Race 5 - Day 9
Crew Diary - Race 5 Day 9
04 January
I think we all had a pretty un-merry Christmas Eve.
Bear with me as I may have some of this wrong. The Code 1 spinnaker was hoisted but was inappropriate to the sea state. It was lowered smoothly and went underfoot down below. The Code 2 went up but was wrapped under Lead watch. It was lowered smoothly and went underfoot below. Yankee 2 was raised to give time for Code 2 to be stitched (thanks Retief) but was inappropriate so we rushed to get Code 2 back up. Code 2 was hoisted and wrapped under Dare watch and lowered smoothly and went underfoot down below again.
At this point the next watch woke to find knee high levels of lovely spinnaker fabric foaming along Port, Starboard and Fore corridors, turning the usual half hour from bunk to deck into 45 minutes. More stitching. More hoisting of the patched Code 2. More tired crew members making their bleary way through galley, engineering, nav, cleaning and deck duties.
Not very festive.
An albatross turned its watery eye on us and wheeled away to better places while the hourglass dolphins laughed as they peeled off from our bow.
Santa finally made an appearance in the form of more settled conditions and a beautiful sunny Christmas day somewhere below the Great Australian Bite. On board we resumed ‘three days of feasting’ (thanks Gary) pulled crackers and enjoyed our secret Santa (thanks Sean). Videos came through from our families(thanks longsuffering family) to add a touch of homesickness and remind us how lucky we are to be given the privilege of all this difficulty and privation.
I struggle into my foulies. My beloved salopettes (right pocket gloves and seasickness bag, left pocket headtorch and knife) and my despised smock (there is no light at the end of that tunnel) now only take 10 minutes to put on. A messy version of the Fosby Flop launches me into my bunk even when the boat is heeled against me. My bunk mate lays out my industrial style sleeping bag (thanks Megan) and crewmates offer a hand as the boat forges ahead at 30 degrees. Last night the full moon and rising sun saw us overtake UNICEF.
Life is good on Dare To Lead.
Love from all of us to all of you.
Clare