Race 6 - Day 17
Crew Diary - The Race of My Life
08 February

I'm assuming this is the last blog I will write so have attempted to summarise 'The Race of My Life'

Although not sure I can ever find the right words and apologise to any reader that hasn't been a direct part of my journey as it therefore might not make much sense........

Clipper Best bits

• Racing through the Roaring Forties
• Crossing the Equator
• Helming under a full moon with a bit of background music courtesy of Pink Floyd
• Surfing with the Code 2 up under an explosion of shooting stars
• Doldrums cloud formations
• Discovering Nutella.......who knew?

Clipper Discoveries

• A T-shirt can actually stand up, all by itself, if doused liberally with equal amounts of salt water, sweat and sun tan lotion
• On closer inspection of photos it would seem that Santa Claus and King Neptune must actually be related
• Most food stuff (not just veg) can be 'peeled' and indeed requires it, at certain stages of its shelf life onboard
• After a few weeks at sea, it becomes possible to sleep through any crash, bang and evolution, at the most alarming angle, whilst face planting the cave locker, when either cold and wet or covered in sweat and tangled in a fan

Clipper Habits to Break on return to normality

• Pumping an imaginary water pump when standing in front of the kitchen sink
• Thinking twice before loo roll disposal
• Close inspection of what's in the toilet bowl
• Cautiously sniffing what you take out of the fridge
• Cautiously sniffing yourself!

I won't miss

• The salty rim of a badly rinsed mug tainting my precious cup of tea
• Frankfurters
• Wet socks
• Being woken up for watch, despite the wildly varying styles of approach from different crew mates
• Unexplained bruises
• Making bread at 35 degrees (angle and temperature)
• Packing up my bedding every 4 hours
• The positively rank taste of water maker water
• Flying fish and their associated stench

I will miss

• The satisfaction of a hair wash in a squall
• The sound of the 'woosh' of water against the hull, especially when it's a bit spicy out there
• Waves crashing over the bow
• The core strengthening coffee grinder
• Jose's energy
• The exhilaration of helming at 40 degrees
• Rob's fountain of knowledge
• Lindsay's laughter
• Clinging on for dear life on the high side
• The sense of freedom
• DJ Arvin's mixing
• The intake of breath when you catch a wave and surf at 20 knots
• Dawn's chocolate brownies
• Rainbows, sunsets and starlight framing the horizon
• The complete openness of the ocean
• Tim's language lessons
• Kiki and her friendly flying fish
• Boat banter
• Brian
• Dave's jokes

Happy Birthday Jane-O

Love to all

Thanks for your support

Jane