Race 5 - Day 15
Crew Diary - Race 4, Day 15
02 December

Were it not for the fact that I am typing on the media computer, which has the date time in the bottom right hand corner, I would have no idea what the date is, let alone the day. Such is life at sea on a Clipper Race yacht. But I’m sure that anyone who may be reading this is familiar with that, as with over 50 sail days on the first two legs, and eleven boats, you have had a choice of over 500 blogs to read since Race Start, with each one giving you its own slant on life on a Clipper Race boat. Rather than add to that list, I have decided to write about people.

Unfortunately, we are two people short on our boat for this race. They were both on the previous race, which proved to be quite attritional, and what initially started as minor injuries turned into the kind that the Clipper Race official doctors decided it would be best for their health not to continue on this race. For the two people in question, it was obviously disappointing, but for myself and the team it was also a huge loss. I had sailed with both on my Level 4 Training, I enjoyed their company both on and off the boat, and was looking forward to sailing with them again. But not only that, they are both now experienced members of the team, and the knowledge they have to pass down to new leggers like me is priceless. In true team spirit, even though they are unable to partake in this particular race, they left their dry suits on board for use by the likes of us who don’t have them. Well, I can tell you, Ronald and Chris, they are getting plenty of use already and are very much appreciated. Thanks very much, chaps, we wish you both a speedy recovery and hope to see you back on board GoToBermuda soon, or in a bar somewhere else.

Another person who I have met on my Clipper Race journey is Duncan, the person was quite seriously injured on Zhuhai on Race 2. Anyone who has met him along the way in training will know that he has some fantastic stories from a very varied and interesting career, and adventure and challenge seem to run in his veins. It was sad to hear of his misfortune on the race, but I was able to catch up with him in Cape Town and see that with his determination and the support of his family he should recover to continue to have adventures for many years to come. I hope you got back home safely Duncan, and are now enjoying some r&r in a lovely Eastern Cape climate, which is far from what I am enjoying here on GoToBermuda!!

As for the sailing, well it’s cold and wet but what did you expect!?

Cheerio