Crew Blog

Flying fish and foodie flights of fancy

07 October 2007

Less than 2,000 miles to go, we’ve slowly worked our way back to fifth place and are going well. If only we could stop breaking stuff! David has had his head almost continuously in the generator while the water maker, wind instruments and navigational equipment have all crashed more than once. At various times we’ve been completely without any wind instruments and navigating and giving our position via a hand held Garmin GPS. My contribution to keeping us going – I got to clear the blocked port head!

Conversation in the early hours has ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. 125 recipes for cooking Spam and who will we eat first if we run out of food have been recent topics covered at length. However, universally voted the best moment so far was several nights ago when we were accompanied for a whole watch by a school of dolphins. Dolphins have become fairly common, along with flying fish, but this time, in the moonlight they came in phosphorescent bursts, in numbers. Four at a time would come up from behind with trails like torpedoes, swoop down on the boat and play on the bow wave. This happened again and again and although we tried to catch it on camera, only those on deck will really know the magic of the moment.

Flying fish are now common both day and night. They fly for perhaps 100 metres but also importantly gain enough height to come on deck. Several of us have been hit by them. Paul last night was hit while helming and hopped around the flapping fish until brave Mikey dealt with the problem.

Two thousand miles of boat food has generated a desire for real food. Mother watch is currently like a sauna in the galley with all gas rings on. Full roast, steak and chips and fish and chips are frequently mentioned. Neil insists his last meal before being hanged (another early hours topic) would be couscous. I suspect, however, that Salvador, like Rotterdam, will find a steakhouse doing good business.

Peter Nuttall

1. brian Moore, uk 08 October 2007

Keep up the great work Liverpool. Nothing changes for David then, always with his head in some bit of machinery. Keep Paul away from the flying fish, he needs to be available for the scones!!
Good luck Brian

2. Toni Nuttall, Cumbria 08 October 2007

Oh Pete! Who would have thought that all those years of mending the head on ‘Liquid Assett’ would prove to be so useful? The dolphins sound wonderful - not so good the flying fish, unless they are worth cooking. Wishing you all good speed to Salvador to enjoy the steak and chips. Good luck and love, Toni

3. Helen & Rob Barlow, Whitehaven 08 October 2007

For Pete Nuttall & crew:
Fantastic to watch you claw back to 5th position, never give up the race. We are enjoying reading the blog daily & hope that food at the end is close to the dream on the journey! Keep practising the Portugese for ‘large steak & chips, please’ plus ‘ a pint of best beer’. We look forward to hearing that you made it to dry land, & hope that the next couple of nights are free of ‘port head’ drama!
The dolphins have followed you from the coast of West Cumbria - God Speed, Helen & Rob

4. chrisbailey, Liverpool 08 October 2007

Ian (Tomo),
What are you doing mate?....Get blowing on those b..... sails and get to the head of the fleet!! Seriously though-hope you are really enjoying this first leg and you come back and teach me all you have learnt. Have resigned from my job..........seriously! Lets go sailing together again when we can, Liverpool locks permitting!
Biggles

5. cal little, Merseyside 08 October 2007

Well done Liverpool, brilliant news back in 5th position keep up the good work, dolphins sound absolutely fantastic - what a view to behold - enjoying reading the blog and keeping track of your progress, love, luck and speed to you all, thinking of you Will - very proud xxx

6. Sue Haslam, Chester 09 October 2007

You are all doing a great job guys, keep it up - we are all watching your progress and cheering you on to pass H & H very soon! I’m getting the new Salvador crew to check out the steak houses and watering holes for you so you won’t have to waste any time after tying up. Wishing you fair winds and no doldrums. Sue x

7. Mik Chappell, Bassenthwaite SC 09 October 2007

Keep up the good work Liverpool 08. All at Bass are rooting for you. Suggest that Peter makes certain that you don’t run out of food ‘cause, being one of the larger crew members, he must be high on the list as a substitute for steak & chips!

Mik.

8. chris Pover, liverpool 09 October 2007

keep driving forward Liverpool 08 you’re slowly gaining on the teams in front, keep chipping away. Tortoise and the hare & all that. With a week to go still a lot play for!
Take care & happy cooking.

Chris P

9. Emily, Port Wardington 10 October 2007

I didn’t ever think I would be addicted to the website, its excellent! More importantly if you beat Hull & Humber, Steak & Chips are on Alex!!!! Well done guys keep up the fabulous work.

10. Meri Hummel, Joensuu, Finland 10 October 2007

Birthday boy Toby says HI! to Auntie Tiina. He is now 100,5 cm tall and weighs 16,7 kg.
Good to see you guys in fourth place again, hope you have strong winds and fun time all the way to Salvador.
Take care! *HUGS* Meri, Jeremy & Tobias

11. Sean O'Kane, Baku 11 October 2007

Just a quick hello to Russ - very best wishes from the O’Kanes. Sounds like your cooking’s great!! Cliffy arrives in (still) sunny Baku at the end of the month for a week of Caspian adventure followed by Max and Frosty in late November in time for a quick jaunt down to Dubai for the 7’s.
and as for England.....Bring on the Garlic muchers on Saturday!! Suspect you’ll get an update via World Service. Shame about the Welsh losing to those Giants of World Rugby - Fiji....when the going gets tough........
Yak-ee-daa
Sean

12. Alanah Gauld, Somerset, England 11 October 2007

Well done liverpool! I have been keeping track of your progress, and in forth at the moment, which my dad is very pleased about. He can’t wait to come and join you lot in south africa!
Good luck, and keep up the hard work, not too long to go before dry land now!

Alannah
xx

13. Paul Fitz, Liverpool 11 October 2007

It has been a vicarious thrill to journey across the Atlantic with you whilst remaining here on the quiet shore. Knowing that each of you has seized the day reminds me of the thoughts expressed so eloquently by Tennyson in his poem “Ulysses” .

“How dull”, he laments,"it is to pause,to make an end,to rust unburnished,not to shine in use!As tho to breathe were life”.I think he would approve of your efforts.

Indeed it strikes me reading further into the poem that he might well have wanted to be onboard with you; “for my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset and the baths of all the western stars” he declares. His job might have been to inspire weary hearts reminding all that “that which we are,we are -one equal temper of heroic hearts made weak by time and fate but strong in will to strive,to seek,to find and not to yield.”

I think his words remain unburnished 174 years after he wrote them.I wish you all (especially you Lisa) a safe and memorable conclusion to the race and sign off with Alfred again ; “ I am a part of all that I have met;yet all experience is an arch wherethrough gleams that untravelled world whose margin fades forever and forever as I move”.

14. jayne, wallasey 11 October 2007

Hi Liverpool 08 YO OH HO and a bottle of rum only 1000mls to go and you will be enjoying the wonderfull shores of Brazil sea sun and oh rum cocktails. Keep up the good work and aim to catch up to a podium position and before 19th (sure William will let you know why) love his mum xxx

15. Angela, 11 October 2007

Neil eating couscous out of choice - I think not! Give the man the biggest steak you can find in Salvador and tell him his restaurant loving groupies are missing him.
Angela and San

16. Peter Day, Liverpool 11 October 2007

FOR LIVERPOOL 08

Hi guys, what a superb job you’re all doing, now in 4th and gaining. Fantastic job done by all. I’d love to see those dolphins I’ve been reading about. By the looks of things on the race tracker I would say you stand a very good chance of advancing on your current position and I’d bet on it that you’ll gain at least another place or more over the next 72 hours. My thoughts are with you all and I, like everyone else continue to wish you all well.

Lisa, I am still looking for a job but I haven’t given up and won’t til I get one. I wished I was there with you all taking more photos for you but hey, that’s life I guess. Port shots will have to do but hopefully Cork can be added along side the Liverpool shots. I’d love to be in New York but I don’t think I’ll be able to make that one.

I am keeping a very close watch on the race’s progress and in particular yours. I can also get a small idea of the weather by visiting Marine weather websites so I get to see water and air temperature in the area you are in and wave heights so I can kinda see what it is like for you although there’s nout like the experience of it, after all, there’s nothing like the real thing eh. Good luck everyone and I wish you all the best. Hope the winds continue in your favour and safe sailing. Until my next posting, take care and keep smiling.

Sincere wishes to you all,

Peter.

17. kim dixon, liverpool 12 October 2007

C,mon Liverpool lets av em !! doing great guys keep it up. miss you loads lisa so does lily xx

18. Maria Blake, Liverpool 12 October 2007

Glad you’ve moved up to 5th position- keep gaining on them. Lots of love from Mr Haslem’s class- year 6 St. Paul’s ,West Derby, Liverpool.

19. Peter Liggett, Liverpool 12 October 2007

I like the plan - open sea vs hugging the coast. Like Durban, sometimes you have to take the lead ...
Below is a snippet from the Yami website (islanders off Taiwan). It looks like you should follow your instincts on the food front too. I’ll check if Jamie or Nigela have an appropriate recipe.

“The most important Yami cultural hero is the king of flying fish (flying fish are the most important source of animal protein)”

Keep your spirits up - don’t forget ‘Heart as big as the city ...’

Cheers, Peter

20. Betty Crane, Preston 12 October 2007

Hi Peter,

We are keeping up with your progress and enjoying the web site.
Looking forward to many photos and a great deal of news. all good wishes to you all
Betty & Bob

21. Helen Jones, Cardiff 12 October 2007

Looks like you prefer the open sea - interesting tactics! I’m sure you’re lulling the others into a false sense of security. C’mon Liverpool keep up the good work. Thinking of you Tiina.

Love Helen, Chris & bump xx

22. Aimo Mustonen, Joensuu 13 October 2007

Clever tactics.Keep going.Good chances to take the third position.Tiina, your confirmed reservation in Tropical da Bahia starts from 18 .10. Enjoy the rest of the leg all of you !
Ami & Auli

23. Irmeli Loukkaanhuhta, Kesalahti, Finland 13 October 2007

The Finnish october; rainy, cold days; and your messages are full of sun and easy life, except
some tiny difficulties...Enjoy! In our minds you all are heroes already. Here in the eastern part of Finland Liverpool has got many new friends, thanks to Tiina! Best luck to all the crew, keep going! Hugs from Auntie Imppu and Vesku

24. Keith Chisholm, Key West 13 October 2007

Pete,
You really should have paid attention at Castlefield Junction since you swore you didn’t do toilets (posh word for head/netties).
M&K;

25. Sue Haslam, Chester 13 October 2007

Congratulations at crossing the Equator! Hope you are celebrating and having fun. Great tactics. Hoping to see you in fourth tomorrow and then ..... who knows? You are doing great Liverpool, keep it up! Sue x

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