Race 15 - Day 5
Crew Diary - Reflections
30 July

Hi anyone who might be reading this, I was told this has to be short and succinct. Right, I am a person of very few words. As a circumnavigator this adventure has been part of my life for a long time, as it has been for many others. I started this knowing nothing about sailing and here I should try and thank all the individuals who managed to infuse the knowledge required to get me to this point. From London to Uruguay it was the perceived danger and immense power of the sea that gave me a buzz. From Uruguay, Dave our skipper seemed to take me under his wing, perhaps it’s because we both come from Wales, however: “Alec you need to get on the helm” began the hard education; I needed to learn so much.

I have met some amazing characters and again learnt so much from all of them, I would like to name them all but this has to be short, a couple of people, Lindsey our previous AQP, not taking anything away from our current AQP (Hannah), Lindsey made my exciting life on the bow so much easier, tiny things “if you do this” which just suddenly increased my speed, and I’m not fast. Marcus and Rob, they just showed me how to plough through adversity, nothing keeps you down. Emily, I can still hear those damned Disney songs you’d be singing whilst on the helm, out of tune!

Highlights, lightning storm in the Atlantic. Up the mast at night 25 knots plus gusts. On the helm round Cape Verde. Most poignant, going into the Hudson River, from Llechryd Ceredigion to the Statue of Liberty New York - if my Mother and Gran were alive I think they might be proud. My grown up children Danny, Ethan and Alice, whose attitude “It’s just what Dad does” when I talk proudly about them, knowing they support whatever I do! You have to thank Clipper Ventures, how else would a complete novice get to do something like this? “More people climb Everest” Sir Robin often states. Right. Oh yeah give Bob a break.