Race 4 - Day 11
Crew Diary - Race 4 Day 11: Fremantle to Sydney
13 December
I joined Garmin in Fremantle for the Australian leg. After 4 days of boat and sail preparation, along with a much-needed refresher sail, practising safety drill and sail changes, we headed out into the Indian Ocean to start Race 4.
Having lived in Perth in the early 90s, it was great to be back in the dry warmth and bright sunlight of Western Australia. Friendly Aussie faces everywhere.
What I hadn’t prepared for aboard was the heat below deck. Beating into the wind, all but one deck hatch must be closed to avoid salt water ingress. Boy it was hot! Trying to kip in the middle of the day on my third off watch, a headache and then the green monster appeared. Salt spray cleaned the results quickly off deck.
I am on Starboard Watch, with an easy-going group of individuals. Jake from Slovenia is a maritime security officer and provides the muscles. Nell, our round the world medic, is kind and highly capable as a doctor and helm. Bill, out team coordinator is also hot on the wheel along with Mike, who is our accomplished bosun. Simone, Nick and Steph are all capable about the boat and good companions. Gerado (Lima, Peru) has the best play list, teaching Salsa to unsuspecting visitors in port. Skipper Gaetan keeps us on our toes when we let things slip and is a very experienced racing sailor, rigger and a monkey up the mast on the ocean.
Garmin can be hard to helm in heavy weather on Starboard tack. At times we have needed 3 helms on our 2 steering wheels to keep her from losing control and broaching. This has proved exhausting at times and Gaetan has had to help. Once we had crossed the Great Australian Bight and the winds had eased the helming pressures were off. What a relief!
Unfortunately, since we rounded the southern tip of Tasmania, we’ve been in a wind hole close to the Eastern Tasmania coast, helplessly watching other crews overtake us on their more easterly route. Very frustrating!!! We are trying to make up places, but having been in first position for a period early in the race it’s a little depressing, and we’re still struggling to find meaningful wind. Our arrival window for Sydney is slipping….
However, life on board is good. No one died when I had to cook for the day with Mick, so thank you to my lovely wife Louise and daughter Emily for teaching me the tiny bit I know about baking and cooking. As for washing up, I’m a pro. And you can eat dinner straight from the bilges. Spotless!
Everyone who watches Blue Planet wants to know about the wildlife you see on the Ocean.
Well, there has been an Orca (Killer Whale) and lots of Common Dolphins in the past couple of days. Albatrosses come and go, gliding on the uplift from the waves, hardly ever seeming to beat their wings as they cruise the oceans, despite their large size. Petrels and Shearwaters abound.
Bioluminescence, moon dance, the Milky Way, the Southern Cross and other constellations are our nocturnal companions. A fantastic sight with zero artificial light and no atmospheric pollution.
With less than 500nm to Sydney, our thoughts are turning to preparing for the next race, Sydney Hobart starting on Boxing Day. We are using the quieter conditions to begin to deep clean the boat and are looking forward to some R&R ashore with friends and family.
With love to Louise, Emily and Isobel, Dad and Sue. And thanks to all at work who have let me have the time off. Keep up the good work!
James Allison.