Race 1 - Day 32
Crew Diary - Race 1 Day 32: Liverpool to Punta del Este
21 September

Mermaids, Finish Lines, Adventure and Do You Like Pina Coladas...

By the time you read this, Leg 1 will be over for Team Sanya Serenity Coast. With a Rhum line of 6300nm, we have sailed about 6900nm over 33 days at sea with 2000 meals prepared (many at a 45 degree angle) since leaving Liverpool. We have less than 100nm left to the finish line but we are not there yet so we will still be sailing it like we stole it for the next few hours at least.

Mother Nature kept her best until last for this leg. We came up on deck for our 0200-0600 watch this morning to find a sky full of stars, but then your eyes were drawn to the phosphorescence in the water, the brightest of the trip so far. Tt was really lighting up the sea. Even better was to come though, as a small pod of dolphins joined us darting around the boat, stirring up the waters, leaving me with the impression they were like a temptation (what is the collective?) of neon mermaids guiding us to Punta del Este and our date with some Pina Coladas and not getting caught in the rain.

All of us on the boats are in the privileged position that with the support of our family and friends, we have temporarily left real life behind. No phones ringing, no constant emails to check, no social media to update and nothing other than making the boat go fast to worry about. There have been funerals missed, birthdays and anniversaries deferred, absent friends remembered and loved ones thought about. You start to realise what is important in life to you and just how much you can do without. We are living out our head full of dreams and having our adventure of a lifetime. I have played my part in our journey here and others will continue it on, but I would like to leave you with a thought. Life is there to live, don't let it pass you by, grab hold of it, turn it upside down and shake it up a little, but above all enjoy it and enjoy those you hold dear.

Roger that.

Much love,

Ian