Crew Blog

Life according to angles

05 March 2008

Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper's Andrew and Doddsy get busy in the galley

A few days ago I was sat at the rail, minding my own business when Colin popped his head up from below and announced, “Doddsy, I want a blog from you on day 9, 300 words, you choose the theme, ok, good!” Should I describe the intricacies of the perfect sail change? Should it be the finer tactical points of racing across the planet’s biggest ocean? Fascinating and interesting these are I thought I’d make it simpler and describe life onboard Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper for the “new boy” legger (complete with crispy new oilskins and first day at school boots). The next thing I needed was a theme. After much thought, it kept coming back to one thing - angles. Let me explain.

Life onboard is never level. We move through the water at an angle of anything up to 60 degrees, let’s call this the “angle of the dangle”. There’s also the motion of the waves (“motion of the ocean”) which hit the boat from all angles. The result is, as you can imagine, rocky!

The angle of the dangle and the motion of the ocean make the simplest of tasks interesting. Chopping onions for pasta or making a round of tea when the cups jump across the galley at random moments. There’s moving to the foredeck to change a sail which must be planned for foot and hand holds to avoid bruising to most of the body. For the boys there’s the crucial question when visiting the heads, “do I sit or stand?” Then there is bedtime, taking you through the removal of several layers, the approach through the boat over sails on the floor and eventual landing in your bunk, which must be co-ordinated with the angle of the dangle and motion of the ocean until berthed with lee cloth in place to stop unexpected catapulting during sleep.

There are some other angles which are less obvious but make this adventure rewarding: the angle of the moon during night watches which makes the wave tops shine and the bow wave glisten; the helm’s grin as we surf down a wave; similarly, (and masochistically!) the wet grins on those on the foredeck after a particularly gruelling sail change; and the angles that occasional pods of dolphins cut as they play alongside the boat.

Although the theme has been tenuous at times, I hope this gives an insight to life on board the Black Pearl. Hello to all back home, especially everyone at Biwater Leslie.

Bye for now
Doddsy

1. Mark O'Keefe, Dry Didsbury 05 March 2008

7/10 for content
8/10 for presentation

Good to hear from shakespeare there - proof that you haven’t fallen off the boat yet or someone has done a good impression! Watching the web with interest! Go Glasgow!

So if you’re on the black pearl does that mean you’re calling the skipper keira knightley or johnny depp???

(PS. Had home made steak and kidney pudding at your folks last weekend - thought you might want to know!!!

Mark

2. Erica Revie, Edinburgh 05 March 2008

Hey guys! Great blog. Delighted to see you moving up the leader board again! Following your every move avidly from home. You’ll no doubt have heard about WA - keep racing hard but make sure you stay safe and in one piece.

Erica xx

3. Gordon Lawson, Sunny Edinburgh 05 March 2008

Great to log on today and see the fantastic progress you have been making over the last
48 hours.Doddsy’s blog is a timely reminder that life at an angle has its perils.I hope you continue to sail fast and safe to Hawaii and secure another podium finish.
Quite shocked to hear of WA’s dismasting but great to hear everyone is safe & well.
slainte
Gordon

4. Caroline Fitzpatrick, Dornoch 05 March 2008

Hey guys and gals. Thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this morning and delighted to see you are back up to third place! Once again I realized how dangerous life is on board seeing WA’s problems. Keep sailing safely and carefully. Best wishes to you all. Caroline

5. Lorna & Jon Darke, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan 05 March 2008

Hi Hannah and crew of the Black Pearl - what a great job you’re doing so far - back in 3rd place and not a lot between you and the other two - we feel a podium position coming, must have something to do with the angle of the dangle?!
Sorry for WA - makes everyone realise how precarious ocean racing can be. Still a long way to go so fingers crossed. Watch out for damages, sail very fast and as always, safe. GO GLASGOW GO!!
Lorna & Jon.

6. Andy Cole, Worcester 05 March 2008

Hi All
Fantastic bounce back up the leader board with some great 12 hr runs Glasgow. Looks like you have really turned things around for the better but I know there are many miles to go and no doubt plenty more ups and downs to come in yet another really competitive race.

Talking of ups and downs, I’ve no doubt rig-checking has tripled since the nightmare for WA - Doug and others, no complaining please, just get up there and make sure all is as it should be...regularly! It was a real shock to read about the dismasting and a relief that they are all ok - I hope Clipper turn this one around in time to get a great crew and skipper quickly back into the race.
All the best
Andy

7. Andy Cole, Worcester 05 March 2008

PS Dodsy - great blog, but was the cooked at an angle food as good...??

8. Johnny Campbell, Grangemouth 05 March 2008

Magic blog Doddsy.We were all thinking about you last night at training.I`ve got the rest of the boys checking on your progress.Keep safe and try not to drop anything(like you do with the rugby ball)PS We beat Hillfoots/alloa and were in the last 8 of the bowl.Best wishes to you and the rest of the crew.

9. Sandy, Solihull 05 March 2008

Good to see you leaping up the leaderboard! Just goes to show that ‘You can’t get quicker than the Glasgow Clipper’! Keep uo the good work! All the best.

10. Ronnie GRFC, grangemouth 05 March 2008

Hi Doddsy see you have found your vacation in life, hope all the crew can understand your accent, hope your having a great time and learning to catch? anything but the cold as you can do that back home. Hope you are well and look forward to hearing your tall tales when you get back to sunny Scotland

11. David & Sheila Urquhart, Findhorn 05 March 2008

Hi all on board Glasgow,

We were sorry to hear about the flu and hope you have all recovered. Keep up the good work as you seem to have found some favourable winds and are making good progress. As always our thoughts are with you ( especially Stuart - Mum input!!)

Best wishes,

David, Sheila and the Benromach Team

12. Eliz Coghill, Dornoch 06 March 2008

Hi all on board Glasgow, doing a fantastic job and watching, reading reports with great interest. Keep up the great work and safe sailing to you all. Looking forward to seeing you in Cork! Eliz.

13. Louise McBride, Stirling 06 March 2008

Doddy!

Glad to hear things are going well. You look right at home in the kitchen, all that cooking at an angle should make for some interesting new dishes when you get home!

Keep up the good work and be safe.

Louise x

14. Dee & Nick Sawyer, Aberaeron, West Wales 06 March 2008

Thanks for the blog. This seems to be such a tight race with positions changing every few hours, third to seventh, and backI hope!! Glad to hear all on WA are OK. What a nightmare! We hope you have no suchdire problems on this run.
Dafs --- I’ve put your name down for the last rugby lunch at the YC on the 15th--- it could be good for Wales, we will eat your meal for you and think of you nearing Hawaii.
Take care everyone.
Come on “The Black Pearl”
Dee & Nick

15. Barry Honeyman, Stirling 06 March 2008

Hey dude

Glad to see that you are still in once piece, all be it with a serious slant on things. Really chuffed that you are living the dream!.

The angle of the dangle would be an interesting title for your story of your epic journey!

Enjoy the rest of your trip and take care of yourself.

Cheers

Baz

16. barbara & Jon, aberaeron 06 March 2008

Well done Glasgow with all your ups and downs, you are very much with the leading group, compeling viewing, keep safe all, and were red with pride on Saturday Dafs, bring on the Irish!!!

barbara & Jon

17. Phil, Stirling 07 March 2008

Good to hear all is on the right angle on board.... good work and keep going.... well I suppose thats a bit obvious.
Get yourself to Hawaii quick smart and enjoy matey!
All the best

Phil

18. Susan, Edinburgh 09 March 2008

Hey Stuart,

Hope your having a good time cruising around! How’s things out on deck ?! Have you had any BBQs on your fun hour yet?! My email account doesn’t send replies back to your emails

Ciao for now,

Susanx

19. Mark Olden, Manchester 10 March 2008

Sweetheart!!!
Great to hear you’re doing well, but i was very surprised that your journey already seems to have “touched” you in a moving way!
Just got back from a week on a beach in India, no clouds, constant booze and curry, pure relaxation..... anyway, enough about me.

Speak soon mate, keep safe and the plans for the stag are well underway!!

Goldone

20. Guy Brocklehurst, London town 10 March 2008

Dodsie
It seems like only yesterday that comments were made about the angle of the Seddon dangle.. alas your angle will only be temporary so make the most of your trip..

Formalities first, the Stag is scheduled for the weekend of 28th June so keep it free. Venue will have to remain a surprise for fear of disclosure.. I may not even tell myself for the same reason!

Unbelieveable that the Scots beat the English again. Hope you get some grief from the true Scots on board.

Good to see progress remains rapid and you look to be going in roughly the right direction.. If you fancy a detour I can recommend New Zealand.. just back from a superb trip.

Take it easy Big Man and look after yourself.

Cheers
Guy

21. john mcniven, Roslin 16 March 2008

You dont half talk alot o pish sometimes. Great to see you on line and read your poetic chat which all joking apart was very interesting. Bet your jealous we got overcast and cold weather same as hawaii....unlucky mate. You take care of yourself and everyone else and when you get back we’ll go for a slide. Love you loads John Aleta Lauren and dave!

22. Davie, 19 March 2008

Dodsy

I heard a nasty rumour that you’d broke the boat....you dropped a cannonball didn’t you??

Like you we’re currently in the midst of our touring season with new dates being added weekly, can you believe the SRU are making us play a league game when we should be in Mull? it’s just not cricket old chap.....

Anyways enough about us, how’s the sailing going? You surviving ok without your sunbed?

Catch up Soon

Ps forgot to sponsor you before you left, stick me in for £50.

El Capitan

23. Boydies buteys, Isle of Bute 27 March 2008

A big HELLO to Dr Boyd and to all on board!! following your journey with interest and wishing you all well. Thank you for all your postcards we have them on display in Reception, its lovely to hear where you are and what its like. love and best wishes the girls XX

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