Race 1 - Day 32
Crew Diary - Race 1 Day 32: Liverpool to Punta del Este
21 September
One of the things that has really surprised me from this month is just how adaptable a human can be. After 32 days at sea, many things have now become “normal”, which we accept without batting an eyelid and would no way be remotely acceptable in everyday life. Our tolerance levels have definitely increased. For instance, if just over a month ago you had asked me to live in the conditions we do and endure what we have done, I am not sure I would have believed you that I could survive:
1. States of undress. Everyday, more and more of the crew members become less bothered about the state of their clothing and appearance (as proved by our bearded men contingency on Port Watch). You must leave your modesty on the dockside when you come aboard with 21 complete strangers who will soon know you quite intimately, as there is definitely no time for anyone to be shy and privacy would be an absolute luxury! I should highlight that Duncan is an anomaly to this as he is the only crew member with his own dressing room!
2. Noise. Imagine a gatling gun or an industrial electric drill going off whenever you are trying to get to sleep. Now imagine the noise when this is only about a foot from your head. In normal life, should a car alarm be going off nearby or some drunken louts shouting outside you would be huffing and puffing and certainly not catching any sleep. However, after a month of living below the primary winch, I have learnt I can sleep through anything or indeed actually hold a full conversation through this noise with my fellow hen in the chicken coop – Nell Wyatt.
3. Cleanliness. Oh, how showering is a distant memory for us! I have heard awful stories that people find daily showers a nuisance once back on land. This I cannot believe and I will treasure the luxury of being able to have a warm shower, or if I want to push the boat out – a bath, if and when I want. Also when you put on a clean item of clothing, I hopefully won't feel the need to tell everyone I see that day, as at the moment you make sure everyone on the boat knows it's a new, clean shirt day or even better - clean pants day! Finally, by having all of your meals served to you in an old, stained tupperware box now seems totally normal and you can even convince yourself that it actually tastes very good. To be fair, the majority of the chefs have been great but fresh food that is not out of a tin will be very much appreciated on land!
4. Conversation topics. One crew member (who will remain anonymous) regularly pushes the boundaries on the topics of conversation and seems to always get the timing perfectly – usually just before or during a meal. You can find yourself discussing private and sometimes quite detailed aspects of your day-to-day business that you wouldn't usually be prepared to share with anyone, but on board seems perfectly normal and no one even batters an eyelid. I will leave the various topics that we discuss to your imagination...
As you can see, tolerance levels have definitely been bolstered in the crew or it is just proof that we have all lost the plot and gone insane together!
I best get back on deck as I definitely don't want to miss out on one of Duncan's renowned stories, or indeed miss out playing one of Smithy's infamous games – the 'Cat & Dog' game and 'Would You Rather...' seem to be current the favourites.
As I come to the end of my Clipper Race experience in Uruguay, I will end this blog by saying a huge thank you to all of my fellow Garmin crew members and GT for the constant entertainment and laughs – what an amazing 32 days we have had together as we have crossed the Atlantic. Lots of memories I will never forget. I wish the team all of the luck in the rest of the legs to come.
And finally to friends and family at home – look forward to seeing you all very soon!