Race 2 - Day 2
Crew Diary - Race 2, day 2
17 September

Good morning all crew supporters from a very hot and sticky yacht; the sun is beating down on us and it is hot and sticky down below deck.

It has been 24 hours since we stopped being landlubbers and became ocean racers once again and we were ready for it, or at least I was, we needed to work together as a team again, whereas in the marina we were scattered around the boat, hotels and B&Bs.

We have started in a positive way with our sailing and in a good tactical position but the weather is changing and we are fighting hard to make as much use of what little wind there is to keep moving forward. I was amazed how close we were sailing around the marks at the sight line but once free in the ocean we split into different passages depending upon each skippers interpretation of the current and anticipated wind patterns. We are confident we have chosen the correct path and will do well but we have many miles to go yet.

We also welcome Dani on board who is a professional photographer working for Clipper and is responsible for taking pictures of us in action onboard, so hopefully you should get pictures of us on the website soon.

Mother Watch is a very important job on the boat and Nick W and I are jointly responsible for feeding and hydrating the crew over the next 24 hours; 22 crew 3 times a day. Lunch today was cheese, pickles and ham baguettes with mushroom soup and supper was burgers, beans and potato wedges, empty plates were returned so job done.

The wind has died completely and we went from Code 2 to the windseeker and back again but it was difficult to keep the sails filled. It is very warm on board and we are all taking a sweat shower every minute of the day - we must smell off.

Dehydration is a big problem on board and we need to keep a check on our urine colour so we are always encouraged to drink far more than we think we should. We cannot complain about the heat as we have far worse to come in out adventure towards the equator and the doldrums. If only we could show you all how hot it is.

Compared to previous days, it is a quiet sailing day today so not a lot to report. All I can say is that we are all working well as a team, enjoying ourselves as well sailing well, we are settling into our roles onboard and getting to know our new accommodation well. It amazes me how many of us are on board in such a small space and yet we do not seem to be getting in the way of each other, an amazing group of people.

We all have a long way to go but we will keep you informed daily wherever possible, thanks for your support.