Race 12 - Day 6
Crew Diary - Race 12 Day 6: New York to Derry-Londonderry
02 July

Second Family

Whilst most of the crew see Leg 8 as the end of a long journey, for the new joiners amongst us it marks the start of an incredible adventure.

After a week of tee-total, healthy living in New York (or not), we left the city that never sleeps to embark on the Atlantic crossing and quite literally never sleep for those near snoring Mumbles.

Clipper Race alumni always talk about the amazing people they have met on board and after just a few days I find myself as part of a new family, albeit a rather unusual one. Leader of the pack Campbell keeps a quiet eye over everything, nimbly moving around the deck like a mountain goat whilst the rest of us use a more ungainly bum-shuffle technique. Mumbles led from the front, until a sniper attack (read a walk in NY) left his hip in tatters requiring massage treatment. Jury is out on whether or not it was really that painful or he’s just a bit of princess, although he would have plenty of company in that category. Dealing out the punishment, sorry, treatment, is medic Annie providing she can contain the hysterical laughter which is a constant feature on the boat.

Victor takes the princess’ tiara, mainly due to special beverage requests. Somehow Victor Senior puts up with Junior’s constant, usually inappropriate, storytelling although he himself is currently sporting an unexplained hand shaped bruise on the gluteus maximus. Like father like son?

Suisse Urs seems to have a lot of knowledge about financial fraud and evading capture in his homeland, perhaps a confession in the offing. Chinese Daniel is providing an education in Chinese proverbs but is also in the running for the filthiest mind... meanwhile Guofeng is quietly enjoying the relative peace and quiet of life at sea as he leaves 4 kids behind. Swapping one mad house for another. And me? Well, I’m the normal one of course ;-)

So, “where the heck are we going?” Hopefully heading towards Ireland. The seal colony is starting to get restless...