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

Hi all,

We're approaching Punta del Este. We had hopes of an early arrival but a wind hole delayed us and, to our additional chagrin, dropped us from 2nd to 10th place overnight! The same thing happened after the first week when we dropped from 1st to 9th after we sailed into a wind hole for about 6 hours. This time it was predicted and we took evasive action but looks like we (and Visit Seattle) still hit it square on. Felt like the Doldrums should have felt. Anyway, that is sailboat racing.

So the race is almost over and here are some random notes from this first race.

I made bread for the first time the other day. Probably made my reputation on the boat doing so. The instructions for making it were pretty clear: "Mix together in the bowl. You will have a sticky mess. At first it will cling to your hands and be impossible to handle but persist. Do not wash your hands! Keep going and the mixture will come together and eventually clean all the doughy bits off your fingers leaving them clean (and nice and soft). Then kneed for 10 minutes."

So I dutifully started mixing and yes, what a sticky mess! I persisted for 40 minutes with mounting desperation that the promised clean (and soft and nice) hands were not materialising (and I still hadn't begun the kneading phase). Pulling the mess out of the bowl and into my hands I rounded the galley corner and begged Alison (our Victualler), "How do I get out of the Dough Handcuffs!" Wish I had said Manacles of Manna but I wasn't waxing poetic at the moment. "Knead with more vigor," I was told, as if I wasn't already kneading in desperation. Fortunately, Alex came to my rescue. I was done and no additional kneading was needed and I was able to wash the mess off. The lesson is don't accidentally put more water than called for into the mixture! I did get special call-outs by several (independent and neutral) people who said my bread was the best so far. So, there was that. But watch yourself around overly damp bread mixtures!

So I expected to lose things during Delivery and Leg 1. Here is the tally so far (I'm pleasantly surprised):

Lost: Reading glasses protective case (in Gosport before I even got on the boat)

Mangled: Pair of reading glasses left in foulies pocket (due to lack of protective case)

Lost: One right contact (but it was on the 30th day of a 1-month contact).

That's it! Nothing else lost. Or rather nothing else lost permanently. I'm mostly surprised not to have lost a ball cap or pair of sunglasses over the side. I haven't been using leashes because they annoy me and it has still worked out great!

I didn't pack anything to read or listen to while on this trip. Everyone is surprised by that. But I haven't really been listening to much music at home for some time either (still like the stuff but enjoy quiet or rather ambient noise) more and more for reasons unknown (no, not aging! ;-) and I've only been reading sailing related books for a while as well and figured some would be on board. Well, finally this last week I decided I needed to hear some tunes (I quite liked Seamus' Spotify mixes but apparently they shut down after you've been away from internet access for over 30 days). I have my phone but no headphones. I did put music on the phone when I bought it 2 years ago. I should have made some Clipper Round the World Yacht Race specific mixes but too late now. However, my phone's albums of Bob Marley, Beach Boys, David Grey, Simon & Garfunkel have been well received over the WiFi speaker. All known and mellow enough not to wake the sleeping watch. The traditional Japanese festival dancing music album was not as well received. Zannen! (Too bad! ;-)