Race 13 - Day 5
Skipper Report
27 July

Yesterday was such an awesome day. Happy birthday must have been sung about 20 times; Jerome - how do you do it?! I was lost for words after the 5th "speeeeech". A huge thank you to everyone in the family who contributed to the beautiful necklace. A big thanks to Toni too for organizing such delicious food all day - this woman is such a goddess. I think I eat better on the boat than I do on land thanks to her.

I feel it's time to join the trend - and share some love for my fellow skippers. Not just for the exceptionally bad singing displayed on the VHF yesterday from everyone in range (thanks gang!) - but for the fierce and exciting racing that we have had this year - and the support that has come alongside it. The empathetic looks of 'I know I'm bricking it too' on race start days, the mad times on the dance floors in stopovers, the friendship and the camaraderie. As the others have said - this job can be lonely and isolating; but I've never felt part of a stronger team in my life. Thank you.

Alongside us water babies is the fab team over in Clipper Race HQ, Race Office and the Maintenance Brigade - on call night or day - ready to help where they can at the drop of a hat. Amazing. You don't find this elsewhere in this industry, and it is something special. Thank you.

Generally feeling so much love today.

We crossed our tracks last night - we have officially circumnavigated the globe! No ... it hasn't really hit us yet. We are still full steam ahead and will look back with wide eyes once we are over that finish line in Liverpool. But either way - it feels pretty cool - and fitting that we tied the knot on the last day of the race. Every now and again someone clearly gets this reality check of 'wow we are sailing home and we are nearly finished and Liverpool is just round the corner and wow, wow, wow' feeling and you see this enormous wide giddy smile spread from ear to ear - pride, accomplishment, happy inside and out.

Anyway - with that I say - stay tuned - we are still going - still fighting!

Sailing with style - Nik