Crew Blog

Far better to travel than to arrive

13 March 2008

The celebrated Scottish author and renowned globetrotter Robert Louis Stevenson famously opined ‘that is it is far better to travel in expectation than it is to arrive.’ RLS should know as he apparently had a certain way with words and also put a few miles in as he chased down his American wife, Fanny across continents, and continually sought a suitable climate to ease his poor health. And as the Clipper fleet nudges ever closer to the next island stopover of Hawaii it would be churlish to deny Clipper crews any considerations of the awaiting creature comforts in Honolulu. This is surely what RLS meant when he offered his considered thoughts on any chosen transit between two points. Onboard New York Clipper powerful imaginations conjure up broad sweeping canvas’s to match each and every level of expectation. And I mean only the simpler things in life that have been all too absent since our departure from Chinese shores. Clean, dry clothes, a meal that does not contain noodles, rice or pasta, sleeping in a proper bed with proper sheets and a proper pillow plus the sheer unadulterated luxury of a hot shower and flushing WC. Don’t overlook or forget the potency of catching up with all the news from the outside world. Although we did get the recent 6 Nation scores one of which would have gladdened the Celtic heart of RLS. I doubt if he ever packed down in the front 5 or effortlessly sidestepped the opposition for a try in the corner but he could always recognise outstanding achievement. And sent then homeward. tae think again.

Crossing the date line and experiencing the loss of a day was ‘celebrated’ by a tot of rum (Coke) and a ships biscuit (Veronica’s cake).  Its still not altogether clear if this phenomenon actually moves us closer to or further from the finish line but the event was duly noted at the daily crew update & brief.

It doesn’t actually matter if the reality of Honolulu differs from the endless plans of meals and plush hotel rooms as the journey of the mind en route to the stopover is the panacea for cold, wet watches and all other privations. As dawn breaks on Day 18 and I relish the task of being ‘Mother’ for the next 24 hours I recognise precisely what RLS meant when he proffered his wise words. Pity he thought of them before me. There is one other, somewhat tenuous link with RLS. Not the one about his family who designed & built lighthouses to provide a safe passage for mariners, no not that one. It is that RLS in his own fashion journeyed Leg 5 in reverse, true, really. Remember I mentioned that he was chasing Fanny across America.? Well that was in the San Francisco area not so far from Santa Cruz.. And he finally ended his days on a Polynesian Island in the Pacific Ocean, the exact location escapes me but they too have probably beaten England at rugby, but not too far from the Clipper route for Leg 5. So in a thinly veiled attempt to associate the author of ‘Kidnapped’ with Clipper 07-08 on Leg 5 and weave a Scottish connection into this blog I will return to my travelling muses until we sight dry land once more.

Before I do sign off I feel compelled to reflect on the opening lyrics of the Regimental quick march of the Royal Marines. Until my recent retirement from Her Majesty’s finest this refrain created heady mental images of fun and larks at sea with ‘A life on the Ocean wave, a home on the rolling deep.’ Next time I hear the opening bars of this particular ditty I will make speedy adjustments to what these lyrics actually mean post Clipper. Would it be appropriate to include a modern day verse referring to stale sweat?

NB The photo selected for this blog avoids the almost obligatory snapshot choice of a grinning helmsman in wraparounds looking manly and heroic. Instead it illustrates the activity known, quite literally, as sweating. This is the unglamorous but important side of Ocean racing where grunt and groan are the order of the day. Whilst the helmsman poses for yet another pic these hapless crew members manually haul the sail of choice to the mast top in a lung bursting, eye popping explosion of brawn. It’s also the only photo I could find featuring me.

Ken aka Steve N