The big blue Clipper Race boat has been in full swing, after some spicy downwind helming overnight, and some impressive stints from crewmembers in challenging conditions. Our equilibrium of downwind sailing has been somewhat restored.
The past few days have been rather busy. Both Dan and I have been up the rig, checking and solving different tasks up there. The Nautitalk SENA headsets have proved a phenomenal piece of equipment in facilitating communications while up the rig. However, I had to simmer my whoops and hollers of excitement as I went up, as poor Dan’s ear was suffering.
We have been visited by flying fish, contrary to popular discourse, I am a big fan of the flying fish. They zoom majestically alongside us, and at night in the phosphorescence they provide a beautiful sight. Also, if you squeeze them when you pick them off the deck in morning, they poop. Which provides a good giggle.
I have recently been pondering the philosopher Foucault’s concept of heterotopia: a concept used to describe how some places are geographically ‘other’. In this concept, he notes the ship as the ‘heterotopia par excellence’ as we exist in our own, 70ft long floating piece of fibreglass, yet are not attached to any singular geographical place. We transit spatial boundaries daily and are entirely self-sufficient. Onboard, we have many nationalities, and people from different walks of life. These factors combine to create a unique space and intense sense of community.
We have become entirely dependent on Mother Nature, harnessing every part of her energy to move our ship along. Alongside supporting one another to keep ourselves, and our boat safe. Foucault notes that in a world without ships, dreams would cease to exist. I think this is the fundamental aspect which sometimes gets lost amidst our racing, spinnaker situations and challenges of life onboard. Amidst the roller coaster of racing, we are crossing the Atlantic Ocean, navigating in the deepest darkest nights by stars alone, thousands of miles from human settlement, a dream in its own right; to have the race of our lives, all in our big blue heterotopia.
AQP Laura
CHEERS,
Dan and Laura