Crew Blog

A major milestone

13 October 2007

Liverpool 08's Ian Tomlinson at the helm in the Doldrums as they move up into fourth place

At 09:57 GMT this morning – just a couple of hours ago - we passed a major milestone in our journey.

We crossed the Equator.

Many in the Liverpool 08 crew had done so before but only one, Chris Pearce, had done so on a boat.

For me, it was the first ever crossing.

Behind us lay the experiences of leaving Liverpool, the hospitality in La Rochelle, violent seas in the Bay of Biscay, becalmed in the Canaries, flying fish (leg and buttock), storms (yes, storms) in the Doldrums, luminous dolphins, and a myriad of trials and tribulations of ocean racing.

Each night sky lays out a bright celestial carpet of more stars than the eye of man could ever contemplate and we marvel as such common friends as the Plough and Orion’s belt gradually rotated over the last three and a half thousand miles. Even the moon has a crescent on the bottom. Shooting stars (me 72 – Neil 11) cross the night-sky and satellites are clearly visible; and someone tell me what that bright planet is that rises in the east each morning - Venus perhaps?

So, on this final run-in to Salvador, some difficult decisions remain. If the wind changes as predicted we will challenge for first-place; if it stays as it is, we will struggle for fourth. As I write, the head sail is changed again to maximise the effect of the wind and charts are pored over to plan the next 48 hours.

In the galley, more serious challenges lay ahead; biscuits are running low and we are almost out of coffee. Skipper Ben Galloway jumped from his slumber last night and burst on deck with crazy eyes shouting, “Starboard….starboard!!!!!!!...” So his diet of sea water and mushrooms will have to stop. Our dinner last night of five-bean salad with additional beans may be a worrying sign of things to come. Indeed, the repercussions encountered on deck today are both disturbing and troubling, yet mildly entertaining.

After almost four weeks at sea, personal hygiene amongst the chaps has been given up as a bad job (on day three if the truth be known) yet the three girls, Tiina, Camilla (Mills) and Lisa continue to attempt at least some semblance of order. Indeed, Mills wears bad hair with a certain grace and style envied by the readers of Vogue and Vanity Fair. And Viz.

We expect to arrive in Salvador on Wednesday and shortly after Peter, Akmed, Chris (and me) will wave goodbye to Liverpool 08 as they leave for Durban. New leggers will be Alex, Richard, Kevin, Helen and Eleni and we look forward to meeting up with them.

I shall be briefly visiting Rio before returning home to Jan, Steph (say hello to Runshaw College), Dave, Andy and Antonella on 25 October and look forward to returning to Liverpool 08 in Jamaica for Leg 7. Hello also to Liz and Heinz in Braunschweig!!

Ian Tomo

1. jayne, wallasey 17 October 2007

Wednesdays here and by the time you have read this you should all be enjoying the glorious weather in Salvador. A big WELL DONE to you all on this leg of the race and a fond but sad farewell to all who are leaving (you are all champions) take care and continue to look after clipper nipper his mum jaynexxx

2. Sue Haslam, Chester 17 October 2007

CONGRATULATIONS LIVERPOOL 08 - you’ve done a marvellous job and we are all mighty proud of you - enjoy the beers!! (Mikey, hope there was a pint of milk for you on arrival) Love Sue, Chris and Hummer x

3. Roger Burgess, Centre of known universe i.e.Goostrey Cheshire 17 October 2007

Well done Chris. A splendid effort and another one to tick off. Swimming the Channel is the next! If one of the Little Britain team can do it so can you.
Best wishes
the Chinook Explorer team

4. Cut-Throat Jake, Costa Del London 17 October 2007

“Plundering Porpoises! Jumping jellyfish! Harrowing hurricanes!” Well done all of the Liverpool 08 crew you done a grand job on winning 4th position. You’ve had many people glued to the website and we’ve all enjoyed reading your blogs (thanks to Tomo, lets hope the new crew members joining you in Brazil keep the blogs up to your good standards!)

Hope you’ve now experienced the taste of that well deserved cold beer along with steak and chips all at the expense of your new member the blustered pirate Captain Pugwash. The round Captain is always known to be bold before the event, with a tendency to get into scrapes (and make a speedy exit forthwith) so hope he didn’t do a runner before he got the first round in!

Enjoy your break for a few days and wishing you all the best of luck for your next leg! Keep us all posted and we’d love to see more photos and maybe even some videos this time!

Big pat on the back to you all and keep up the good work!

5. jonpaul, HQ 18 October 2007

Well well well… Im still glued to the PC with the refresh button more than very warm (dont tell work!). Can only imagine how you guys must be feeling, which in itself feels strange. Wish I was there with you to celebrate 4th place. An incredible achievment guys given the problems you had along the way with the hair nets, dol diddums and frying fish. Not to mention running out of chocolate hob nobs and coffee! If your gonna run out of coffee or chocolate then I suppose Brazil aint a bad destination is it, its like a giant coffee an chocolate Netto there mon ami (aisle 3!).

Hows the leg and buttock Mr T? Forest was told they’re million dollar wounds, so be sure to collect your winnings before heading for the bright light in the East. Cant wait to see you and hear 1st hand them there edge of the world tales of seamonsters and mermaids “capn”!

Akmed do us proud at the orphanage mate! Reds are 4th too, unbeaten but not playin well (more draws than a raffle at a pensioners party). Man u top. Derby on Sat, Ill keep you posted mate.

Keep up the good work guys, go wash and I’ll see you all soon.

JP (shaggy)

6. Peter Liggett, Liverpool 18 October 2007

Dear crew - congrats on 4th place!
An excellent push from last spot not so long ago. The tactical decisions paid off.

Enjoy the Brasileiro hospitality - bom dia Salvador. A few Churrasco later and at least your protein levels will be well and truely topped up.

All those returning to the UK - we must get together and get your feedback. An informal debrief with crew waiting to head out will prove useful. Obviously you need to settle back in and meet your nearest and dearest first…

For the onward crew - good luck and best wishes Peter x

7. Liz Tomlinson, Braunschweig, Germany 18 October 2007

Well done everyone. You made it there in one piece. I presume.

Hope the entertainment on dry land was good enough to compete with the flying debris and bean-related flatulence of the open sea. Is it nice to be on dry land again?

Good luck to those off on the next leg..oh, and good luck to you too dad...mum’s got a list of jobs ready and waiting - the dishwasher broke and they can’t start the lawn-mower.

Love, Cake xxx

8. Laura Hawkins, S. Wales 18 October 2007

Well done Mills for surviving the first leg! Wish I was in Brazil with you to celebrate!
Good Luck for your next little adventure!

irish x

9. cal little, Merseyside 18 October 2007

Congratulations Liverpool 08 what a fantastic result - you should all be very proud of yourselves, enjoy Salvador, the food and the beers. a fond farewell to all who are leaving - what an experience! A very special HAPPY 19th BIRTHDAY to Will the clipper nipper on 19th Oct - hope you have a brilliant day, all take care, enjoy the rest while you can, looking forward to the next leg.

10. brian merrick, london 19 October 2007

Good luck everyone and especially to Kevin Kenny....enjoy!!!!!

11. Lisa Pover, 4th place in brazil baby.. 19 October 2007

thanks very much for all your comments gals and guys...me and akmed are sitting here for the first time on the net and as you can imagine we are bombarded with emails...so short and sweet but thanks for all your support...it gets us through the day
cheers everyone,
2 amigos out of 3 amigos isnt bad...your in our thoughts JP
love ya pov x

12. Will little, SALVADOR 20 October 2007

Hello From Will in Salvador!!! having a fantasticv time in salvador

thanks for all the coments guys! although we can’t read them on the boat they are very fun to read when we get into port like wer are now.

9 Months Left To Go!

13. michael, liverpool 21 October 2007

Lisa and Crew, you did so well so proud, watching all the time on the clipper web, go there and bring it home, take care.
Michael

14. Joan Bliss, London 18 January 2008

Hi, Lisa sounds like things are going really well and that you are enjoying yourself but also working hard. We are enjoying following your journey and i am so proud of you. Good luck girl keep it up.
Auntie Joan

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