Crew Blog

Pre-race jitters

25 May 2008

With a serious case of pre-match nerves in the hot Jamaican sun I climbed aboard the BBB as we prepared to depart from Jamaica.
Port Antonio had been a welcoming town with beautiful white sand beaches, turquoise and sapphire seas and friendly locals. A Clipper community of leggers and family of crew was well established.
Was the dream going to last? Would the RTWs be sick of new leggers with dubious sailing skills?
A sudden pace change and I was being handed my kit, my picture was being taken and before I knew it we were slipping off the berth at Jamaica. Cheers, clapping and several chants of Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy started by John-boy and enthusiastically taken up us, those waving on the land, on the fishing boats seeing us off and the people stood at the lighthouse.
The coastguard boat the Cornwall led us in formation as the helicopter hovered ahead capturing the moment.
Suddenly we were in race mode and the sailing bit became real for the first time. With 5 minutes to go I was on the staysail winch practicing the tacks, bearing away and gybes with round-the-worlder Judy coaching my sail trim and reminding me to pay attention, then bang…
We were off, making a great start towards the windward mark. ‘I think this is gunna’ be the new winning era for WA’ pipes up scouse Pete.
Then a riding turn puts us on a spinning tack at the mark leaving us behind the fleet and the excitement turns to anxiety.
Luckily experienced crew members leap into action and we’re soon in pursuit of the others feeling sure we can catch them. But surprise, surprise, the curse of light winds strike again, and we now motor towards Cuba for a les mans start as the ominous crackle of a thunder storm heads our way.

Keely Lead