Crew Blog

Neep of Faith

25 June 2008

Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper battles with headwinds

Dear Fans of the Black Pearl - this blog comes to you courtesy of the Neeps watch as we find ourselves seven days of sailing away from Ireland with Gordon certain that the Guinness smells that much stronger. What’s more, as we break the thousand miles barrier, Neeps have heard a rumour that Mr Duffin will be buying the beers in Cork. David is looking forward to hearing more diddly diddly music after enjoying the Nova Scotian version whilst on mother watch today. Andy is hoping to meet up with some friends from Dublin and we are all looking forward to the reunion with Glasgow crew from pervious legs.

Since our last update the conditions have changed and changed again. Firstly our hearts were gladdened by the end of the freezing fog as we headed out of iceberg territory leaving the Labradors behind and enjoying the delights of the Gulf Stream. Unfortunately they were somewhat saddened by the arrival of headwinds, rough seas and rain - a turnaround that Noel Edmonds would surely have bettered in his Swap Shop days.

With the messy sea came some messy stomachs as Sir Mick “Chuck” Corrie and the recently welcomed Durbanite Lauren fell foul to the dreaded sea-sickness. In Lauren’s case this lasted for an unpleasant two days but her previous bout on Durban 2010 and Beyond ran for four days hence proving yet again that Glasgow Smiles Better :o) Mick quite enjoyed his brief encounter with the dreaded lurgy (he says!) - having survived his own mother-watch he suffered a rapid reversal of fortune following a bowl of Gordon’s Scotch broth. Not to be thwarted, he immediately took a Neep of faith and downed another helping… this time it did not bounce back.

You may all know by now that the crew e-mail system has also been sea-sick for several days. Signs of a recovery have been reported by the skipper but we are yet to be seeing the results within our inboxes - we are hopeful to be able to hear your news and tell you ours very soon.

One such story might be that of Paul Myers aka “Scruff”. Paul purchased a lovely one piece sailing suit in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia. He had designs on staying warm and dry in the North Atlantic. We can tell you this dashing outfit is mostly only seen after dark due to its glaring bumble-bee type colouring. When Scruff was asked how it was coping with the regular soakings being dished out on the foredeck, he replied enthusiastically that in fact the collar dried very quickly…

Now, the latest conundrum for Captain Han Sparrow has been the fickle wind direction and strength which has come with an improvement in the weather. The resultant need to swap head sails for spinnaker back to head sails back to spinnaker and then back to head sails once more, had been somewhat vexing. In all this action, does she keep the boat chasing hard after the leading group or cover those behind in order to ensure all is good for our overall third place? Either way the spinnaker or “kite” flying has proved a challenge to Neeps watch - as Mick says, “There are no tails and fancy nose dives allowed with these babies…”

So, as we sail into the second half of this race we are working hard to make ground towards a podium finish. We may well need to take a leap of faith to finish strongly…if so please keep your faith in us!

Neeps Watch (Lisa, Mick, Lauren, Andy, Gordon, David and Paul)

1. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 25 June 2008

You’re going nicely and less than 50 miles behind the leader but it’s a slow drift down the schedules. Let’s hope that you find some friendly weather and make fewer mistakes than the others during the next few days. Your overall position on the leaderboard looks pretty safe.

Great racing. Sail safe and fast.

Go Glasgow!

2. Dipxy, Dumfriesshire 25 June 2008

Hi guys, you’re ~50 miles behind the leader, keep pushing and you’ll sail up that leader board again ... and the Guinness will taste all the sweeter. The Black Pearl is homeward bound so sail like the wind .... and boy do we have some at the moment.

Enjoy the journey, be lucky and safe but please be fast.

Take care

3. Rock Family, Sydney 26 June 2008

Great blog Neeps watch! Be sure that we are all keeping our faith in you and willing you on towards Cork in more favourable conditions. Perhaps if you all inhale as strongly as Gordon does to smell the Guinness, you will get there faster! And surely the pull of diddly diddly music is an additional draw?!
C’MON Glasgow! We’re barracking for you all the way.
Special best wishes to Gordon - have your cooking skills gone downhill?!?!
The Rocks xxxx

4. Erica, France 26 June 2008

Great blog Neeps! Keeping my fingers crossed for you Glasgow, battling hard as ever. Not long until Cork. Can’t wait to see you all there! xx

5. Peter & Elspeth Eggleton, Sunningdale 26 June 2008

Great read - Looking forward to seeing you all in Liverpool. Keep safe and look after the spinnaker (cause we don’t want another 18 hours stitching in the bowels of the boat) but all the same go for that podium place again.

6. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 27 June 2008

132 miles in the last 12 hours - sounds like big fun! It also means that you were one of the fastest boats in the water. Great work!

Not too much longer, it looks as if you will be across the line on Saturday and still clear of Durban which makes your 3rd place in the overall table even safer.

Sail safe and fast. Go Glasgow!

7. sian reynolds, Bristol - & smiling for you guys! 27 June 2008

Jump guys & take the leap of faith! You’ll land strongly on both feet for sure! We all believe in you (Neaps, tatties & Sparrow) - Go for it! Love you loads & Lisa enjoy being home in Ireland & an early Happy Birthday Hannah! x x x

8. John Davies, Dublin 27 June 2008

Dafydd,

Hope the Guinness is as good in reality when you arrive in Crosshaven as it is in fantasy crossing the Atlantic.

9. Sandy Paskins, Solihull 27 June 2008

Not long now! Big question. How can you smell Guinness when Ireland is downwind of you? Oh, sorry, I forgot! You’re seasoned sailors! Keep nibbling away at the other boats. Best wishes to all. Sandy

10. James &Dorothy;, Coleraine N.Ireland 27 June 2008

At last Ireland in sight. Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday. keep up the good work your doing well so ‘Go Glasgow Go ‘ one last push into Cork. The guinness is on
stand-by. Love to Lisa. see you soon.

11. Martin Pierce, manchester 27 June 2008

Hi Paul hope you having the adventure of your lifetime cant wait until i hear all about the voyage am sure Liam wishes he was there to see you soon skipper Martin

12. Rock Family, Sydney 27 June 2008

Gripping stuff Glasgow, to be sure, to be sure!!!
Best of luck to you all in what must be very testing conditions.
C’MON!!!
The Rocks

13. Lorna & Jon Darke, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan 28 June 2008

Hi Hannah and crew of the beloved Black Pearl! Congrats on finishing thi race - not the best result but hey - damn wind holes! By our reckoning it means your still 3rd overall - great! With a bit of luck you never know what might happen in the final lap to Liverpool. Enjoy a relax and a pint of Guiness and get ready for what is going to be one hell of a final race for you all the crew, past and present, on this amazing adventure.
Hannah - Girl Power Rules!! Not over yet and you’ve shown ‘em girl!
Good on you all - you all deserve Blue Peter badges at the very least!
Best wishes to all the ‘Pirates’
Lorna & Jon

14. norma & tony reynolds, South Wales 28 June 2008

Happy Birthday to a truely amazing young lady and a “Ninga” Skipper.Hannah have a really good day you deserve it.Sorry we can’t be in Cork but we will be there to welcome the Black Pearl back to Liverpool.Regards to all the crew.

15. gower watch, S.Wales 29 June 2008

So proud of Glasgow and all the ‘pirates’ who have accomplished so much on this most amazing journey. Superb acheivement Hanah and all the crew. You know what to do and have the courage to do it. You have the skills and the savvy. Keep positive. YOU CAN DO IT.Gower watch.On watch.

16. Jacqui O'donnell, Elgin 02 July 2008

Hi all well done so far I have been keeping track of your journey from the start and I am so proud of you all keep up the good work. I am sure you will have a podium finish. Once again well done.

17. Alan +Rena Lindsay, Coleraine N. Ireland 02 July 2008

It was fantastic to see you all in Cork. You have done so well and are a great bunch. Hope you enjoyed the Guinness and all the craic! Best of luck for the final leg to Liverpool. Love to Lisa.
Alan + Rena

18. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 03 July 2008

Coming to the end of the race now - one strong sprint now to show the rest just how good you are.

Very best wishes. Sail safe and fast.

Go Glasgow!

19. caroline Fitzpatrick, dornoch 04 July 2008

This will be my last email to you all on the Black Pearl. I am so pleased to see you in the lead and really hope you make it first into Liverpool. I would like to say congratulations to Hannah and all the crew for a wonderful result so far - I think you should all be very proud of your success and I know you will never forget the experience. Go Glasgow - keep focused for the last few miles and have a great celebration in Liverpool this weekend.
I will miss you all. Best wishes Caroline Fitzpatrick

20. Neil, Cass and Maddy, Amsterdam 04 July 2008

C’mon the Black Pearl! - Lisa I want to see a poduim finish on the final leg.

Best of luck for the last 98 miles.

Neil, Cass and Maddy

21. Connie Bousfield, Grantham Lincolnshire 04 July 2008

To Dafydd and all the Crew of Glasgow Scotland with Style.. what a pleasure it has been following you around the world. Well done to you all and keep going..the race is not over yet!

Connie and Family

22. Diane Searls, Cork 04 July 2008

Great to have had you all visit Cork. I hope you enjoyed the stop-over and I hope we didn’t show you up too much with our version of the kilt! It was sad but beautiful to see you head off out of the harbour. Go get that podium place you deserve in Liverpool and 3rd place overall for your galliant circumnavigation. Safe home all on Glasgow. It has been great to watch your trip - thanks to the techies who made it possible.

23. Donald Munro, Stonehaven 04 July 2008

For Gordon Lawson.

I was in Inverness today, speaking to Keith Loades and he told me where you are and what you are doing.

Puts my Drascombe lugger in Stonehaven harbour into perspective! If you get this, I would be very interested to hear from you.

Regards,
Donlad

24. John Diffenthal, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK 05 July 2008

The skipper got her ambition - an overall podium. I hope that all the rest of you, leggers or round the worlders, got your ambition too. Enjoy your welcome in Liverpool, I’ll be thinking of you. You deserve to rest now.

Then the big question… what happens next?

Go Glasgow!

25. colin & mary anne, windy salisbury 05 July 2008

Heartfelt congratulations to Colin S and the Black Pearl. Seems like only yesterday you set sail on this epic adventure - but it probably feels like a longer haul for you ‘lifers’! Sorry we can’t be in Liverpool to see the arrival due to hols - but the Peltons are all thinking of you and proud of your achievements. PS ... and very tactful to let Liverpool slip ahead of you at the finish line! Worth a few pints in port.

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