Ed’s last blog
It’s a time of reflection for me. This is the last race of my Clipper Race adventure. In a few days we will reach the finish at Airlie Beach. I’ll do my last deep clean and then I’ll depart the crew and wish them fair winds and safe sailing for the remainder of the40,000 mile circumnavigation. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to participate in Legs 2, 3 and 4 and, in doing so, I have ticked off a bucket list item which has been on the list since before the term ‘bucket list” even existed.
To have sailed from South America to the North East corner of Australia has been a huge privilege and there have been some incredible experiences along the way. Highlights include sailing through a school of sleeping whales, in fog and at night, just after leaving Punta del Este; the big waves and downwind sailing of Legs 2 and 3; seeing Table Mountain emerge from the morning mist as we approached Cape Town; turning north after ten days of bitter cold and greyness at 46 degrees south on Leg 3; the epic starry skies on the clear nights, and surfing our way past Tasmania on Leg 4 in winds up to 63 knots.
I will also remember the camaraderie amongst the crew: a wholly random group of people from the four corners of the globe. Some with lots of sailing experience and some with very little, and each with their own reasons for being here but with a bond based on the collective desire to experience the remote oceans of our planet. On this leg we also shared the celebration of Christmas and New Year at sea. These were fun in a “we still have to sail the boat” kind of way, and I expect, for me, will not be repeated.
Having endured the cold of 46 degrees south we are now entering the sweat-box conditions of the tropics, more than 20 degrees north of our southern limit of a few weeks ago. We were already within 1000 miles of the finish (usually an important milestone) when we started, so it is a short race. The racing between the fleet is close and tactical with both changing winds and strong currents to navigate. Would I change anything about what I have done? I don’t think so. I am very happy with the leg choice and with the time I have spent to do those legs. I was physically fit, my packing had been well-researched and I had the clothing I needed to remain (generally) comfortable in the varied conditions we have sailed through. My sailing experience was helpful, but I have stilled learned a huge amount. Would I do it again? No. I had wanted to sail these oceans ever since (more talented) friends had competed in the Whitbread and Volvo races: and now I have. I am now really looking forward to returning to my family and returning to work. This race has provided some yin to the yang of my everyday life but also reinforced for me how amazing every day is.