​Feeling festive in the Roaring Forties- a Christmas to remember

This year, 200+ Clipper Race crew will be swapping a Christmas dinner and gathering with family for Christmas Day on board a 70-foot yacht, as they race 2,500 nautical miles from Fremantle, WA to Newcastle, NSW.

Galleys are decorated with tinsel, Christmas dinner supplies prepared and Secret Santa presents stowed away. The crew from all walks of life will this year be sharing a Christmas dinner cooked in a tiny galley with 20 others from all around the world, living life at a 40-degree angle, sleeping in bunks, and battling challenging ocean conditions as they head east from Western Australia.

As the teams prepare for a Christmas like no other, we hear from those on board on what they have planned to celebrate the special day:

Qingdao

Circumnavigator on Qingdao, Gussie Gould said: “Sailing around Australia at Christmas time is an incredible experience. The Qingdao crew feel like my offshore family as we have already sailed over 15,000 nautical miles on our circumnavigation around the globe, therefore, we have gotten to know each other well and have pulled through all sorts of conditions as a team, so it’s a pleasure to be sailing in the Roaring Forties again together during this festive time.

“On Christmas day I’m secretly hoping for a wind hole so that we can get the boom box speaker on deck for some karaoke and bingo. Being out on the ocean in the Southern Hemisphere at forty degrees south, which is relatively warm this time of year, feels like Christmas to the Kiwis and Aussies on board and reminds us that we’re close to home. I’m sending my love to my family and friends back in New Zealand and England.”

Our Isles and Oceans

Katie Mulholland, a 25 year-old Doctor from Dunedin is sailing around the world. She said: “We have been counting down the days in two forms... a wooden advent calendar where a sleigh moves across the numbers each day, and a laminated calendar with a photo of CV21 with windows cut out of it. Whilst we had a brutal couple of first days beating upwind which resulted in a lengthy visit from the green monster (and not the Grinch) we have now been becalmed in a wind hole and people's appetites and Christmas spirits are lifting... our bosun Richard has been tasked with being the Christmas and Boxing Day chef and let me tell you the menu is looking glorious.

"Plans for the day include a secret Santa (probably more naughty than nice presents), a lunch feast, a nativity play (minus a dress rehearsal for full comedic effect), and a smorgasbord of desserts for dinner. The crew is looking forward to this unique version of the 25th of December, and despite distance from family and friends the crew on this boat are a tight knit bunch.”

Leg 4 Crew, Diorbhail said: “Below deck the Christmas decorations are up, and Wee Dram (the Our Isles and Oceans mascot) has been transformed into a Christmas elf. The countdown to Christmas lunch has started and rumour has it that there may even be the appearance of a cheeseboard, and if there’s one thing that motivates this crew it's the promise of good food!

Perseverance

Ineke Van der Weijden, Skipper of Perseverance, said “Some crew members are really into it, I think we have around 50m of tinsel on board! We also have Christmas dinner and secret Santa planned, so we will definitely celebrate.”

Pippa Jephcott, crew member from Devon :“I am going to try not to be seasick! I am going to wrap my head in tinsel, look at the ocean and be amazed that I am in somewhere beautiful and celebrate with my crewmates, enjoy their company and raise a cup of tea!”

“Christmas on the boat feels special; I like lying in my bunk when I’m off watch and hearing the bustle and noise of onboard activities mingling with the Christmas music playing in the background. I have quite a small family, so this feels like a big family get together, but without all the hype and pressure. Well...except to sail well!”

Hear from some of the other crew on board:

Lucy “I am looking forward to opening a tiny present from home. That I was under special instruction not to touch until then!”

Rachel: “This Christmas will be truly memorable and will make next year, when I am back with my family, all the more special.”

Nick: “I only got on this boat because the Roaring Forties were likely to provide slightly better Christmas weather than at home in Cornwall.

“The Christmas Dinner on board has been kept a secret from the rest of the team – all we have been told is that it will be a traditional British meal.”

From the Victualler: “We will be having roast turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing, Brussel sprouts, carrots, cranberry sauce and gravy. We also have mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding!”

Jade: “As weird as it is to be at sea away from family on Christmas Day, we are making the most of it by doing secret Santa and having a traditional British Christmas meal. I also have a surprise up my sleeve for the crew – with the help of my mum, I have put together a small goodie bag for each of our crew members to open on Christmas Day. It’s a surprise even for me as I do not know exactly what is in them. Ineke has also appointed me head of Christmas as I have started to play Christmas music and wearing a Christmas headband since the Fremantle stopover and decorated the boat.”

Peter: “I’m looking forward to opening the letters I got from friends and family at home for Christmas Day.”

PSP Logistics

Mike Miller, Skipper on PSP Logistics said: “Being on a Clipper Race yacht is all about making life happy and cheerful and uplifting for everyone. It’s super important for crew morale and enjoying life together, so the fact that we get to spend some big celebrations like Christmas and (possibly) New Year together at sea is great. We have some big plans for food and parties and make it as special as we can for each other.”

Lottie Wade, AQP: “I am looking forward to Christmas day on the goodship PSP Logistics with the crew. With it being the first Christmas away from home its a new experience, although I will miss mum’s Christmas lunch. Obviously, it goes without saying I will miss all my family and friends, so Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone back home!”

Hear from some of the crew:

Vera: “I a missing my family and friends back home but very excitedto spend this Christmas with my PSP family at sea this year.”

Lorenzo: “I love to have xmas in my house and this boat is my house now!”

Ran: “To my family at home tying bows, I'm thinking of you whilst trying bowlines.”

Shaun: “Christmas on PSP Logistics is going to be a lot of fun. It’s hard to be away from family but we've made our own weird families on these boats. We'vegot a lot planned, including a gift exchange, holiday games, a reading of "Aussie Christmas", a good Santa, bad Santa and we even have a Grinch.”

Jenny: “We may not have a traditional Christmas tree, decorations or dinner but we do have our constantly trimmed sails, a 3-king starry sky and a winning team spirit guiding us to Newcastle. On On PSP!”

Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam

AQP Ella Hebron said: “I am planning to phone my parents, and I might also take a day off work! I think Christmas on board will be extra special because not being with our families, and missing them, brings the focus back to what Christmas is all about rather than just gift giving and a turkey dinner.”

Skipper Josh Stickland: “My Christmas wish is for a roast dinner and a glass of red, so let’s see what the crew pull out of the bag!”

And over to the crew:

Tyson: “I am looking forward to our white elephant gift exchange, because somebody will LOVE my gift.”

Ed: “A break from the material side of Christmas will be nice, and to have a more simplistic holiday this year.”

Eric: “It will be a memorable Christmas that’s for sure, never to be repeated!”

Olaf: “Sailing fast and racing on Christmas Day will be a once in a lifetime experience, and I think will bring us together even more as a crew. Also, we are in the most remote and deserted wilderness on Earth, which will give Christmas a special taste.”

Susan (Victualler): “Food-wise we will be having something different, but I’m not giving any more away than that!”

Dare To Lead

AQP Charlie Warhurst said: “This is my 3rd Christmas at sea - the first Christmas at sea not in the Caribbean. Looking forward to sharing Christmas with the crew and Gary's victualling.”

And from the Dare To Lead crew:

Megan, who is circumnavigating with Mum Amanda said: “Christmas dinner is promised to be a good one with it being a 3-day affair so we’re looking forward to that. And we’ve also got secret Santa to look forward to. It will be interesting to see what everyone has bought each other!

It will be strange to not share Christmas at home with the rest of the family, but we have created our own little family on Dare To Lead. And it will be really nice to share the day with my mum somewhere off the south coast of Australia. It will definitely be a day to remember.”

Robert: “Civilization has been caught up in the trappings of Christmas, but here on the boat we'll celebrate the real spirit of Christmas with friends(although sadly not family). Ours will be a purer Christmas, without piped carols, without fake snow, without fake Christmas cheer as you walk past the homeless on the street. Feelings of friendship, and depth of enjoyment shared is what Christmas will be about this year.”

David: “I'm looking forward to Father Christmas arriving on a whale's back and come sliding down the mast!"

Retief: “My first Christmas on the water! I can't think of a better place to be with this great team, of course depending on the weather. Looking forward to Gary's special menu, can't wait to open my present in the Secret Santa.”

John: “On land we celebrate with family and friends. On the boat it's all about friends and crewmates, and we trust our lives to them. We rather feel like we're crossing a desert following a star. Riding a camel- ship of the desert is rather like helming a clipper, and we too suffer in terms of sleeping conditions and deprivations. All told, a simpler Christmas.”

Olwame: “I'm really looking forward to it, given the circumstances. This will be so special, and so very different from previous Christmases!”

Savio: “In terms of what we're planning - there is a Secret Santa. But of course,it's secret so I can't tell you about it. In terms of what we're doing, I'd like to see us hoist a Christmas tree up the mast using the staysail halyard.”

Clare: “I just want 30 knots to sail downwind. Would settle for 25 if Santa's open to bargaining - been a pretty good person and a tolerable crewmate this year! Up for some carols if we can make a choir out of this wonderful crew.”

Zhuhai

James Finney, Skipper on Zhuhai has already experienced a Christmas at sea on the last race edition and is set to spend another at sea this year. He said: “It’s a weird one, not a normal Christmas! On the last race edition, I was just south of Cape Leeuwin in a wind hole and I think we will be in a similar situation this Christmas! You sort of take the day off from racing, have some nice food and music, which is nice.”

Bekezela

Skipper David Hartshorn: “We have quite a multicultural boat so some will be celebrating their first Christmas. I’m not sure what the festivities are going to be, but I know that our Social Secretary will have some things well organised! Being at sea is a good place to reflect on how far they’ve come, so I am looking forward to that. I think some people will miss their families, but we want to make it as much of a family event as possible, we have a secret Santa, and a prolonged lunchtime meal when we all come together, a bit like when we crossed the Equator.”

Richard: “I’m going to call home on the sat-phone. I have two minutes left and that’s just enough time to wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

Melody: “I was going to be sewing up the Yankee 1, but as that’s done now… I’ll be distributing my gifts to my Secret Santa and watching the glow in their eyes.”

Regina: “Dance and give hugs.”

Henriikka: “Eat two snacks instead of one.”

Kai: “I am going to treat myself with chocolate that’s not mine, washmy hair, and I brought a small bottle of perfume to smell nice (I guess that’s how I’ll help the rest of the crew celebrate).”

Yacht Club Punta del Este

Skipper Nano Antia Bernardez: “We are just going to try and make it special for the crew.

"The team will be missing home, as I will, so we want to make it as special as possible. It’s going to be one to remember.”

First Mate, Angus Whitehead: "So, it’s Christmas Eve, we are sailing! How are you guys, preparing for Crimbo?I’m sure in true Whitehead fashion you all have your new pyjamas ready!? Getting ready, buying presents, maybe even a sneaky pint (or three) before having to see the relatives?

Political debates (arguments), drunk parents and a lot of pigs in blankets, it really is dreamy. Luckily, we don’t have those land dweller problems."

UNICEF

Ed Crook from Auckland, racing on board UNICEF said: “The crew is split between those wishing for wind on Christmas Day, and those hoping we are still in the wind hole so that the celebrations can continue without being interrupted by sail trim, heel and surfing - the inconvenience of racing. I am in the former camp. But it will be what it will be. Over the last two nights we have had periods where the sky has been clear, and the stars have been amazing. Last night the Southern Cross was our guiding constellation as we headed south. If this continues until Christmas Eve it should be easy to spot Santa and the reindeer completing their Christmas deliveries.

"The boat is looking festive with tinsel draped around and plans to create a Xmas tree out of the stern A frame. The secret Santa present stash in one of the galley cubbies adds to the Christmas vibe and there are plenty of crew whose white beards put them in the running for being stand-in Santa for the day. The prospect of a hot and sunny Xmas day is requiring some mental gymnastics by those from the Northern Hemisphere, and they are currently working out which part of the boat should be designated as the substitute for “sitting around the open fire” and how indoor games can be modified for being outdoors and on a boat. I see from the duty roster that I am in the galley for Christmas Day.

"I’m not sure how my normal Christmas BBQ skills will translate to on board the boat but it is probably an easier starting point than for those for whom a turkey is normal. One complication is that it seems that we may have inadvertently eaten the Christmas Day smoked chicken when the galley crew used it in a Thai red curry a couple of days ago. My personal Christmas treat will be to call home to speak to my family.”

Washington, DC

Skipper Hannah Brewis: “I know some of the crew have taken it upon themselves to organise the Christmas festivities- I have stayed away! I know we will have a special meal, but unsure what else- it's a surprise!”

And over to the crew:

Teresa: “Christmas is almost with us. Washington, DC is in a wind hole and with less evolutions and sailing frenzy, Christmas Frenzy has taken over with glitter and mini snowman proliferating.

“Inside tinsel, bells and Christmas music permeate the galley; Secret Santas are to be wrapped, but in the absence of Christmas paper, tin foil may need to substitute. Brussel sprouts await topping and tailing and Christmas puddings peer nervously from a cubby hole awaiting their demise.

“So, in closing from the Washington, DC Team having Christmas together in one of the loneliest sea-scapes, with the occasional bird for company, wish all our families the Happiest of Christmasses, far apart from us physically but in all our thoughts.”