Race 7 - Day 5
Crew Diary - Race 7, Day 5: Whitsundays to Sanya
04 February
In my head I had pictured the Doldrums to just be a flat, glassy blue ocean with absolutely no wind, but in fact it looks very much like the English Channel. However, instead of being in full foulies with thermals and mid layers, we're sitting on deck soaking up the sun, with a nice breeze to cool you off; it doesn't get much better than this. We've opted to motor through the Doldrums Corridor for four degrees latitude in the hope that we'll be able to pass through any wind holes unscathed. Also, after the mix of squally weather one moment and intense heat the next, with it being constantly like a sauna below decks that you can't escape, it's nice for the crew to have a bit of respite as there are minimal jobs to be done on deck as well as very few down below.
Currently, Cameron and I are chilling on deck with a few tunes and waiting for our first of three rations of lemonade to cool in the freezer; a luxury that feels well deserved. Whilst sitting on deck, we hadn't realised that our backs had turned a similar shade to our life jacket, the true British lobster tan. Soon it will hopefully turn to tan although then we have to deal with the atrocious tan lines that wearing a life jacket on deck brings but it's worth it in order to try and keep cool and, more importantly, safe.
Cameron here. I'm holding the laptop on deck as I wait for Tom to finish lathering on his sun cream until he's a Casper the Friendly Ghost-esque shade of white. He really doesn't want to burn as badly as our first mate Mik who's a beautiful Clipper red from his shirt sleeves down, as well as his v-neck shirt burn. This particular burn makes it look like he's painted an angry phoenix' beak on his chest...not a good look if you can imagine it. Our buckets of water need refilling now so we have cool water to splash our feet in when it gets too hot again. Back to Tom.
Thank you Cameron for that fascinating insight of the rare tan of Mik and just for the record I am more tanned than I was back home in the UK, it just doesn't quite compare to Tarzan next to me here. Speaking of home I hope you are all well back in Farnham, Frensham, Cambridge, Predazzo and Lake Gada and the weather is being reasonably kind to you, I'm having the time of my life out here with all the highs and lows it brings. I'll catch up with you all soon when we've arrived in Sanya.
Cameron again. I also hope everything's alright in Farnham as it's not too far from where I live. So for those of you currently in Rudgwick, Tismans, Sandhurst, Nottingham, Brighton and Airlie, I hope all's well and the weather isn't too horrible. Also Mum, it may not be too much consolation for the cold there but, if anything, it's too hot here; we sailors are difficult to please...
So as we near the end of this chapter of our joint blog, we'd like to let you know we're doing well and are just anticipating some darker clouds we can see on the horizon. Please rain, please.
Until tomorrow, hooroo cobbers.
Toddlers out.
Tom and Cameron CV21 UNICEF
P.S Those darker clouds came and it chucked it down...a lot; everyone's a lot happier now after dancing to the speaker's tunes whilst the rain stair-rodded down. Spirits high. Stay tuned for more news from the blue boat in a big sea.