Race 4 - Day 11
Crew Diary - Race 4 Day 11: Fremantle to Sydney
13 December

Diaries of a Clipper Crew Part 1– by Luise Birgelen and Krishna Patel

Jeremy:

“Today was finally the day. I was asked to select the music for the next bit of the watch. I selected my favorite kind: no music for thirty minutes. The awkward silence that followed for two hours was even better than I anticipated. I hope to repeat this soon.”

“Note to self and rest of crew: eating winegums behind the helming station is not good for your health and gives you headache. Or at least – I think it does.” [scratches head]

Krishna:

“So far this time we've been on a tack (slant), which means we roll into bed and don't fall out. That night, it all changed. The boat flipped and remained on the wrong side. I sleep with a hand and a foot in a cubby hole with my face against the wall, terrified of falling out. My top bunk buddy and I spent almost thirty minutes trying to swap the beds around at 2am. Not the best time of day to do that kind of s***. I was then able to take part in the new edition of bedroom olympics. My foot on the floor, then the opposite wall, shimmy up, grab a cubby, launch myself in and cling on for dear life – hoping that enough of the rest of me has made it, not to slip back down. It sometimes takes a few tries. Almost like a whale doing the travelator in gladiators...I never make it to the top. I personally think we go faster on the other tack, but I think that's just me.”

Jon Milne:

“Dear Diary, don't put the sachet into the freeze-dried ration pack. Do not put it in. Don't do it! It might look like a spice pack, but it's playing tricks on you. Don't. Put. it. in. Nish Nish.”

Claire:

“Dear Diary, it's still gone. My beautiful phone. It's been two days. Why would someone take it? I thought I could trust them. What were they going to do with it? Has someone thrown it in a bilge? Why would you throw it in a bilge? It's wet in there. Phone wouldn't survive. I keep asking everyone, but no one is changing their answer. I think they rehearsed it. Liars. LIARS!

…

Dear Diary, never mind. I found it. [incoherent scribble] ...inmybag”

Hannah:

“Today I don't feel like doing aaanything. I just wanna lay in my bed. Don't feel like picking up the phone, so leave a message at the tone….

Just kidding, dear diary, I did all of the things today. Everything. I was also 47 minutes early for watch.”

Laura:

“This boat is ridiculous. I mean, everyone on here is nice and all, and the sailing has been good fun. But everything moves. ALL the time. And people keep asking me to fetch things. I went down to change my socks. They had moved. Finally climbed back up the obstacle course that we call a hallway. Then people on deck asked for things from down below. Sunglasses, water, fried chicken, a flamingo. I try to figure out ways to ignore most of it. So far, I've got 'working in the nav'. My navigation skills have improved considerably, but people are still asking me to do stuff. Stay tuned”

Phil THE Gunn:

“At the helm again. Like I was the last watch. And the watch before that. Driving the boat, just driving away. I'm starting to miss her. Sometimes I hear her soft humming in the background, chugging away. Someone's turned her on. It sounds like she needs some oil. I'll go check on her later. Finally when I see her, the generator, I feel whole again.”

Tessa:

“Dear Diary, just when I thought I was done with sail repair, we whipped out all three spinnakers in a day. That's THREE. TRES. DREI. TROIS. TRE. Same as the number of children I have. Or the days left until Sydney, maybe. But you know what? Challenge accepted. This was my Everest. I sat there patiently, for 12 hours, with my minions, sewing popper after popper after popper after popper onto the sail. Good thing I had many minions, they usually don't last long. Lack of skill or boredom got the best of them.”

Luise 'TC' Birgelen:

“Dear Diary, it finally happened. I am the best, I am the chosen one. I have been waiting for this day since I stepped on the boat. I had Excel, highlighters and a laminator at the ready, when Andy finally asked the question I've been waiting for. Will you be my...and I passed out.

When I finally came to, I was buried in stopover schedules, crew RSVPs, ridiculous questions, and more organizational chaos. No one should be expected to live like this. I give up.”

Disclaimer: The above is largely fictional. Any resemblance to real life events is purely coincidental.