Race 13 - Day 2
Crew Diary - Derry-Londonderry to Liverpool
23 July
Well it's Goodnight from me and it's Goodnight from him.
Well, almost. As I'm writing this blog there is a front due in with 40 knot winds which we may outrun or not, whatever is the case we'll deal with it as we have with everything else on this race. My experience as a RTW though if we escape this then is there is at least one twist in the tale awaiting us before this journey is over. Even though I'm trying to keep in the here and now you would be superhuman not to think about the end of this epic journey we've all undertaken.
Previous readers will know that I set a lot of store in Grans' sayings. How about for a starter “Worse things happen at sea our Mike “
Tragically that was the case for Simon Speirs from GREAT Britain, who lost his life during this race. I knew him only for a short time from level 4 training, but I immediately knew he was one of those folk you meet who is genuinely kind and giving, spending time helping me a novice mariner to literally get to know the ropes. You're not forgotten Simon.
As for me I'm taking away so many great memories I know we tend to erase the bad times and just remember the good times and so what if that's the case I didn't pay all this money to come away with any other feelings!
By the way, Carl who was it at the helm as we took Liverpool at the line in Hobart ?
Dale, how about jockeying for position at the start line in Sydney as “Wild Oats” glided past our bow with some sort of hidden menace about it.
Steven, Dale, Carl what about riding out the 70+ knot storm hitting us on the nose.
Malc sleigh riding the waves to get well over 30 knots out of the good old Dare to Lead. Do you still wake up in a cold sweat?
Overall though & I know it sounds soppy but I take away the beauty, the power, the vastness of this earth. You can fly over an ocean in a matter of hours but once you've sailed across it as we have in this race then you really do get a full and deep appreciation as we have been able to.
Here's another one from Gran “there's nowt so queer as folk our Mike”... well you certainly get to understand that as you share your time on board with your fellow crew mates. You and they show the best and worse sides of their characters but thankfully the overriding element is courage, teamwork, skill, understanding, determination, encouragement and skill. We've shared triumphs lifting us to the heights and gut wrenching disasters that left us on our knees but at the end of it I want to tip my hat to all those I've sailed with and thank them for an unforgettable experience none more than you Dale.
There have been a few times when I've thought about packing in but how could I even consider that when all the folk from home have supported me every step of the way. Top supporter being my wife Ali who I know has had to deal with loads of stuff at home shielding me from that all that as she wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with me to help me achieve this. I know its one of those oft used phrases but I couldn't have done it without you. Thanks Al.
From Your Yorkshire Independence Party Correspondent Mick Husband somewhere …. near the end … at last.