Race 1 - Day 4
Crew Diary - Race 1 Day 4
06 September

Hello hello all from the Mothership that is Qingdao,

Today, your race blog update comes from Donna. We are sailing at speed towards the first Score Gate, and after grinding and easing our way for hours we have just half an hour to go. Everyone onboard has really pulled together through some very trying moments, with the majority of the team feeling seasick and beaten by the conditions of the first three days of the race. On board, I am the medical assistant and on Thursday, I started putting my skills into action, as when I was on Deck Watch at 1.30ama crew member below deck called for the medic. One of the sleeping crew got jettisoned out of bed during a tack and suffered facial injuries as the wall across from his bunk abruptly stopped him. The importance of setting the bunk position and tightening up the Leigh Cloth (a long piece of material that holds you in bed) is so important in these conditions. After close monitoring and some wound repair he has been taken off all duties.

One of the highlights this morning was when Keith the crusher, hand made the most amazing sultana scones and presented them on deck with a healthy dollop of jam and cream. I'm so glad my seasickness had completely passed and I could enjoy it.

Now on a more personal note,I’ve never considered myself as a super agile person but I have discovered that I can climb up walls, do the splits and sleep like a spider with arms and legs bracing against anything they can reach to keep me securely in bed. A trip to the Heads can be one of the most challenging activities, I'm sure my strength and fitness has increased by just this alone.

So as I sign off from this blog and go to a bunk, we have Sanya close by, racing with us to the Scoring Gate. It’s neck and neck and we just can't take our eyes off our sails for one moment. Just 3 miles to go ...2…. 1. Our Skipper is saying it’s touch and go as to who will get there first. I don't know what it looks like from the Race Viewer but on board we are doing everything to get over this virtual line first. And the first points of the 2019/20 clipper race go to…...