Race 3 - Day 9
Crew Diary - Race 3 Day 9: Cape Town to Fremantle
09 November

Day 9.

We thought we may be a third of the way to Fremantle but still have 2800nm to go. Looks like it's going to closer to 4 weeks than 3. We had a bad day sailing yesterday with life back on an extreme angle and the cold beginning to bite. Both watches made some basic errors and took too much time with evolutions and broke the Vang (thing to to with mast? Important?). Despite this, we seemed to have moved up the fleet. Just see how we go when we get it all right!

We have experienced a lot of upwind sailing and are still waiting for the prevailing wind to sweep us on that much promised Southern Ocean sleigh ride. At the moment, it's a combination of roller coaster and washing machine. Both Hugh and Stefan are the nicest people you could meet, but get them on the helm and they are absolute beasts, driving at an extreme angle and crashing and banging off waves and causing much consternation down below decks for Jack Watch. All to do with the course apparently. At the moment not quite what the brochure offered and we are begin to wonder if we've been sold a pup. I am sure it will change. As always, Andy says be patient. It's still better than working but at times it's close!

Jonathan, Karen and I have had our first experiences of helming in the pitch black under the watchful eye of Simon and John. As a crew we're are all getting along fine although some of us were a little less enthusiastic yesterday. Even man mountain Jerome was noticing the cold. Still we are a good unit, we have broken things and mended them (or Ray has), caused problems and solved them (we've created, Andy has solved), worked out a new classification for Southern Ocean birds (small, medium, big and very big probably an Albatross: “the Pip classification”). We have time to laugh at flying fruit cans, falling over toasters, Johannes' Ostrich sleep hat (we all want one), Karen's morning deck shuffle for a fag and, at present, people are wandering around wearing a frog mask. We have been entertained by Iain's Pub Quizzes and subjected to Paul's playlist which has some very old “raves from the grave”. We are all getting along well and looking after each other with not a cross word spoken. We are a good team and will continue to push hard.

We had a Tim's Birthday on board and he kindly shared his birthday chocolate and fudge with the crew which added some variety to the sea biscuits. We made sure the boat was on right tack for him to get a good night's sleep (not really but he believed it).

I am on my first Mother Watch today and to add to my many new experiences in the last nine days, I can now add bread making. I have 3 loaves in the oven - many thanks to Tessa for guidance and encouragement but they still look more like concrete building blocks than bread. If its inedible then I am sure we can us them in boat repairs. Also attempted chocolate fudge brownie in an attempt to increase my lowly standing in the crew. The wind is moderating, making it much easier in the Galley.

Hello to all those at home, especially Jo, Sam, Harry and Emily,.Hope you are coping without me at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, got to go now and check the bread!

Nick Davies