liverpool (and find a hotel!) it was a fantastic weekend and an emotional rollercoaster ride for the crews and their families. Having finished the overall race at the mouth of the Mersey the crowd were entertained by the fleet in an extra event – The Mersey Dash which was won by Nova Scotia. At this point I suspect the mobile phone network nearly went into meltdown as crew and families exchanged text messages detailing their precise locations. The happy re-unions would have to wait just a little longer as the fleet was introduced to the crowd one by one as they entered the Canning Half Tide Lock around 12:30. It was not until 3pm that the final parade into the Albert Dock took place. After that there was another tantalising wait whilst prize giving and preliminaries to disembarkation delayed the final highly emotional reunions in front of the world media.
This was the third time that the race has finished in Liverpool and it has to be said that the city has really got its act together and was the perfect host. Next year the race start and finish moves across to the east coast. Hull has seen some impressive inward investment in recent years and is a good location to start the race providing a challenging first leg down through the North Sea and the English Channel. Having said that, Liverpool is going to be a tough act to follow.
For those who were fortunate enough to see the finish in Liverpool (and find a hotel!) it was a fantastic weekend and an emotional rollercoaster ride for the crews and their families. Having finished the overall race at the mouth of the Mersey the crowd were entertained by the fleet in an extra event – The Mersey Dash which was won by Nova Scotia. At this point I suspect the mobile phone network nearly went into meltdown as crew and families exchanged text messages detailing their precise locations. The happy re-unions would have to wait just a little longer as the fleet was introduced to the crowd one by one as they entered the Canning Half Tide Lock around 12:30. It was not until 3pm that the final parade into the Albert Dock took place. After that there was another tantalising wait whilst prize giving and preliminaries to disembarkation delayed the final highly emotional reunions in front of the world media.
This was the third time that the race has finished in Liverpool and it has to be said that the city has really got its act together and was the perfect host. Next year the race start and finish moves across to the east coast. Hull has seen some impressive inward investment in recent years and is a good location to start the race providing a challenging first leg down through the North Sea and the English Channel. Having said that, Liverpool is going to be a tough act to follow.
June 24th 2008: Clare Francis
As part of my preparations for the 09-10 Race, I have enjoyed reading a variety of books that provide an insight not only to the basics of sailing but to the ultimate challenges that the crews will face. Of all the biographical tales, Clare Francis' account of her Whitbread Round the World Race in 1977/8 has been one of the most influential. Not least for the fact that Clare is more than just a great leader and an incredible sailor; she is also a very talented author. In her book 'Come Wind or Weather' she describes every aspect of race preparation in great detail (including raising sponsorship) and provides a moving description of the challenges faced en route. One particular passage, describing a force 10 gale in the Southern Ocean gave me a great insight to the race ahead.
"Already the boat was taking a lot of punishment, the heavy beam seas rearing up and hitting her hard on the side so that she rolled and yawed in a mass of spray. As we worked to reduce the sail area, water would shoot over the deck, sweeping us all off our feet. After a large wave had hit, we would automatically look around the deck to make sure everyone else was still there. The water was so cold that our hands froze as they touched the ropes, the winches or the sails and each dribble that seeped down our necks and into our clothing felt like ice.
"At midday the barometer started to rise rapidly. If the pattern ran to form the wind would, if anything, blow even harder. Since it was already blowing force 10, I wondered what was on the way. I watched the large, grey seas with their white, torn crests and listened to the wind howling in the rigging, and thought here at last was the Southern Ocean. This was what we had come to find and sail through; this beautiful, powerful, magnificent ocean. As I watched, I felt no fear, only simple admiration."
Sailing is one of the safest leisure time activities there is and compliance with a few basic rules will ensure we traverse the Southern Oceans in safety. I learnt so much from this one account of someone else's race its difficult to know where to start but it's more than just taking care of one another and keeping yourself attached to the boat. It's knowing when to play safe and when to push the boat harder. It's about understanding what the elements are doing around you and how to use the boat to maximum effect. It's about having unequivocal respect for the forces of nature.
As part of my preparations for the 09-10 Race, I have enjoyed reading a variety of books that provide an insight not only to the basics of sailing but to the ultimate challenges that the crews will face. Of all the biographical tales, Clare Francis' account of her Whitbread Round the World Race in 1977/8 has been one of the most influential. Not least for the fact that Clare is more than just a great leader and an incredible sailor; she is also a very talented author. In her book 'Come Wind or Weather' she describes every aspect of race preparation in great detail (including raising sponsorship) and provides a moving description of the challenges faced en route. One particular passage, describing a force 10 gale in the Southern Ocean gave me a great insight to the race ahead.
"Already the boat was taking a lot of punishment, the heavy beam seas rearing up and hitting her hard on the side so that she rolled and yawed in a mass of spray. As we worked to reduce the sail area, water would shoot over the deck, sweeping us all off our feet. After a large wave had hit, we would automatically look around the deck to make sure everyone else was still there. The water was so cold that our hands froze as they touched the ropes, the winches or the sails and each dribble that seeped down our necks and into our clothing felt like ice.
"At midday the barometer started to rise rapidly. If the pattern ran to form the wind would, if anything, blow even harder. Since it was already blowing force 10, I wondered what was on the way. I watched the large, grey seas with their white, torn crests and listened to the wind howling in the rigging, and thought here at last was the Southern Ocean. This was what we had come to find and sail through; this beautiful, powerful, magnificent ocean. As I watched, I felt no fear, only simple admiration."
Sailing is one of the safest leisure time activities there is and compliance with a few basic rules will ensure we traverse the Southern Oceans in safety. I learnt so much from this one account of someone else's race its difficult to know where to start but it's more than just taking care of one another and keeping yourself attached to the boat. It's knowing when to play safe and when to push the boat harder. It's about understanding what the elements are doing around you and how to use the boat to maximum effect. It's about having unequivocal respect for the forces of nature.
April 2nd 2008: Part A Training
As training finished and the adrenalin started to drain from the body, I had time to reflect on my first week with Clipper. I was fortunate to escape most of the symptoms of sea sickness but for the first two days back on dry land everything seemed to sway quite uncontrollably. That aside, Part A training was a truly memorable experience with a great crew who were always there to offer support and advice to the most novice of all novice sailors. There are literally dozens of ropes and cables that make up the rigging, numerous sail configurations to think about and, of course, set procedures in which sails are raised, trimmed or changed. There are so many jobs associated with each task you have to wonder how the single handed sailors actually cope; but it did illustrate to me how much the Clipper Race is very much a team sport.
The highlights had to include the climb up the mast (right) and the man overboard exercises (above) which are rehearsed regularly to ensure we are all familiar with the different roles – one person lies on the sails as they are dropped, one throws out the dan marker bouy, and one is lowered over the side to help retrieve the casualty. Highlights also include helming which I got to grips with quite quickly sailing into the wind, downwind was a different matter altogether and my lack of sailing experience showed. I need to practice that endlessly to the point where I am not just watching the compass, but feeling the boat through heavy swells. One tip that was offered was also to remove the hat so that you get a better sense of what the wind is actually doing.
The lows? There were hardly any. I soon got used to the primitive conditions on board and the bunk felt more like home with each passing day. I have to admit I did not enjoy mother watch as much as I thought I would because you miss so much going on above decks. But having said that, I appreciate what an important role this is – a well fed boat is a happy boat – so I was determined to throw myself into the task as enthusiastically as I possibly could. In the event the task also decided to throw me around with equal enthusiasm as my many bruises will testify!
The low point for Val (apart from missing me – hopefully) was to have me wake her on the phone at 7:45 from Dartmouth just to tell her we had risen, cleaned the boat, prepared her for sailing and been shopping to stock for the return leg. Well I thought she would be interested.... (Footnote from Val – this enthusiasm for early mornings has not been maintained since arriving home).
As training finished and the adrenalin started to drain from the body, I had time to reflect on my first week with Clipper. I was fortunate to escape most of the symptoms of sea sickness but for the first two days back on dry land everything seemed to sway quite uncontrollably. That aside, Part A training was a truly memorable experience with a great crew who were always there to offer support and advice to the most novice of all novice sailors. There are literally dozens of ropes and cables that make up the rigging, numerous sail configurations to think about and, of course, set procedures in which sails are raised, trimmed or changed. There are so many jobs associated with each task you have to wonder how the single handed sailors actually cope; but it did illustrate to me how much the Clipper Race is very much a team sport.
The highlights had to include the climb up the mast (right) and the man overboard exercises (above) which are rehearsed regularly to ensure we are all familiar with the different roles – one person lies on the sails as they are dropped, one throws out the dan marker bouy, and one is lowered over the side to help retrieve the casualty. Highlights also include helming which I got to grips with quite quickly sailing into the wind, downwind was a different matter altogether and my lack of sailing experience showed. I need to practice that endlessly to the point where I am not just watching the compass, but feeling the boat through heavy swells. One tip that was offered was also to remove the hat so that you get a better sense of what the wind is actually doing.
The lows? There were hardly any. I soon got used to the primitive conditions on board and the bunk felt more like home with each passing day. I have to admit I did not enjoy mother watch as much as I thought I would because you miss so much going on above decks. But having said that, I appreciate what an important role this is – a well fed boat is a happy boat – so I was determined to throw myself into the task as enthusiastically as I possibly could. In the event the task also decided to throw me around with equal enthusiasm as my many bruises will testify!
The low point for Val (apart from missing me – hopefully) was to have me wake her on the phone at 7:45 from Dartmouth just to tell her we had risen, cleaned the boat, prepared her for sailing and been shopping to stock for the return leg. Well I thought she would be interested.... (Footnote from Val – this enthusiasm for early mornings has not been maintained since arriving home).
January 20th 2008: So Just How Uncomfortable is Uncomfortable?
The Clipper Race will have many highs and lows as we have seen from the blogs being posted by 07-08 crews. Following the race from the comfort of home I can only read with some envy (and anticipation) about the spectacular racing, the ocean wildlife, the night skies and the incredible sunsets. There will be many such highs. However, part of the psychology in preparing for the race is to expect the worst - and prepare for the worst. Many people have asked me just how uncomfortable it gets.
The southern ocean is probably the toughest leg (Durban to Fremantle) with waves recorded up to 80 feet in height. On the 07-08 race the experience did not match the reputation and the roaring forties barely raised above a whisper. The funniest thing about that was how disappointed the crews were about it! For a more thought provoking summary, I had to delve into Chay Blyth’s story of the British Steel Challenge where a diary entry by David Wallbank on board Pride of Teeside sets the scene –
“The storm we were in was throwing the boat around like a toy. You could feel her lifting up and up on gigantic waves and hovering weightless for those few breathless seconds before crashing down. The noise was deafening.
“We couldn’t lie still in our bunks. There was constant and often violent movement and everything was shaking. When I climbed into the bunk, which involves a risking life and limb in a desperate jump, I reached into my netting for a clean T-shirt. They were all damp. I’d worn the present one for a week and was beginning to smell a little. No one had washed for two weeks and the best we could manage was a Baby Wipe bed bath.
“So I’d put the T-shirt on and lay for a while trying hard to stop thinking. It’s difficult, because four hours earlier I was just going on watch and had to be wide awake. That’s the problem with a watch system, there’s no routine for sleeping. People tend to be dozy all the time or, like me, have great problems getting enough sleep. Yet eventually I must have slept, maybe forty-five minutes or so, and now I had to get up again. It was bitterly cold and the thermals felt hard, almost frozen. Shivering I put them on and tried to ignore the unpleasant sensations. Soon, I reasoned, they would defrost. As we fought to put on our wet oilskins, the watch crew struggled to say hello to each other, but that’s about all we could manage as we jostled for space, or a place to hold on. The world on the deck was dramatically different. It was pitch black and the wind was blowing at 35 mph, with higher gusts and rough seas. The howling wind alone would have made communication difficult, but with our protective gear and hats and balaclavas, it was impossible.”
The Clipper Race will have many highs and lows as we have seen from the blogs being posted by 07-08 crews. Following the race from the comfort of home I can only read with some envy (and anticipation) about the spectacular racing, the ocean wildlife, the night skies and the incredible sunsets. There will be many such highs. However, part of the psychology in preparing for the race is to expect the worst - and prepare for the worst. Many people have asked me just how uncomfortable it gets.
The southern ocean is probably the toughest leg (Durban to Fremantle) with waves recorded up to 80 feet in height. On the 07-08 race the experience did not match the reputation and the roaring forties barely raised above a whisper. The funniest thing about that was how disappointed the crews were about it! For a more thought provoking summary, I had to delve into Chay Blyth’s story of the British Steel Challenge where a diary entry by David Wallbank on board Pride of Teeside sets the scene –
“The storm we were in was throwing the boat around like a toy. You could feel her lifting up and up on gigantic waves and hovering weightless for those few breathless seconds before crashing down. The noise was deafening.
“We couldn’t lie still in our bunks. There was constant and often violent movement and everything was shaking. When I climbed into the bunk, which involves a risking life and limb in a desperate jump, I reached into my netting for a clean T-shirt. They were all damp. I’d worn the present one for a week and was beginning to smell a little. No one had washed for two weeks and the best we could manage was a Baby Wipe bed bath.
“So I’d put the T-shirt on and lay for a while trying hard to stop thinking. It’s difficult, because four hours earlier I was just going on watch and had to be wide awake. That’s the problem with a watch system, there’s no routine for sleeping. People tend to be dozy all the time or, like me, have great problems getting enough sleep. Yet eventually I must have slept, maybe forty-five minutes or so, and now I had to get up again. It was bitterly cold and the thermals felt hard, almost frozen. Shivering I put them on and tried to ignore the unpleasant sensations. Soon, I reasoned, they would defrost. As we fought to put on our wet oilskins, the watch crew struggled to say hello to each other, but that’s about all we could manage as we jostled for space, or a place to hold on. The world on the deck was dramatically different. It was pitch black and the wind was blowing at 35 mph, with higher gusts and rough seas. The howling wind alone would have made communication difficult, but with our protective gear and hats and balaclavas, it was impossible.”