Crew Blog

If it’s Saturday, it must be the Indian Ocean

05 January 2008

Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper's terrible twosome

So, we have reached day five of my first leg. To be honest, if the skipper had not just told me it is day five I would have struggled to tell you which day it is. You quickly lose track of days as you adjust to life onboard a racing yacht and in particular the watch system that has you up on deck for four hours and then of duty for four hours continuously through out the day and night. For most people at the start of a leg the vast majority of time off duty is spent either eating or sleeping. Adjusting to typically no more than three hours of sleep at a time takes time!

The weather gods have so far been very kind to us with good following winds, relatively calm seas and, on deck, some pretty pleasant temperatures and generally clear skies. This has made for near perfect sailing conditions racing along with our spinnaker flying. During the day there have been occasional sightings of dolphins, whales and other Clipper yachts. The latter always prompts even greater attention than normal to squeezing every possible knot of speed out of the boat. We are keen to improve on our current position and with lighter winds forecast we plan to make up ground on the leaders.

At night, the conditions on deck remain near perfect with pleasantly warm temperatures and clear skies. The only disadvantage to being on deck at night has been the return of the kamikaze flying fish. Several scored direct hits on crew members last night.

Unfortunately life below deck is not quite so idyllic with the temperatures soaring to pretty unpleasant levels. I suspect sleeping in a sauna would be somewhat more comfortable and it’s only going to get hotter as we head further north!

Neil Cruickshanks

1. Chris Goodfellow, Burnham 08 January 2008

Anjer Kidu close to starboard ? Hope you pick the leaders up again soon, you’re going faster than anyone at 18.00 and they are reaching a hole. If you can find some convergence when the wind comes back you will gain a lot. Best of luck.Snowy slopes call.
Regards
Chris G

2. Lorna & Jon Darke, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan 08 January 2008

Hi Hannah & crew of Black Pearl - Please keep spirits up and sail as fast and safe as you can you are now really starting to fall back in the fleet - I know you like chasing down the leaders but this a short race - do’nt leave it too long before you make your move! Good sailing to you all - keep safe and race fast - after all there is a podium position to be won!
(easy for us to say but catch up on sleep in Singapore!)
Best wishes, Lorna & Jon.

3. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 09 January 2008

It’s all really close. Although you are in 7th place, you are only about 50 miles behind the lead boat. Let’s hope that there is an opportunity for you to make up a few places.

Go Glasgow!

4. Jeanette Forrester, Hereford 09 January 2008

A Guid New Year to all the Glasgow crew and Hannah - keep cool lads ‘n lassies - looking forward ver much to joining you in Santa Cruz! Jeanette

5. paul murphy, hoylake 09 January 2008

It all sounds pretty idyllic - but I note your concerns about below decks - could you get keppel to put air con into my en suite cabin before I join in Jamaica please? regards to all keep clawing your way up the field Paul

6. Ros, Euan & Gemma, Edinburgh 09 January 2008

Hello to all you sweaty, hot crew onboard Glasgow Scotland with Style, from a very cold and blustery Edinburgh. Hope all you new recruits are enjoying yourselves and gelling with the oldies (no offence). GG and Babyface, how are the shower curtains working? Seems like a good, close race so keep up the good work and watch out for those flying fish! All the best Ros, Euan & Gemma

7. barbara & Jon, aberaeron 09 January 2008

Well Dafs and Glasgow, the weather in West Wales is cold, windy and raining at this moment your hot weather sounds great, 800 odd miles to go and within touch of the leaders!! Go, go, go, your doing well, lets hope your arm is better Dafs, doing little is not your style!

Thinking of you at least 3 times a day when we log on!!!

Barbara & Dafs

8. Diane Searls, Cork 10 January 2008

Hey Sue, Hi from flooded Cork County, where I am feeling affinity with you in terms of driving through water every day. I cannot, however, identify with the warm temperatures you are experiencing. We have to drive through our rivers in freezing cold here. I’m sure we’ll have heated up nicely by June/July, when you all pop in on your way home. Hope you had a ball at Christmas and for your big birthday. Now get training in those new crew members and catch up on the others!

9. Sue Scott, Glasgow 10 January 2008

Hi guys Hyaccinth here! Good New Year to you all. Been keeping an eye on your goings on - hope Colin is behaving himself (who am I kidding!! lol). Wee Sue havent heard much of your poetic skills recently - your a star at that! Bet your outsinging them all haha. Cant believe you saw Krakatoa erupting you lucky bunch! All the best and good luck for the remainder of Leg 4! ‘Slightly larger than Wee Sue’ Sue XXXX

10. Brian & Dru, Peterborough 10 January 2008

Hope you are all in good spirits and managing to cope with all that heat. Hear from to-day’s update that you have experienced some spectacular volcanic displays. Wouldn’t mind some of it over here as its pretty damp and cold. Enjoy Singapore. Love to Lisa D.

11. Paul & Anne, Ayrshire 10 January 2008

Glad to see you all doing well. Not far behind the lead enen in 7thplace.
Told you RBB you’d be attracting the “wild life”. The flying fish bring a whole new meaning to the saying “better than a slap round the face with a wet fish”. Last 600 miles this leg - good luck to you all.

12. Llinos a'r bois, Aberaeron 11 January 2008

Top result this morning Glasgow, you’re racing with style!
Onwards and upwards…
Dafs. hope the shoulder isn’t giving you too much jip! CT
CYOHB
LLINOS.xxx

13. Sarah, Crowthorne 11 January 2008

C’mon Glasgow - keep pushing and maintain the progress you’ve made overnight. Keep dodging those oil rigs and fishing boats and speed safely to Singapore. And what’s this about a ‘terrible’ twosome - shouldn’t that be ‘tremendous’?

14. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 11 January 2008

Guys, you’re going great ... it looks as though you have pulled up a couple of places to 5th. Consolidate that - it looks like a bit of a stretch to pull up another place.

Go Glasgow!

15. alison ballantyne, perthshire 11 January 2008

Hi Stephen and all aboard Glasgow with Style - we can see some more of that sailing style in evidence today - great to see you pulling up and closing the gap. We are following you every day and wishing you all fair winds and great ( preferably fast) sailing!
All the best from us here in Perthshire in beautiful winter snow - Love to see more blogs from you if you ever get the chance
Love and all good wishes from Alison, Cal, Wilf, & Team MacIvor

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