Race 1 - Day 28
Crew Diary - London, UK to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
28 September

Shellback making and other stories…

Another amazing day on the ocean, which today brought ceremonies and many visual delights, including the unforgettable image of Mik Crawley (Leg 1 and 2) Shellback making and other stories…

Another amazing day on the ocean, which today brought ceremonies and many visual delights, including the unforgettable image of Mik in a purple knee length tunic, with long flowing grey locks (yes, a wig) as King Neptune.

But first, a morning of beautiful sailing, with a very balanced boat to helm (great trimming guys) and steady winds giving us a good 11 nautical miles an hour average. In fact, today has been the day when we pass from four figures worth of miles to go to Rio, to three figures… ie. Less than 1000, which feels pretty significant considering how far we have come.

Our Happy Hour meeting spontaneously became a time for honesty and sharing.

We are aware that our unique shared experience makes us the best people to support each other, and while it has created a unique bond as well, it doesn't mean we don't have to work at being a successful team - and today was one of those days. As is often the case, a problem shared is a problem halved with the process being cathartic for many, and in this 70' floating home, we really need to keep sharing as there isn't anywhere to run or hide.

This led seamlessly into King Neptune's appearance, and our dedication to make Andy Murden (Round the world) a Shellback. As many of you will know, our actual Equator crossing was a couple of days ago, but this today was the ceremony - formalities and informalities rolled into one.

So for Andy, we wrote our messages to him, many of which people read and shared out loud, then collected them all up in a jar for the Skip Darren to ceremoniously puncture (so it sinks), and launch it overboard. Sophie Crocker (Les 1,2,3,7 and 8) had also made a beautiful wreath of mainly purple flowers, especially for the occasion. Thus Andy became a Shellback, as he should be.

Then followed our dedications (or declarations?) of our own…which mostly involved scissors, hair trimmers and permanent markers. So several of the boys are sporting 'half and half' (half shaved head, half shaved beard), there are several attempts at shaving in symbols or lettering- these with mixed results - and several locks of hair removed and thrown overboard. Of particular note, our favourite cowboy Rick Shellback making and other stories..

Another amazing day on the ocean, which today brought ceremonies and many visual delights, including the unforgettable image of Mik in a purple knee length tunic, with long flowing grey locks (yes, a wig) as King Neptune.

But first, a morning of beautiful sailing, with a very balanced boat to helm (great trimming guys:)) and steady winds giving us a good 11 miles an hour average. Infact, today has been the day when we pass from 4 figures worth of miles to go to Rio, to 3 figures.. ie. less than 1000, which feels pretty significant considering how far we have come.

Our Happy Hour meeting spontaneously became a time for honesty and sharing.

We are aware that our unique shared experience makes us the best people to support each other, and while it has created a unique bond as well, it doesn't mean we don't have to work at being a successful team - and today was one of those days. As is often the case, a problem shared is a problem halved with the process being cathartic for many, and in this 70' floating home, we really need to keep sharing as there isn't anywhere to run or hide.

This led seemlessly into King Neptune's appearance, and our dedication to make Andy a Shellback. As many of you will know, our actual Equator crossing was a couple of days ago, but this today was the ceremony - formalities and informalities rolled into one.

So for Andy, we wrote our messages to him, many of which people read and shared out loud, then collected them all up in a jar for the Skip to ceremoniously puncture (so it sinks), and launch it overboard. Sophie had also made a beautiful wreath of mainly purple flowers, especially for the occasion. Thus Andy became a Shellback, as he should be.

Then followed our dedications (or declarations?) of our own...which mostly involved scissors, hair trimmers and permanent markers. So several of the boys are sporting 'half and half' (half shaved head, half shaved beard), there are several attempts at shaving in symbols or lettering- these with mixed results - and several locks of hair removed and thrown overboard. Of particular note, our favourite cowboy Rick Schwab (Round the world) has shaved his moustache off for the first time since 1974 - and looks awesome for it the silver fox!

It also seems that Emma Sinclair (Leg 1 to 4) has a budding second career as a tattoo artist, judging by her varied and highly successful artistry with a permanent marker, a range of anchors now being sported by many across the boat, including me.

All this fun and frivolity did mean a rather shorter sleep for our watch, closer to 2 hours rather than 5.5 hours, but tonight helming under a full moon in easy seas and comfortable temperatures has been a great reward- headtorches not required… So now it would really be time for some sleeping, were it not for the fact that tonight is the rare event of a lunar eclipse - and we happen to have some of the best seats (or deck space) being in the middle of the Atlantic, undisturbed by any orange glow or lights, and with just a few fast moving clouds for company along with the blanket of stars. So our watch pretty much all stayed on deck when the other watch commenced their shift, and shortly after 2200 (Boat Standard Time) the full moon definitely seemed to have acquired a small straight edge. Over the next hour or so, the shadowed section increased, though strangely the circumference could still just be made out. The binoculars came out and got passed around this gaggle of prone bodies lying around the deck - the best viewing angle to better appreciate the craters of the moon with the bino's and the surface changes in greater detail.

Finally at almost 2330 the moon glowed a strange dark orange, while the Earth obstructed the line to the sun - explaining why this can be called a 'blood moon'.

An incredible and rare event to have witnessed, particularly in such clarity - and another awe-inspiring and unexpected treat from Mother Nature on this amazing journey of ours.

I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but I'm sure it will be another amazing day.

Love IchorCoal

Written by Sarah Young