Race 4 - Day 30
Crew Diary - Race 4, Day 30
18 December

One Month at Sea…and Contingency

Hard to believe, but as I write this it is over one month since we slipped lines in Cape Town and started our journey to Fremantle. Just prior to setting off, Ian warned us all in a crew briefing that it would be a tough crossing and that we should mentally prepare for 30 days at sea. I remember thinking that it’s meant to be 21 to 23 days and anyway, I had only packed three pairs of pants.

How prescient Ian’s words turned out to be. We should, barring further complications, finish after 33/34 days at sea due to the unpredictability of ocean sailing. The reasons for the extra ten or so days are well documented but it shows the importance of contingency planning. Not just food/fuel/supplies etc. but mentally. I know for myself that in my head I had anticipated just over three weeks at sea – not closer to five weeks and that has been at times mentally difficult to deal with. So my message to future leggers like me on any Clipper Race vessel is expect the best and prepare for the worst.

The time at sea has been variations on eat, sleep, sail, repeat. Food has been so much better than expected with three square meals a day – don’t think I will have lost any weight unless it’s due to alcohol deprivation! Sleep has been relatively easy because you are always knackered and the sailing has been varied. One of my goals for the trip was to gain sailing knowledge and I hope that has happened mainly thanks to the tuition and guidance from Mike the AQP and the Watch Leaders Dan and Alex.

But it’s what happens around all of the above that makes it fun. There is much banter between the two watches – I get a bit of a hard time because I switched watches after Durban due to the other watch being two crew short. Bit like a free transfer in football. Arsenal to Spurs perhaps. Last night the watches set each other goals to make up limericks about the other watch – none of which are suitable for a family friendly blog – my relationship with BOB the man overboard dummy was questioned!

So now looking forward to the last few days sailing and getting to Freo and seeing the family. Oh, and talking of contingency, I have run out of pants…