Crew Blog

All change for the New Year

03 January 2008

Dafydd recovers on board Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper

All change for Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper as we set out for Singapore with six new crew joining the boat and its long term inmates. This was one of our best race starts – third over the line and fourth out of the harbour. We even managed to follow instructions not to hit any boats or buoys even if it was a bit close quarters at times.

What made it really special for us was the overwhelming response from the people of Western Australia who turned up in their hundreds in the harbour, on the moles and in boats to wish us well on the race. It was possible to hear the calls of ‘Go Glasgow Go’ from the crowds and see the Scottish flags onshore and on the boats. One special boat was carrying WAGs, friends and family of several crew and the skipper who cheered us on our way.

Racing up the coast normal start procedures kicked in with the usual suspects and some new recruits talking to the big white telephone and shouting at the fish before retiring to their bunks for a barely deserved rest.

The new crew begins to build its own relationships and the watches establish their identities through the hours of spinnaker helming and trimming. Conversations start up about what we do for a living (apart from this!) and what are the reasons for joining the race and doing this leg. Motivations range from wanting to do some tactical racing, see the archipelago or just go to the Far East for the first time.

We have also had one significant incident when one of the crew dislocated his shoulder when holding a halyard. After treatment from our on board medic, Emma, Dafydd is back in shape, in good form and preparing to start racing. He would like to wish all his friends and family a happy New Year and reassure them that it wasn’t his drinking arm.

We would like to wish all of our supporters a happy and successful New Year too.

Colin Sherriff

1. Jim Speirs, Fremantle 03 January 2008

Hi
It was great to see a scottish flag in fremantle harbour, it made my day as I was loading the stolt rindo on berth 1 when you sailed past!!

Good luck

Jim

2. Erica Revie, scotland 03 January 2008

Ah Dafydd! What a nightmare! Great to see your happy smiling face accompanying the blog. And good work Emma - wondering if Dafydd had to own up to some tins on board for the relocation?! No more dramas for the rest of the trip please! Watching avidly at home and missing you all, Erica xx

3. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 03 January 2008

Now remember guys, dislocations are OK but no swimming on this leg ...

It all looks really close at the moment. Go Glasgow!

4. mam a dad, talybont west wales 04 January 2008

we wish to thank the medics for their skilled attention to dafydd.Maybe you should have used benromach as an anasthetic as in Nelsons day ! Go for it GLASGOW

mam and dad

5. Meg, Aberystwyth, Wales 04 January 2008

Ohh Uncle Cabbage what are you like! Take it easy. Much Love Meg! x x x

6. Dee & Nick Sawyer, Aberaeron, West Wales 04 January 2008

Good grief Dafydd what a way to start 2008!
Hope you are feeling better now and ready to race now that this legs emergency is over and done.
Go Glasgow go!!
Dee & Nick

7. sian reynolds, at home looking at the sea (still!) 04 January 2008

Dafydd! Always looking for attention!! Your soooo last season, i did the shoulder thing!!! So it is, the only welsh people onboard and we both hurt our shoulders - Hannah will ban anymore welsh crew from sailing on the black pearl if we’re not careful!! Keep smiling & fingers crosed for a speedy recovery. Big Hugs, Cariad ti.
Well Done Ems.
Keep up the great work guys! x x x

8. Pam Hart, Keighley, West Yorks. 04 January 2008

Will someone make sure that Sue(Smith) shows her face on this Leg! I know she shuns the limelight, but we at home wish to see her in action.

Pam and Michael.

9. barbara & Jon, aberaeron 05 January 2008

Glad to see your in good spirits Dafs, we missed you and your drinking arm in the Y.C New years eve, good luck for this leg to you all, Go Glasgow!!

Barbara & Jon x

10. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 05 January 2008

Today’s mid-day report says that you have covered more ground than any other boat in the fleet during the last 12 hours - great work! It’s still incredibly close and you are only 26 miles behind the leader although you are lying 6th. Harsh to hope for mistakes in the rest of the fleet, so I’ll just hope that each boat gets the result it deserves ...

Go Glasgow! Plenty of opportunity for another podium place.

11. Sian Ffrancon, Ceredigion 05 January 2008

Annwyl Daf- hope your not in any physical pain , but suspect you’re pretty fedup.I echo Dad’s gratitude to Emma and others for their care. Much love, big sis X

12. Eliz, Dornoch 05 January 2008

Hi Sue S
Hope have recovered from all the celebrations in Aussie land especially the BIG 60. RDGC/Bridge Clubs following your progress with great interest. Go get them!

Eliz.

13. pam brunton, sarnia, canada 05 January 2008

Hi robin, keeping track of youas is all the family. You ar going to be an uncle in june. Hotels booked for new york. god speed love pam

14. Peter & Elspeth Eggleton, Sunningdale 05 January 2008

Having now returned from watching the boats bobbing about in the river (looking a liitle sad in their winter coats!) at Falmouth over New Year and enjoying the party in the streets of the town till 1am we can again concentrate on watching the race. Glad to see that the injury has been quickly dealt with and all is well. Best wishes to Lisa and all in the team for this leg.

15. Chris Goodfellow, Burnham 05 January 2008

Good sailing, you’ve been going fatest the last two times I’ve looked! Hope you can sneak up on the leaders to northeast tonight just fourty miles away before the wind drops to the south and west.
Good luck in the light stuff coming on the grib.
Chris G

16. Emma's Dad, Sussex by the Sea 05 January 2008

Brilliant progress, we can only imagine the thrill of such a long down wind run. Well done Emma with the running repairs. Rooting for you day and night Glasgow. Nick & Chris X

17. Dorothy, Coleraine N.Ireland 06 January 2008

To Hannah and crew onboard The Black Pearl
A story to you I’m about to tell
The Neeps and the Tatties will have to work hard,
If a prize they want in Singapore Harb!
To Gordon, Andrew, Dafydd and Doug
Colin, Paul, Lisa and Sue,
And everyone else who’s part of the crew,
May God’s speed be with you and safety too,
And the miles ahead go quickly for you.

Love to all Dorothy x x x

18. Margaret McDowall, Perth, Australia 06 January 2008

Come on Guys.

We’re following your progress. Your doing a great job and we’re rooting for you to shorten the lead. Things a bit flat here in Freo since you left.

Keep up the good work and of course your spirits!. sorting out the Singapore greeting party to cheer your arrival !

Take care - lots of love
Margaret & John. xx

19. philip marston, perth western australia 06 January 2008

Many thanks to Joe Mcllwaine crew member on Glasgow Scotland With Style for letting myself,my wife Kaye and daughter Louise to view your boat on Friday night 28th of December.We all enjoyed the tour and understanding what the clipper is all about.Its not offer we get a chance to get on a boat like that.We like to see more pictures or video if possible as we are reading the Crew Blog and race viewer every night.We wish you and all crew members lots of luck and Bon Voyage
With regards Phil,Kaye and Louise

20. Llinos a'r bois, Aberaeron 06 January 2008

Honestly Dafydd Hughes, what are your like? That sight seems chillingly familiar, ti’n cofio’r Grand Slam w.end?!!! So happy to hear you’re on the mend and ready for action.
CYO.CT.
LLINOS.xxx

21. Emma's Mum and Sister, Portsmouth 06 January 2008

Well done Em’s, you’ve obviously managed to take some time out from being sick! Thinking of you. Go Glasgow!
Emma’s Mum and Sister xxx

22. Alasdair Maciver, Linlithgow, West Lothian 06 January 2008

Ahoy there Mr Ballantyne, how is Pirate Ted getting on? Has he been lashed to the mast yet? Hope you are enjoying the Indian Ocean, its mingin-pish here in lithgae. Hope you catch some decent winds to get past H&H;. All the best Alasdair

23. Tony, Glasgow 07 January 2008

Hey Stevie, hope you have found your sea legs and are not too hung over from the transition into 2008. C’mon let’s “STORM” this race!!!

Charlie say’s - Gonae git the fit doon Stevie cause am fed up wae you comin in last at everything!!!!!!

All the best to all the crew of the Black Pearl, sale safe and fast.

From all the guy’s at McNair

24. Fraser, 09 January 2008

Full ahead Glasgow.... trim trim!

Sure Dafydd was only after a Singapore Sling

25. Alice, Robin's cousin, Derbyshire 09 January 2008

Hi Robin We’re following your progress, Allan is so jealous of you. Heard you’ve lost some weight think I should have come with you.
you take care. Go Glasgow
Loads of Love
Your big cousin Alice xx

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