Race 11 - Day 20
Crew Diary - (Sea) Life Is Full of Surprises.
19 May

First of all a big shout out to all of Mrs Dauber's students at Butterknowle School, Bishop Auckland, County Durham. I hope that you are enjoying following the race and I look forward to meeting you all later in the year.

'Life is full of surprises' is a well known saying in the United Kingdom and it remains true out in the great expanses of the world's oceans. Let me give you an example:

James, our AQP, said last night: "Trevor, can I ask you a question?" "Yes James" I reply thinking back nervously to any little errors I may have made on my last watch. James: "Is it true that 'you Northerners' eat cheese with your fruit cake?" "Yes James and with our Christmas cake" I reply - to be met by him shaking his head and stating his absolute disbelief.

Time to hit him now with a double whammy: "Don't you like enjoying a nice bit of Wensleydale with your apple pie James?" James: "Cheese with apple pie????" Time now for the knockout punch: "Have you never heard the phrase 'an apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze'? I ask. James departs the scene shaking his head and muttering that he will never understand us 'Northerners'. Fancy him not knowing about the culinary delights of the world north of Sheffield. Obviously a lot more missionary work for me to do before the end of the race and my return to the cold and barren lands of the north.

Some of you, of a certain age, will remember the popular song 'Big Boys Don't Cry'. Well it may surprise you that they actually do. If you don't believe me then be in London for the homecoming on Saturday 30 July. Bring your own tissues and some for me and my fellow circumnavigators Geoff and James - it is going to be emotional.

To my personal surprise success is not just about winning. It is, for me and I am competitive by nature, more about taking part, benefiting from the experience and comradeship the race delivers as a diverse set of ameteur competitors take on what is, at times, an extreme sporting challenge.

Mobile phones are not a natural extension of the human hand and the world will not stop if you turn yours off.

A declining number of people these days actually have a wrist watch. An 'Old Father Time' link there for you Rein Drescher if you are reading this.

'Old dogs can(t) learn new tricks,' with the right patient training and support - thanks Patrick and James from someone who never thought in a million years that he would be helming a 70ft racing yacht over the massive waves of the North Pacific or do a reasonably decent job of managing the vagaries of a kite the size of a tennis court, driving Zhuhai forward on our race to Panama as dawn broke for another day this morning.

Speaking of our skipper Patrick, he has shared, in the last couple of days, that he prefers Tetley to Yorkshire Tea. Now that is not just surprising, it is absolutely incredible. Has he had too much sun?

Hi to Julie and all my family at home - not long now to Race Finish and the time when I can return with you all 'up North'. Get the fruit cake baked and the Wensleydale bought in, Mum.

Trevor.