Race 9 - Day 25
Crew Diary - Race 9 Day 25: Qingdao to Seattle
17 April

This has been human endeavour like no other.

I'm not a work shy individual and I have constantly pushed my own boundaries through life. Taking on a big challenge each year is a given, and it has seen me complete events such as the New York Marathon, cycle the length of GREAT Britain (twice) and do a stage of the Tour de France. These experiences have always brought hardship, physical pain and sometimes what felt like mental torture. But, it's how I've learnt, developed and ultimately gained a sense of achievement, and through rose tinted glasses you always look back having enjoyed yourself.

This leg in particular has pushed the physical and emotional boundaries beyond what I thought were possible. It's not uncommon to hear comments such as “I hate my life right now”. These are all said in jest but there is an element of unsaid truth that bonds the crew together as we take some comfort in the fact that everyone else is feeling the same. The wet, cold, hunger and tiredness really does take its toll after 26 days. You have to use every inch of resolve you have to pull yourself out of your damp sleeping bag, put on your wet, cold layers of clothes and then finally rugby tackle your way into your dry suit. You feel you've done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson before you get on deck. As the watch progresses you feel the icy cold temperatures start to grip you. It starts with the hands and feet and then slowly seeps into your bones. Add in the constant drenching of freezing cold waves coming over the side of the boat and you start to feel like you've done something very wrong in a former life that deserves severe punishment. By the end of the watch, if you're not on the brink of some sort of emotional meltdown, you feel sick from the cold and you've lost all ability to feel any part of your body. Clambering back into your bunk seems your only way to survive.

Keeping spirits high is critical. The mothers have turned out some awesome baking recently which has put the biggest smile I've even seen on Dave's face. He gives us a running commentary when we're on deck on how things are progressing in the galley. The sheer excitement when Sam put a glaze on the hot cross buns nearly tipped him over the edge. Conversations about dry land have now been permitted on board, and we have jokingly been testing how much people have left in the tanks. £500 in exchange for one extra hour on deck was refused by Charlie G yesterday, and Dave said he wouldn't turn around and head back to Qingdao for all the money in the world. I think it's fair to say we are nearly done!

However, the magnitude and power of the forces of nature we have witnessed on this leg will stay with us for ever. The imagery will be imprinted in our memories and the overwhelming emotions will brim up inside us for years to come. The North Pacific has been without doubt truly epic, and once the need for sleep, hot showers and food has subsided the rose tinted glasses will show us this has been one of the most remarkable things we will ever do in our lives. Sir Robin sent our skippers a note recently thanking them for their efforts through the challenging conditions. He said, “You have just witnessed just how awesome the oceans can be and how dangerous”, and continues with “Whether you were frightened or awed, perhaps both, it is something you will remember for the rest of your lives and know you faced it and succeeded.” I couldn't agree more.

Lots of love to everyone back home.

Smiling as always,

Jenny xxx