Race 13 - Day 5
Crew Diary - Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland to Den Helder, Netherlands
22 July
Greetings from the good ship IchorCoal. The sun is shining, the kite is flying and we are heading directly for Den Helder - life is good! Yesterday was extra special for me as I celebrated my birthday on board and was thoroughly spoiled all day from start to finish with treats galore. Not many people can say they had their birthday in the middle of the North Sea and my crew made sure that this will certainly be a birthday to remember. It's not often you wake up three times on your birthday so it seemed to be never-ending!
My first treat was when I came on watch at 0200: hot chocolate with marshmallows! There were several cries of jealousy as the mug was passed along the high side until it reached me and I think my smile showed how pleased I was for the extra special touch to my hot chocolate. I enjoyed sipping it as we sailed past several oil rig platforms lit up like Christmas trees - quite a sight, especially when the sun started to rise and the sky turned pink & orange.
We came off watch just before the rain started (another treat!) and were rewarded with not one, but TWO bacon sandwiches! Thanks Kat! After breakfast, I opened my cards from my family, some of which I've been carrying since New York and a parcel from my Dad which was waiting for me in Derry where I managed to resist the temptation to open it! They all brought a smile to my face - thank you. And Kirsty - I was lucky enough not to be on Mother (perks of being responsible for the rotas!) however I wasn't allowed any extra time in bed!
Lunch was beef tacos with homemade guacamole and salad followed by the piece de resistance: freshly baked cappuccino & chocolate cake iced with Nutella and chocolate buttons! Chocoholic heaven! Expertly baked by Kate and decorated by Soph - thank you! At our midday meeting, I was given a card from the crew filled with thoughtful messages & kind words and a lovely notebook for me to continue my journal writing. Our afternoon watch was quite busy with tacks, staysail up & down several times - anything to keep the boat moving. Conditions & speeds were variable - it was flat (perfect for eating cake & drinking tea!) and tippy (more exciting when the boat is moving faster) in the same afternoon and we even experienced thunder & lightning right overhead.
Dinner was a delicious curry cooked by Adrian followed by frozen berries covered in melted white chocolate sauce! Another treat to finish a day filled to the brim. Safe to say I went to bed happy & very full!
Speaking of food, I need to go and prepare lunch for the hungry mob. We are in for another treat today: bacon & brie ciabattas with cranberry sauce!
Love & thanks to my Clipper Race family as well as my family back home for making this a birthday I will never forget.
Love IchorCoal
By Tatty x