Race 13 - Day 5
Crew Diary - Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland to Den Helder, Netherlands
22 July

Helen Jameson
Helen Jameson
Back to Reports View Team Page

The things Ive learnt along the way of my clipper adventure:

These things take time - the adventure started three years before I got to race! Patience is a must!

Sailing is a foreign language - with training the equivalent of adult education classes in sailing terms - some of us are yet to advance to intermediate level!

Many take the Great British approach to being understood – just shout louder until someone responds.

The advert should say.... The race of your life.... no experience required ….and new hairstyle/beard guaranteed!

You will need to buy a whole new wardrobe of sexy merino clothes - that you will never wear as you will never change out of your first stunning outfit

Always have a spare hat, glasses or anything you put down as the magic boat fairies move everything!

You can see far more of the race on Race Viewer than from the boat – very frustrating!

Hand signals are a wonderful thing

Baking cakes is possible at a 45 degree angle - although don’t expect Mary Berry standards!

Foulies keep you dry (most of the time) but you always feel wet

Angel delight and potato cakes have never successfully been exported abroad – or at least our non British crew look at them madly

A level toilet is a wonderful thing..... roll on Den Helder

When on land remember to stop trying to use the imaginary foot pump there is actually a tap!

Kites are made to be broken, fixed, and broken several times again!

Wind holes are evil, that magically appear over only our boat – sorry if we annoyed the wind gods … but please can we have some wind

The training curricular should be expanded to include waving styles and mexican waves.....in preparation for parades of sail.

Crew come from all around the world and have many different experiences but all love to party!

A 70ft yacht is bigger than some people’s homes!

Pegging is now an international sport

I am no longer 18 …. so can’t drink like a fish.... and have standards in red wine now!

Sailing an ocean is like being on the Truman Show...... ever trying to get to reach the door to escape the set.....

There are a distinct lack of Polar Bears in the ice box.....

Luminescence sea will always be entertaining when flushing the heads

Naming your tether helps when you need to shout at it to behave – Alfredo is still in dog training classes

You can buy too many skittles..... especially when everyone only likes a few colours.... you need to find your skittle buddy to work through the packet

Pretzel M&Ms are yummy but not sold at home … boo hoo!

We will all be experts on the bucking bronco after coping with life at 45 degrees

Alcohol gel is your friend when there is a D&V outbreak

You crave land when you are at sea and sea when you are on land!

When the watch is hard, you are knackered, wet and tired a hug from a mate is the best medicine

When you go to your bunk the elephants come out to play on deck for 4 hours

So the big question, knowing all of this....... will I do it again?