Race 3 - Day 15
Crew Diary - Race 3 Day 15
07 November

Yesterday started like a very pleasant day for all of us – well, for all of us except for Joss who had a rather (excuse my French) shitty day coming up his way… We had all been using the aft heads (toilets for the non-sailors) for a few watches because the other ones were no longer safe to use. So, when the time had come to investigate the issue to find out what was causing the blockage, Joss came into action… Poor Joss… I was not anywhere near him during this smelly operation (so I cannot tell you how terrible it was) but judging by the buckets of brown water thrown overboard, I can only assume it was not a pleasant job at all.

Once everything was sorted out, it was time to chill out on the deck, under the sun, while eating some delicious salty caramelized popcorn made by Amanda. One thing led to another, a lengthy conversation about “mansplaining” started on the deck. Not coming from an English-speaking country, I must admit that I had never heard the term mansplaining before embarking on Race 3. But after more than 2 hours of this intense discussion, I feel ready to write an essay on the subject and you can expect to find my detailed analysis on the matter in all good bookstores by the end of the year.

I find life on board rather difficult most of the time, but these moments of laughter make up for some of the brutal reality that comes with ocean racing.

So continued our rather quiet day until the evening which had another surprise for us: a beautiful starry night. We haven’t gotten many of those until now either because of a bright moon, too many clouds, or the night fog. So, seeing this spectacle was a real treat. I was even lucky enough to see two shooting stars and make a wish for each. It was also a peaceful moment for me to think about my loved ones back home and how I miss the cheeky smile of my little girl Héloise, the ‘je t’aime’ of my sweet boy Matisse, and the countless WhatsApp messages of my teenage boy Guilhem asking me for some money… I also think about my very supportive husband without whom none of this would have been possible. I love you all and can’t wait to see you back soon.