Where did that go?

Well. What can I say?

In my memories on Facebook a post popped up yesterday showing my acceptance letter as a future crew member for the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race. I was so excited and had absolutely no idea what I was letting myself in for. Well now I know.

A full year later and I have competed in three ocean races, sailing on a 70ft yacht from London to Cape Town, stopping off at Portugal and Uruguay on the way. The training was intense, and over and above the Clipper race training I have, in my own time, taken and passed my Day Skipper certificate along with numerous other day training certification. So after over 12,000 logged nautical miles do I know how to sail?

Sort of, I understand navigation, tides, safety, the use of different sails, my winch technique is pretty good, I know when and where and how to drop anchor, I know my knots, I know my collision regulations, lateral marks, buoys etc. Trimming an asymmetric spinnaker is now second nature, I can alter the trim on the white sails to suit the wind direction. I can tack, gybe, put reefs in and out of the mainsail. I can helm in reasonably settled weather and seas. I can make a distress call, launch a life raft, do first aid.

And I’ve found I can keep my head, and my balance, during the worst of storms and throughout extremely challenging situations. I can draw on my reserves and keep reasonably cheerful even when I’m seriously cold wet and exhausted and I think I absolutely have no more to give.

Below decks I can cook on an angle while the boat is lurching every which way, I can fall asleep in any narrow uncomfortable bunk, preventing myself from being thrown out by clutching the cave locker, I can go weeks without washing or changing my underwear. I can clean bilges, pump grey tanks, do engine checks, fill in the hourly logs…

All this can be learnt, but there is absolutely no substitute for experience, and as with horse riding (my other passion) I suspect it takes more than one lifetime to make a good sailor. As a late starter I find this frustrating, but then I have to remember how far I’ve come in one short, action packed year. And if I can do it, then anyone can.

So, yes, it’s difficult, challenging but so worth it. The highs outnumber the lows, the friends I have gained are friends for life, we have shared so much we are forever linked.

And it’s not over yet, I’m flying home to the UK in an hour or two but I rejoin Bermuda and her crew in Seattle in a few months time for the final two legs and five races. I can’t wait.

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