Race 8 - Pre-race
Crew Diary - Race 8 Day 0
01 March

Goodbye Australia and Hello Ha Long Bay, Vietnam! Half-way around the globe in terms of time fell on Valentine's Day, but we’re now more than halfway around the globe in terms of nautical miles. The fleet is now back in the Northern Hemisphere, having left behind the southern hemisphere for good. Time, sadly, to dig out the thermals and dry suits.

Since the next stop after Vietnam is Zhuhai in China, the Host Port for our boat, expectations are high. We have been on the podium for the last five races and the crew is working well together. What will we achieve into Zhuhai? Stress levels are rising as we discuss whether to play our Joker or not. Roles on the boat have changed slightly for me with Jun taking over the victualing, leaving me freer to learn other skills, and with an increased amount of time on deck to help the leggers settle into the team. Jun has done a fantastic job developing the menus and adding a Chinese twist, which has been very well received. We are still the gourmet boat among the fleet with delicious deli platters appearing during quieter moments of racing.

During the stopover my attention turned to servicing the winches where, after a slow start (there are so many parts which need to be put back in the right order) I succeeded in servicing three. Jimmy has been an excellent coach, and I felt a sense of achievement even with hands left smelling of diesel for a few days. The team is enjoying a long break in Ha Long Bay. After an amazing welcome party many of the crew enjoyed rendezvousing with family in Vietnam and China. We’ve all enjoyed excellent local food and cultural activities, including the Puppet Theatre in Hanoi! The race to Ha Long Bay was so close between Qingdao, Zhuhai and UNICEF and we were extremely happy to be on the podium again. While we could get used to this, but we need to concentrate on the next race, not bask in the successes of the previous ones.