Race 5 - Day 11
Crew Diary - Race 5 Day 11
30 December

Season's Greetings from Under Down Under

Hello All! Race 5 from Fremantle to Newcastle is turning out to be a very interesting one. It has had lots of different sailing conditions - some close spinnaker racing then some heavy upwind weather. We went all the way south again close to the ice limit at 45 degrees. Surprisingly it was warm - very different to what we experienced on Race4. Then we also had a good run with our spinnakers. But most importantly this race was special because we celebrated Christmas on the boat. It started with us decorating the boat and playing Christmas music on the 24th. We had tinsel in the galley and crepe paper buntings in the galley and nav. I also put some above my bunk and attached a head torch to the ceiling with bright red and green flashing lights that Steven (from Legs 1,2 and 3) left behind. Then in the night, Santa filled all the crews’ stockings with sweets and treats. We had some amazing food - It started with roast ham with leek and potato mash for dinner on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day we had scrambled eggs with smoked salmon for breakfast. Christmas lunch was a real tree-at course meal: prawn salad for starters, turkey roast with all the trimmings for main and blueberries in lemon cream pudding. Christmas dinner was ham and turkey sandwich to finish off with a variety of cheeses and crackers and a Christmas cake. This must be the reason we have been racing so well since then. A happy and well-fed crew, we have been catching up and racing those in the front.

We had some big swell again rounding the waypoint off the southern rock of Tasmania. Seeing land for the first time in a while was amazing! Now we have to navigate the traditional windhole at the end of the race to the finish! The next time I’ll be on land it’ll be 2024!Happy New Year to all and a Happy Wedding Anniversary to my sister Supriya and brother-in-law Clint.