Race 2 - Pre-race
Crew Diary - Race 2 Pre-Race
14 September
After under a week on dry land just as the ground has stopped moving we are mentally and emotionally preparing for the journey ahead, probably the biggest challenge we have ever faced, the south Atlantic crossing to south America - what stories we are going to be able to tell.
Doubts, concerns, fears and excitement are beginning to show amongst all of us without exception and that is good amongst this family of 23 people, who only two weeks ago were probably total strangers, you could make a reality TV drama about it. Each one of us has a story to tell but the outcome amongst us is the same, we will have faced the ‘Race of our Lives’.
Last night, on board, was a different sort of challenge for those old enough to remember it was like during the miners strike, we had no power on board as the electrician was still sorting out the battery problems and we had two new batteries in the sleeping tunnel, as we call it waiting to be installed, so we had head torches to make our way around below.
I personally had a bad night sleep for no known reason, but woke up early and went for a shower, only one more shower left until south America, my poor skin.
A few of us decided last night to start work on making the yacht look tidy as we felt compared to other boats, it wasn’t up to scratch and we were embarrassed, so, at 0800 we started to take the sheets, (ropes) down into the sail locker, followed by the sails - things looked better.
Nick also started to work on the pulpit, the cage at the front of the boat, as it was damaged on the way down from London, and it would help the maintenance team who were stretched with work so close to the start. We had our 1000 crew member briefing and a lot of the jobs had already been completed or were in process. After the meeting we all deflated our life jackets and repacked them, this is a job we do at every stopover and we are responsible for checking, inflating and repacking our life jackets and they stay with us for the duration of our race, in my case, around the world.
The other job was to re-thread the Spinnaker halyard up the mast and Sam was winched up on the coffee grinder and the new rope pulled up to him and on completion about 30 minutes later and after a cup of tea, he whipped on a new snap shackle, a job well done.
Saltwater was washed over the ropes by the jamming cleats three or four times to remove the wax coating that is preventing a secure jam in the cleats.
The pulpit was removed and the new one rested in place waiting for the professional team. Mike and David stared threading wheels onto the handrail at the bow of the boat to help the sails to be pulled in easily over the stations, this will be a great benefit in rough seas when we bring the sails down. The maintenance team are returning early tomorrow to finish the job before we sail.
After a quick lunch we then all headed off to a hotel for our crew briefing with regard to the next race detailing the departure times, the route down and across the equator, an appointment with Neptune and the doldrums, the intense heat and no wind and then into Punta del Este. We were told we have all been cleared customs so we are free to leave the EU and into the journey across the Atlantic Ocean - our first ocean crossing.
Back on board, we had the compulsory safety briefing above and below deck and we signed to say we understood it, this happens on every leg and the Clipper Race is very thorough on safety.
The evening was spent with many people phoning family and other loved ones as we will probably be too busy tomorrow preparing for what could be the first of many challenges yet to come in our lives and certainly on the boat. As the publicity says the ‘Race of your Life’. However, we are here as a team and we will face it together as one team, as one special family.
Good night to all our crew supporters, I wish we could thank you all personally.