Race 12 - Day 9
Crew Diary - Race 12, Day 9: New York to Derry-Londonderry
05 July
Unicef – Crew Blog – Samantha Cardew - 5th July 2018
Over 2000 miles travelled across the Atlantic Ocean and we are currently playing a game of cat and mouse with Visit Seattle who is within sight if not ear shot! It is amazing that there is such a vast expanse of ocean yet we find ourselves on top of each other!!
Morale is high on board having collected three points in the Scoring Gate coupled with 'Steak night' and not one but two birthday cakes, to celebrate our mate Guy's birthday, one chocolate and one a fabulous rich fruit cake made by his sister (great cake – thank you – were are all so pleased that he shared it!). This birthday is yet another one that Guy has celebrated whilst sailing across the Atlantic, hopefully this one is his best so far!
This leg so far has been filled with many blessings and I really feel so lucky to be able to come on this little adventure! Here are a few of those moments-
The race start which is an adrenaline filled occasion was made so magical by the pods of whales jumping and diving around the boats, their tails majestically flipping out of the water and making a tremendous splash! The cries of 'wow' as we all watched echoed about the fleet! It is amazing and very fortuitous that not one of the boats had a collision?!
The wildlife since race start has continued to delight us. Tuna dart about the boat again like little rainbow bullets and at sunset, dolphins leap and dive silhouetted by the swirling golden glow of pinks, oranges and reds sinking into mossy greens and blues, tinged with white horses joining in the nightly dance! I'm so lucky that the timings of my watch this Leg coincides with this nightly spectacle!
One evening thick fog was descending, the sun setting and we were treated to a 'Fog bow', I didn't even know that there was such a thing?! A rainbow in the fog! Wonder if there is a pot of gold at the end of it?!
Just before we finish our watch, we get to see the moon rise and on a clear evening, the light that shines from this is enough to call trim on the spinnaker! Wonderful! It makes for such enchanting sailing!
I could go on?! Mother Nature is amazing in what she can create and out here there is a poetic beauty in many things, be it the sights, the sounds or the movement of the waves in all its moods– no wonder so many artists are inspired by the sea!
Meanwhile, whilst captivated and in awe of all around, we are of course all concentrating on 'trim trim trim' towards that podium in Derry-Londonderry!
Just before I go, I would like to say a little shout out to my husband Steve and a “Happy Anniversary darling”, for 5th July. “Thank you for all your unwavering support and unconditional love. Your faith in me makes me feel like I can take on anything! I am truly blessed! Whilst not side by side to celebrate, we are together under the same stars and I will make a wish for us both on the next shooting star I see above the Atlantic ocean as we sail fast on our way to Derry-Londonderry!”
Fair winds and following seas!
With love from the Big Blue Boat
Samantha Cardew