Race 13 - Day 5
Crew Diary - Derry-Londonderry to Liverpool
26 July

I feel sad that these last couple of days will be my last on the big blue boat in the big blue sea. The amazing adventure I have had on Legs 4, 7 and 8 wouldn't have been the same without the people that have been with me on each leg. There have definitely been hard times for me beginning when I joined the boat in Freemantle, where I felt a bit lost and didn't connect with the team as much as I would have liked but that may have had something to do with having my head in bucket for the first 4 days!! And those bad parts are the ones that I have since forgotten, and I only remember the nice happy moments when relaying the stories back to my friends and family.

I have to say thank you to some important people who have helped me get through the tough times and more importantly made my adventure what is has been. Mirjam and Paul have been superstars taking me into the watch. I'm not sure they knew what they had let themselves in for when they got me as a brand new sailor but I know I have caused a lot of laughs thanks to my odd topics of conversations. I have been politely termed "a breathe of fresh air" which I have taken to mean strange but in a good way!! You'll have to ask them what the term was supposed to mean! My watches with them both on each of my legs have been good fun with a bit of sailing thrown in and they have been amazingly patient with me as a completely novice sailor who didn't even know left and right!! All I hope is that some of their sailing expertise has rubbed off on me just by sitting next to them on deck.

A huge thank you to my skipper Bob who has kept me alive throughout the thousands miles of sailing. I know my family have been worrying that they would get a dreaded phoncall about me breaking a limb since I am the clumsiest person on land, but on the boat I seem to have found my inner core strength I thought I had lost since stopping ballet. Bob has taught me so many things about sailing that he probably doesn't realise so I am thankful to him for making this huge challenge manageable for me and I am proud to say I can call myself an 'ocean sailor' now thanks to his teaching. Yes, he has caused me some tears but those are the times I can forget and I can just remember him bouncing around on deck, tripping over lines and winches, whistling to himself when things are about to get fruity with the weather or sail plan.

Thank you to all the other crew who have been on board with me, especially my watch peers for their patience and all the laughs. I have tried my hardest to be the best sailor I can be, which isn't the fastest and strongest sailor on the boat but I have made some lovely cakes for my crew mates so I'm hoping my baking skills have made up for my lack of speed and strength on the grinders!

I can't wait to see my family on Saturday on our arrival, I will have the biggest smile on my face when I spot them in the crowd and I know my Mum will finally be able to sleep peacefully knowing there is no more risk of me falling off the boat.

Jen