Race 12 - Day 14
Crew Diary - NEW YORK, USA TO DERRY-LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND
04 July
Hi Hi from GSIC (Good ship IchorCoal),
It strikes me that being on IchorCoal has many similarities to being at a Fun Fair or theme Park.
We have The 'Waltzer' effect - being bounced up and down and spun around whilst trying to move about the boat. This does tend to make folks feel pretty green. This ride can always be guaranteed to deliver value for money, especially in the early stages of our races.
Then we have the helterskelter - coming down the companionway steps.
Although no padded hessian sack is provided for your descent as you charge down the hatch!
On an evening you can take a ride on The Ghost Train. As you navigate your way below decks in the darkness you are assaulted by a range of spooky sensations. Hanging items such as head torches klonk you on the head. Wispy items, usually errant articles of hanging clothing, brush past your face and trip hazards, (sailing boots) abound.
Ghostly sightings of semi clothed crew creeping to the heads and mysterious smells wafting from the galley in the wee small hours are all common place.
Then there is the 'hook a Duck' stand. This is a test of precision and timing, rather like trying to pour boiling hot water into coffee cups whilst on a trampoline. Another stand requiring similar skills is the 'win a goldfish' stand. Getting a ping pong ball in a goldfish bowl has alarming similarities to using the heads!
Up on deck is the Log Flume Ride. Crashing through water on the bow, getting a repeated drenching – I think this ride gets stuck on repeat sometimes. To add further interest to the foredeck we have the bucking bronco, but there is no soft mattress for the landings.
Back down below there is the opportunity to experience the soft ball pit. Being up to your armpits in fenders whilst checking the bilges in the crash bulkhead has the desired effect.
The hoopla stand is represented by figure of eighting rope over winches as you tidy the cockpit, as well as the construction of our own hoops (rope donuts). Further accuracy of throwing, aka 'the coconut shy' is tested by lobbing the biodegradable rubbish successfully over the guard rail. Raiding the wet locker for foulies at watch change time is akin to human dodgems.
The catering at our 'House of Fun' is first class. We have hot dogs and burgers, refreshing tang drinks and any assortment of chocolate treats. All we are missing is the candy floss.
In conclusion, this may not be the cheapest fun fair in the world, but it is certainly the best one I have come across.
Happy days - Sara and all on IchorCoal.
Ps A big thank you to everybody back home for making it possible for me to be here. Sara xx
Love IchorCoal