Race 1 - Day 26
Crew Diary - Race 1 Day 26: Liverpool to Punta del Este
15 September
Days at sea: 26
Days slept on the floor: 1
Days Jonny “Prosecco” Pillar slept on the floor: 16/17
Number of spreads available at breakfast: 2 (peanut butter and Nutella)
Potential days until we can all share a glass of wine: soon
Things I have learned in the last 26 days on the team Liverpool 2018 boat.
Having never sailed before and signing up in February to head off round the world on a racing yacht, I have to admit I didn't really know what to expect or how I would feel after 26 days in the same space with over 20 other people.
What, I have learnt above all other things is that this can be boxed up into one little phrase
“well that's Ocean Racing”.
Some of these things are as follows and many, I will have to admit, you will not really need in everyday life:
1.How to use the toilet at 45 degrees
2.How to pour a kettle at 45 degrees
3.Making pasta for 24 is hard work
4.How to wake people up at 4am after they have only had three hours sleep in a polite way
5.Powdered milk is nothing like milk
6.Running water is amazing (we have to foot pump all of our water)
7.Red light does not make it that easy to find things
8.Never trust an Australian to cut your hair however convincing he is
9.Don't go on the bow on the boat however calm unless wearing wet weather gear
10.Waves have a mind of their own
11.Clothes don't dry quickly on a boat
12.Coloured ropes are great in the day. At night, however, red light will help (make them all look red)
13.Life jackets are heavy
14.Red Jam clearly polls higher as an option for toast that peanut butter
15.You can’t cool yourself down like you can warm yourself up
16.Sun cream ruins clothes
17.People used their 20kg allowance to bring some random stuff.
18.It does not matter what temperature it is above deck its always 30 degrees below deck
19.All forms of ventilation must be shut while at sea (which is all the time)
These things may sound difficult to deal with but the main thing I have learnt is that living without a phone, e-mail, Facebook etc. for days on end is not that difficult. When you have 20 amazingly different people around you to share stories, life experiences, moments of madness on the foredeck like getting hit randomly by waves 15 minutes after getting dry clothes on, you don’t miss it. I might add, if you are on the helm at this point you have to practice your best “sorry” face (Dan Eastley)!
“Well that's ocean racing”
I am responsible for the media role on board which I am very proud of. I get to share all these wonderful magic moments with you all as they happen and try and give you an idea what our life in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is like from day to day.
Best go as back on watch now and need to get my wet weather gear on because Dan “the wave magnet” Eastley is first up on the helm.
Neil “Elvis” Stafford
P.S Jonny “Prosecco” Pillar would like to thank all of his “fans” for the messages of support
(His hair continues to grow back.......)
Remember to “Think Pink”
Team Liverpool 2018