Into week 41 on the water and our thoughts are starting to think of home and what we will do when this is all finished. How do we assimilate ourselves back into a \u201cnormal\u201d environment. Discussions around things you can say on a boat that you might not say at home. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a book or two on that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve been that tired that my first long sleep was great, out like a light! Feeling a bit more refreshed, hopefully I\u2019m back in my rhythm. We\u2019re through the mandatory gate and our next choice is which of the next gates we go through, the East or the West. We have a team discussion on deck. We\u2019ve been sailing hard and still in 6th spot. Gosh, Punta and Washington look like they\u2019re heading for the west mandatory gate. We have decided to go for the easterly gate as it also gives us the opportunity to go for the scoring gate if the weather permits. Gavin and Zoe believe the wind will fill in from the Northeast which will help us. It looks like Seattle, Warrant and Punta are heading for the scoring gate. However, whilst we could go for the gate we\u2019ve decided to cover Scotland over Seattle to ensure we get past Scotland into the overall leader board. We have protested Washington for going inside the 3-mile exclusion zone. Seemingly they were heading for a reef! Their AIS ironically failed to operate for the short period that they were inside the exclusion zone. We\u2019ve seemingly got evidence to show that they had infringed and if so it will be a minimum of a 6-hour penalty. But that\u2019s for the race committee to decide. We\u2019ve also heard that Scotland have protested Seattle for having members of the crew in front of the grinders after the 4-minute gun on the Le Mans start, which is a basic break of the rules. I doubt if anything will be done on the start, as nobody has been challenged yet on any of the Le Mans starts.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we go through the easterly gate, we have Seattle in front and Scotland behind us. Seattle have decided not to go for the scoring gate and are probably covering Scotland and us! This is going down to the wire and concentration is key, flying the kite in these light wind conditions where the dark arts of apparent wind come into play. It\u2019s something that is tricky to master and something that I\u2019d like to know more about. We continue to hit wind holes and work really hard to get away from the fleet, then hit a wind hole and everyone closes up. In our last wind hole, Gavin chose to go up the mast to replace one of the spreader covers and also took the opportunity to do his Skipper boat report. Watch it on instagram. Back down below and I\u2019m off for a sleep, but it\u2019s extremely hot. Phew! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019re about 3rd, but Scotland, Qingdao and UNICEF are within sight but we\u2019re all in a wind hole again. We\u2019ve had a slight wind angle change and decided to put up the wind seeker. The Code 1 has a few small holes in it anyway, so kill two birds with one stone and repair it. It\u2019s very cat and mouse in these wind conditions, loose concentration for a second and you can lose miles. With the Wind seeker up, we can sail a much higher wind angle and we\u2019ve overtaken Scotland, cut across her bow, picking up speed and starting to move away. We\u2019ve then had a wind shift and we\u2019ve had to tack the wind seeker, by walking it round the main forestay. There is always a bigger danger of wrapping it in such light winds as we did off Cape Town, but we\u2019re getting so much better as a crew and successfully done and on we go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m down below, helping Petra and Will wool the code 1 after it\u2019s had the repairs done. We\u2019ve just finished as there is a watch change and Ollie\u2019s team gets it into its bag and back in the sail locker as the rest of us go to bed. Ollie\u2019s team are then very busy through the night as they\u2019ve pulled down the wind seeker due to another wind shift, wooled it, put it away and raised the Yankee 1. We are now on a starboard tack chasing Washington DC and Seattle. We\u2019ve managed to catch up with Washington before the wind drops. Washington, Qingdao and Seattle are all going higher (more East) than us. We\u2019re approx 80 miles from the start of the sprint and waiting for stronger winds to arrive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kerry and I have served breakfast and are just getting lunch started, a chicken Poke bowl, by getting the rice on, boiled and cooled and ready to go. I wouldn\u2019t say it was my best day in the galley, but everyone has eaten well. To finish off, we\u2019d managed to squeeze some tins of fruit in the fridge and offered up to finish off dinner. A quick wash and tidy up, one last round of coffees and hit the sack. I\u2019ve got the short sleep this rotation so up at 06.00. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s flat calm, another bloody wind hole. Will this never end, with the fleet caught up in it over 100\u2019s of miles. It looks like we\u2019ll see no wind for the duration of our watch. But we\u2019ve taken the code 1 down and put the wind seeker back up again, in the hope we\u2019ll catch a breeze from some where!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eventually, we\u2019ve got wind! Not a lot but it\u2019s definitely wind. I\u2019m not sure how, but Qingdao have snuck off in front of us and as the sun sets for the day, we\u2019re only getting 5.5 to 6 knots of speed but we\u2019re moving which is great and we\u2019re catching Qingdao. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There has been a discussion on the boat for a number of weeks, led by Matt, over an observation of a green flash as the sun sets below the horizon of the sea. Myth or legend? The phenomenon has allegedly come from the surfing world. We\u2019ve watched countless sun sets and no signs of a green flash. Today! I videoed the sunset and as the sun disappeared, I definitely witnessed a green dot, which was also witnessed by Michelle. I\u2019ve looked back through the video and no signs, I\u2019m suspecting it\u2019s caused by the human eye looking at the sun for too long, but I\u2019ve now seen it, so no longer a myth! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The wind is still with us as we start our 02.00 watch. We\u2019re in 3rd spot with, yip you\u2019ve guessed it GOSH in 1st, Qingdao in 2nd and CV25 holding 3rd. With the wind strengthening from the Southeast it\u2019s a great opportunity to chase down Qingdao, and as we start the watch, they are but a tiny spec of light in the distance. We\u2019re sailing at a wind angle of around 90 degrees heading due North. The wind is moving about but chasing the wind angle is keeping our speed up. We can tell that Qingdao are sailing a course as there\u2019s no change, so we should have an advantage and we\u2019re starting to gain on them. Behind us, Punta are going great guns, obviously, getting the better wind before us. Scotland and UNICEF are fighting with Punta for 4th spot, so we need to keep one eye on them. From just a dot on the horizon, we can now see their spinnaker outline lit up by their steaming light and by daybreak, we\u2019re right on them. Watch change at 06.00 and we go down for breakfast and we\u2019ve just changed our wind angle, thrown up the stay sail and we fly past Qingdao into hopefully 2nd spot. It\u2019s also hopefully good news on the sprint, but with everyone parked up for such a long time it\u2019s difficult to call, but it would be a nice surprise. Poor Warrant, the only boat to go for the scoring gate, have driven straight into a wind hole and from being in a fairly strong position have now dropped back. Seattle who had a good lead on us, sailed West and have also dropped back. The next schedule will be interesting to see how everyone shakes out. Well, it looks like we\u2019re in third spot but the fleet is fairly congested. We have spent the last 6 hours battling with Scotland from 0.6 miles to 2 miles, back to 0.6 miles and now back to 2. Wind holes are such a pain and very frustrating for the team. We will see what night brings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What a night that was! Arrived on deck for our 22.00 watch and the wind is around 15 knots and we\u2019re heeled over flying our code 1 we can see the lights of 5 clippers behind us, knowing they\u2019re all trying to chase us down. The closest is now Qingdao with Scotland falling away. For the very 1st time on my journey, the night sky is clear enough to steer directly at the North Star. The \u201cbig dipper\u201d or \u201cplough\u201d is just off our port bow, following the end up in the sky to the North Star. We can visibly helm to the North Star, absolutely stunning. It\u2019s not the easiest of wind angels so a little bit of pressure on the helm, but everyone had a go and everything went well. We extended our lead over the group and I went to bed really proud of the watch’s performance. We will see what happens after breakfast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As suspected, over night the wind has increased, and we had to step over the code 1 which had been laid out for wooling after being dropped in preference for the code 2. We\u2019re heeled over a lot more than our previous watch, so a bit of care was needed to get into the galley. Michelle had made us bacon sandwiches, which can never fail on a boat. Ollie\u2019s watch are now wooling the code 1. Gavin is helming, as we get up on deck to start our watch. It\u2019s a bit more tricky with the wind angle and strength of the wind, so a bit more restricted. Gavin has completed a big stint followed by Tony, then David, then me. We\u2019ve each completed an hour. As we get to the end of my helming stint a very unfriendly weather front is building in front of us. Dark and angry with a dark grey horizon, which normally means rain and a big squall. Gavin is informed, but by the time he\u2019s made his way to the helm, the damage is done. As we\u2019d approached the front, the wind is veering and with the kite up, there\u2019s not much I can do but follow the wind round. I\u2019m bearing away, bearing away by over 180 degrees, so I\u2019m now heading in the opposite direction. The boat is in danger of crash gybing. I\u2019m looking for help and see Gavin coming under the traveller. By this point I\u2019m hove too! With the spinnaker being blown against the rigging. I don\u2019t know how I\u2019m going to get out of this one, but Gavin takes the helm and we go about trying to get ourselves out of a sticky spot. We centre the main and fairly quickly, drop the code 2 and get the Yankee 1 flying, which was already on deck. The majority of our watch are already down below, making a start of running the lines and wooling the kite. Unfortunately, I\u2019m pulled back to help sort the boat in case we need to drop more sail, just as the heavens opened. I thought the last storm was big, this is biblical! Gallons of rain are being dumped on the boat. The sea is frothing and the thunder and lightning is rattling me and everything on the boat. It\u2019s cracking right over our heads. We\u2019re right in the middle of it and I\u2019m not really dressed for it. I\u2019ve got a small vest and light sailing shorts which are now soaked through. After about 30 mins of this storm, the wind picks up, bringing a chill to the air and my hands have now turned blue and I\u2019ve started to shiver. I\u2019m sent below to warm up. After a few minutes, I\u2019m back up on deck in full wet gear. Then in no time, the wind abates, the code 2 is requested and we\u2019re back sailing again in the right direction. We don\u2019t know the damage to our placing yet, but I\u2019m sure we\u2019ve dropped places with some of the chasing pack and our chances of a podium surely blown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another frustrating day, the spinnakers are up then down as we hit squalls or little wind\/wind holes. More thunder and lightning and more rain. It\u2019s becoming a bit of a theme. Turned the last virtual mark and on our way to the finish line. I\u2019m not sure where we are in the race as I\u2019ve not seen any schedules, but it could be 5th. It\u2019s just down to the weather and current now. You know when you\u2019re getting closer to the finish when there are more commercial shipping about and in this instance more navel vessels. There is an international boat festival, celebrating 250 years of American independence. The festival is being held at the naval port, Norfolk at the opening of Chesapeake bay, which we will pass by as we travel up the the bay on our way to Washington DC. Navy ships from all over the world are attending and today we got called up by a Mexican Navy ship warning us that their current course would run over our \u201cdeck\u201d The Captain just called us, on the radio, \u201csailing ship of our bow\u201d with no reply as we had no idea who or why he would be talking to us, he eventually radioed us calling us Sailing ship \u201cLondon\u201d which he\u2019s obviously read of our main sail. Does he not have AIS? He basically wanted to know which direction we where travelling and we carried on in the same course we where travelling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Up for hopefully our last watch of the race. It\u2019s a tight run thing with most of the fleet within a few hours of each other. The challenge for us is to ensure we don\u2019t cock up but still be in the hunt versus the other boats but with only 40 miles to the finish line, there\u2019s not much we can do to improve our position, unless someone drops a clanger or breaks somethin. Like-wise for us, a code rap at this late stage would be a disaster. The wind is steady and strong. We are sailing along at 11 knots, but so is everyone else and whilst we can see all the boats around us, we\u2019re all far enough apart so as not to be caught by the boat behind. As we get to the finish line we need to put in a gybe. Gavin has given the helm honours to Matt, one of 4 Americans on board. No pressure then! As we get closer and closer to the line, we can see 4 boats dropping their sails. Gosh are 1st, Seattle 2nd subject to Scotlands protest, Tongyeong an incredible 3rd, UNICEF in 4th and we\u2019ve crossed the line in 5th spot. Punta in 6th, Qingdao in 7th, Washington DC in 8th, Scotland in 9th and poor Warrant in 10th who will have to come into Washington on their own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A disappointing result after all the great work but a great effort nonetheless from Gavin, Zoe and the team. We\u2019re so unfortunate with all the wind holes and squalls. We sailed well but again, didn\u2019t get the breaks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We now have to wait around the finish line, some 50 miles offshore until Scotland and Washington finish in about 4 hours, we will then move into Chesapeake Bay, motor sail up Potomac River, then through the Woodrow Wilson bridge! They will stop the traffic and lift the bridge at 4am and then a short motor in a line of sail into The Wharf Marina in Washington DC, for breakfast and would it be too early for a beer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019re done, all finished and tied up. Another frustrating race, poor start, great middle and an average finish. The protest on Seattle has been upheld and they\u2019ve received a 2-hour penalty point, a surprising bonus for us and moves us to 4th spot but more importantly moves Seattle down to 6th and brought us all so much closer together on the overall leader board. GOSH can\u2019t be caught now and top the table by a considerable distance, so well done to them. It\u2019s now down to the last leg, we\u2019re the last to play our joker so in a great position to push for 2nd place overall. It\u2019s also moving me to the end of my journey. I\u2019m still not to sure how I feel about it yet. But I\u2019m looking forward to Oban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Into week 41 on the water and our thoughts are starting to think of home and what we will do when this is all finished. How do we assimilate ourselves back into a \u201cnormal\u201d environment. Discussions around things you can say on a boat that you might not say at home. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\n