Crew Blog

French refuelling

23 September 2007

Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper crew with their third place pennant

To all Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper supporters.

A big thank you from all the crew for giving us such a great send off from Liverpool and for all the fantastic messages we have received via the Clipper website.
Sorry that our La Rochelle log has been so slow to arrive – we have been busy with our lovely boat. You will probably know the story of the first race by now, starting with the fight against the conditions just out of the Mersey, followed by the long duel we enjoyed with our Nova Scotian cousins and then getting soo close to second place.

It was amazing to arrive at La Rochelle just after Liverpool to a great reception in an atmospheric historic port. The result has given us all a big dose of pride in Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper but now it is the morning before our first ocean crossing and we know the three weeks of racing ahead will be very different… Our reasons to be cheerful stem from plenty of hard work on the boat at La Rochelle and the fantastic refuelling we have enjoyed through the local cuisine.

Whilst here the jobs list was filled once more so now our port primary winch is all good, the annoying starboard side deck leak should be no more, some essential cooling fans have been fitted below decks, the bilges all emptied, the water maker tested and signed off, we have the cleanest & most organised lazarette in the fleet, fully serviced steering and the final provisions are onboard for the Atlantic. The Clipper maintenance guys got through a mountain of work for us and as ever have done a great deal to get us ready for more ocean sailing.

So, now all we need to do is sail safe and sail fast. We intend to make it just as exciting for you all to follow – it may be a while before we show our true colours but you know we will be giving it all we’ve got…

Andy Cole

1. Gavin Leigh Redhead, Merseyside 10 October 2007

Glasgow Crew,
Great photo (the heads); but it probably won’t make the 6 o’clock news. It seems that you’re having fun with all that singing on board. Keeping the piano in tune must be a real challenge; is it an upright or a baby grand?
I was on the dockside in Liverpool for the start of the race and wish I was taking part; I’ll see about it for the future!
Crack on and have a safe trip.
Regards,
Gavin Redhead.
P.S. Let’s hope the rubber gloves stand up to the job; if not, then I hope you’ve got the emergency nail brush!!!

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