Race 12 - Day 9
Crew Diary - ​Getting Clipped Part 3
12 June

Shelter Bay was reached through Locks

an Inland squall and ‘Pox’ through Crocs
Covid testing tests the mood
As does waiting for our food
Dockside drinkies while we wait
For Qingdao to arrive …in late
And at last the fleets all here
And for most the tests are clear
To the start line we proceed
To upwind sail
On ‘Dare to Lead’

Oh no what’s this the wind has gone
Same old story, somethings wrong
The forecast don’t look good for long
Can we turn the engine on??
‘This is sailing’ comes the cry
as Flotsam gently passes by
Faster than the boat it seems-
but what about the winning teams?
We’re all in the same ‘boat’ indeed
Going nowhere ..on ‘Dare to lead’

The wind is up we’re on our way
The kite is up the front fore stay
Then down again and up once more
The only way that we can score
More points and places in the race
And keep a better average pace
But quarantine is now of need
We’re one ‘man down’.. on Dare to Lead’

Strict enforcement saves the day
And Tigger ,(Aka Al Jay )
is fit and healthy once again
to lift the pace -‘The headless hen’
Through the ocean sprint we float
Still not much wind to push the boat
We squeeze out every single knot
And marvel at the skill we’ve got.
Trimming through the midday heat
Ease the halyard, wind the sheet
It’s kinda works we’ve built some speed
We’re doing ok… on ‘Dare to Lead’

Just one day left -it’s ground hog day
The wind has dropped, it’s gone away
We’re so close to the finish line
Will we make it there on time?
Entry tests and catching flights
Now even I’m a fan of ‘kites’..

Bermuda beacons the leg is done
(The teams will start another one )
What a cracking crew they’ve been
And shown there is no ‘I’ in team
I will be sad to leave it’s true
But my time at sea is through..
the laughs, the bars -the sailing too
I’ve learnt what I’m supposed to do
To keep the boat track fast and straight
And help us to the finish gate

Bermuda offers rum and coke
Lots of laughs with rubbish jokes
Turn the boat round, once again
say ‘Au revoir’ to great new friends
New crew join and old ones leave
The race goes on- on ‘Dare to Lead’

Rob - leg 7