Vibes are good on Perseverance. It’s certainly more of a youth hostel vibe than it has been previously, with many youngsters running around. What I've noticed is that they're able to go under the traveller without the achy groan that me and the rest of the elderly crew give out.
We decided to not go for the Scoring Gate and go for course instead given that we were 9th. We're going more inshore for stronger winds and a more direct line. We'll see if it pays off. We want to do well in the racing, but with 12 new crew members, coaching crew into good evolutions and helming is taking priority, and hopefully the racing success will come as a result of that. What's quite funny is that some of the new crew are the most competitive, with them asking questions like "Joss did that sail change add any more speed?" or "Are we closing the gap on UNICEF quick enough?" (bless the Dutch and their directness, or should I say Frieslanders->Maaike) I'm feeling the pressure to make radical racing decisions. Anyway, all is well, and everyone is dealing with the conditions with a good attitude and a happy smile.
Joss, Ineke and the achy but dealing with it seadogs