Clipper Round the World 09-10
Is this the real world, or is it just fantasy? The bubble that has been our world for the past ten months is about to burst as we bring the boats back down to their home base in Gosport. But what a ten months it has been. We have memories, and friendships, that will last forever. Don't ask us what was the best bit or to sum it all up in just a few words, you'll find us stuck for the right words, for the right moment.
It has been such a momentous, diverse, experience. From the huge waves of the Pacific storms, through the windless days of doldrum crossings, to the sunrises and sunsets, the starry nights and the cloudscapes above the oceans. There have been tough times and there have been challenging times but we've come through them together, the highs massively outnumbering the lows. Circling the globe in a 68 foot yacht, racing against nine other boats, has become a way of life for us all. An extraordinary experience that it has been a privilege to share with a group of very special people.
The final races offered a fitting finale, containing drama and tension and some cracking sailing. The dash for the finish into The Netherlands in the penultimate race was a story that will be retold time and again by those involved, close reaching under spinnaker, the boats powered up and on the edge of control driving for a finish line less than a mile from the shore, the solid line of the breakwater rapidly advancing as the boats drove in at 12+ knots. In the final race the drama began even before the start, as Team Finland tore their main on the initial hoist, and continued through the race itself as sails were blown in the quest to push the boats as hard as possible in search of those last elusive points. For some there was elation as positions were secured, for others disappointment. But, for all, the sense of satisfaction and achievement in having raced around the world will last far longer than any temporary emotions around positions in the league table.
It is only at the end that you realise quite what you've achieved. Emotions were high as we crossed the finish line off Spurn Head, but these were nothing compared to our entry into Hull. The reception from friends, family and the 1000s of spectators brought home to us just what we had completed. That, together, we had achieved something quite special. We have all learnt a lot about ourselves, and each other. All of us have changed in some way. All of us have our own particular memories, and the shared, collective, memory is also a strong one, binding us together. Memories that have been enriched by those we have met along the track of our journey, particularly all those in Cape Breton that have supported us so strongly. For myself, our engagement with the Membertou community stands out as a particular highlight of my time with Cape Breton Island. Their wish, during the smudging ceremony in La Rochelle, that we might sail fast but remain safe was not only appreciated, but also seems to have come to pass.
For us on the Big Blue Canoe it's been a very successful race. Third overall is more than most of us ever dreamed of at the start of this whole adventure. Of the 14 races we secured ten finishes in the top four, a consistency that we rarely recognised at the time, but that was rewarded in the end. More importantly, we've had fun in achieving this. Our podium position is merely a very nice icing on a very rich cake. The question then is what's next...? Well that, as they say, is a story for another day.
Cape Breton Island out.
The final countdown - by Adrian Healy (Cape Breton Island)
20 July 2010
Is this the real world, or is it just fantasy? The bubble that has been our world for the past ten months is about to burst as we bring the boats back down to their home base in Gosport. But what a ten months it has been. We have memories, and friendships, that will last forever. Don't ask us what was the best bit or to sum it all up in just a few words, you'll find us stuck for the right words, for the right moment.
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Top racing form - by Elisa Jenkins (Cape Breton Island)
11 July 2010
After a fantastic stopover in Kinsale/Cork, Ireland, we are sailing again in familiar waters – up the English Channel!
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Homeward bound - by Adrian Healy (Cape Breton Island)
10 July 2010
And so we're back in home waters, finally, ten months after leaving Hull, the coast of England is slipping by once again. On the big blue canoe the shipboard routine continues, soup gently simmering on the stove, the skipper strumming his guitar in the saloon; it's strange how quickly old patterns quickly reassert themselves.
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