Race 5 - Day 5
Crew Diary - Race 5 Day 5
09 January

Fremantle departure to Christmas Day on Zhuhai

After the team did so very well from Cape Town into Australia with a second place podium, we had to regroup for the next leg. The team lost some dear friends who had either been with us since the start or else who had joined at later legs. The dynamic will always change as the race continues but the changes in Australia were large. However, meeting the new joiners for Leg 4 with their enthusiasm, and with the extra time we had in port started the team bonding early, making us ready for the race. The new joiners are finding their feet and encouraged to get stuck in - as a small crew we need their fresh energy and enthusiasm, especially with regard to the sail changes.

The team was lucky with the extra days in port, as it allowed some celebrations - including karaoke in a bar on the first night with a few of the crew. Neither Colle nor me noticed what style of bar it was until the end of the night, when we realized why Colle was the one being hit on repeatedly.

The break for me was extra special as I had family arriving during the middle of the arrival window. Thus I had time early on to help with the victualling and transferring the responsibility across to Jun. Jun has done an amazing job and has further developed the food on board! Secondly, I was able to spend time exploring the local area and more importantly spent time with the family.

Cat and I also had the excitement of Conor proposing to our daughter on the evening of Prizegiving and capturing the moment on the Clipper Race stage. Congratulations!!

We are now back in the Roaring Forties that seem today to lack any roar, and we have settled into the routine of life on board. In the early days of the race the fleet had to beat down the west coast of Australia, and as a consequence some of the crew were not 100% fighting fit.

The race had a real competitive start with racing rules applied to maintain positions. It had been a while since I’d heard “starboard!” and “head up!”, “maintain course!” etc. shouted across the racing fleet on the Start Line. The team did a stunning move on DC (sorry Greg*) but later our jubilation disappeared as we blew the code 2 in an unexpected wind shift a few hours later.

Jess and Jun have decorated and provided festive snacks for the boat, and we are all thinking about Christmas Day and who will be cooking the festive meals - Jess has stepped in and swapped the shifts around. The wind hole looks to be playing its part in giving us calm conditions to allow a festive meal on the flat. Santa has been around and dropped a sack of presents down the mast, festive lights are in the galley and soon to be placed up the rigging. Christmas cards are being dug out of dry bags. The Christmas flag has been dug out and is ready to be hoisted. Spirits are high, though with some sadness, as people think about family that they are not able to share the day with - it will be the first Christmas I have been apart from my family ever!

Happy Christmas, hope you have a great day and thinking of you all.

*Greg on DC is the watch leader and friend to Andrew