Just to let you all know that we have arrived safely in Hobart. A tough start to the race saw us doing well but we eventually came in ninth. All the Clipper boats were close together, finishing before night set in on the 30th, so in good time for the partying. Weather has been fantastic for the past couple of days but it was a rough start with a 'southerly buster' that saw 30+ boats retire from the race.
We have a very short stopover, leaving on the 2nd but I will try and post something else before I leave. I am staying with Janice's aunt while here and I am looking forward to getting off the boat for a few nights.
Happy New Year to everyone and keep in touch.
Kate xx
Wednesday 30 December 2015
Wednesday 23 December 2015
Sydney stopover - episode 2 - time with the family
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| Sydney Opera House |
Saturday morning dawned and weather wise it was a warm and beautifully sunny morning. The heat
hadn't quite hit yet! Breakfast of fresh mango followed by Patrick's homemade scones and strawberry
jam set us all up for the day. I love that the Australian family are all still so very English even after nearly 45 years of living out here. When we meet up it doesn't seem like ages since we last saw each other and it is wonderful to meet the next generation and to witness them growing up into such delightful young adults. The importance of family is highlighted and I know that one of the 'side effects' of this trip is that I will try and keep in touch with everyone more. I would love to come out
and spend a decent amount of time travelling around and catching up with everyone - two weeks, although ages in 'Clipper' time is not nearly long enough. It is lovely to be away from 'The Clipper
Family' for a few days and to get some sense of normality away from the pressures of having to get the boat ready for the next race.
The day continued with a very English tea of cucumber and egg sandwiches, strawberries, cherries
and a Victoria sponge, made by Caroline, followed by a viscous game of croquet. The setting was perfect and under the shade of an Angophra tree. Congratulations to Molly and Patrick who shot
round the course sending the rest of us skuttling in all directions whenever we were unfortunately
close enough to be 'roqueted'. Caroline and I came in a veritable third after having great trouble in
hitting the finishing pole. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
Sunday dawned, another perfect day, and it was off to church for the early service before we went to a small cafe for a wonderful breakfast overlooking a stunning view. I am loving the closeness of the 'Australian' family and how they all seem to look out for each other. It would be great if I could live closer to mum and my siblings back in the UK - yet again it highlights the importance of family and how I need to make more of an effort when I get back.
Patrick, Anne, Caroline and I then headed up to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains where we visited
the Three Sisters, an eroded rock formation surrounded by spectacular views. Not too hot and enough time for Patrick to buy a Panama hat in a famous hatterie before we had to head back, Caroline and I to Berambing where I stayed with her for a couple of nights, and the others back to Richmond where Anne was taking part in a choral concert.
I then had the privilege of staying with Caroline for a couple of nights. John and Caroline have been building their beautiful house for an number of years now and although not yet completed the potential is enormous. Secluded, quiet and with beautiful views across the Blue Mountains. Caroline and I spent the next day talking, relaxing, preparing lunch for the family, feeding the horse in the dark and generally catching up with each other. We last saw each year two and a half years ago when she visited Australia so lots to catch up on.
I needed to be back on the boat on the 22nd so it was a day out for the family and we all came down
to Sydney on the train so that they could visit the boat and see where their mad cousin/niece was spending the year travelling around the world.
I am now back on the boat but will be catching the train back to Richmond so that I can spend Christmas Eve and Day with the extended family. Boat preparation continues apace and I am hoping
that I can get away by about 2pm. Patrick and Anne will then bring me back to Sydney early on
Boxing Day so that I can settle on the boat in time for slipping lines just after 1000 hrs.
This will probably be my last post before the race starts as everything is going to get quite chaotic with Christmas and final preparations. So I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I will be back in touch again when I get to Hobart. This will be a very short stopover so I can't promise I will b able to write much more than to let you all know that I have arrived safely.
Sunday 20 December 2015
Sydney stopover - episode 1
I am in the middle of a two week stopover in Sydney and have decided to try and keep this blog updated on a regular basis rather than wait until just before I leave.
The first few days after arrival were spent on CV30 carrying out various aspects of maintenance including mending and replacing various pieces of ropes (sheets, reeking pennants. and halyards), winch servicing and tidying up down below after everything got shaken about during the storms around Tasmania on our way here. There is also quite a lot of work involved with the Sydney Hobart race including radio checks, numbering sails, updating the medical box etc that is keeping us all pretty busy. I have been staying in an hotel about a five minute walk from the marina which has been really convenient, and with sharing a room not too expensive.
Last Friday a team of took out a number of staff from the Sydney UNICEF office plus their guests on a sail around Sydney Harbour, out through The Heads and back again. It was a perfect day for a 'Corporate' and gave me the opportunity to have a relaxed 'pootle' without the stress of racing. These days are often good fun as we get to meet lots of different people, some of whom have never been out on a yacht before. The variety of boats was stunning as we swept through the harbour on our 70 footer including some of the faster yachts in the race, including Ragamuffin, the older and the tiny, in comparison, Lasers.
After the day with UNICEF I left the boat to go and stay with my cousins up in the Blue Mountains - so more of that in Episode 2.
The first few days after arrival were spent on CV30 carrying out various aspects of maintenance including mending and replacing various pieces of ropes (sheets, reeking pennants. and halyards), winch servicing and tidying up down below after everything got shaken about during the storms around Tasmania on our way here. There is also quite a lot of work involved with the Sydney Hobart race including radio checks, numbering sails, updating the medical box etc that is keeping us all pretty busy. I have been staying in an hotel about a five minute walk from the marina which has been really convenient, and with sharing a room not too expensive.
Last Friday a team of took out a number of staff from the Sydney UNICEF office plus their guests on a sail around Sydney Harbour, out through The Heads and back again. It was a perfect day for a 'Corporate' and gave me the opportunity to have a relaxed 'pootle' without the stress of racing. These days are often good fun as we get to meet lots of different people, some of whom have never been out on a yacht before. The variety of boats was stunning as we swept through the harbour on our 70 footer including some of the faster yachts in the race, including Ragamuffin, the older and the tiny, in comparison, Lasers.
After the day with UNICEF I left the boat to go and stay with my cousins up in the Blue Mountains - so more of that in Episode 2.
Thursday 17 December 2015
Albany
I have now got a system for transferring photos from my camera to the iPod and into my blog so I thought I would share some of the photos from the stopover in Albany.
We arrived too late from Cape Town for the crew party but this was compensated for by the arrival of my good friend, Linda, from university days and her husband, Martin. They had rented an apartment about a ten minute walk from the marina and were very generous in letting Janice, Neill (both RTWers) and myself stay with them. Linda arrived with her arm in plaster having broken her wrist a couple of days previously as she clambered over some rocks to take a closer look. That's geologists for you.
This accident is payback for when Linda suggested I put my feet on the axle of my bike 40 years ago as we cycled back to the caravan after a day's geological field work up in Shropshire. It was a good down hill ride along the A5 until my foot went into the spokes and I somersaulted over the handle bars, only to break my right wrist!
Martin was very helpful to Janice, our Chief Victualler, as he drove her around fetching and collecting shopping while Linda helped with the actual shopping. Thank to both of you for all your help.
When I managed a day off from working on the boat I spent the day with Linda and Martin. We went to the ANZAC centre where there is an inspirational display and memorial to those that travelled from Albany to Europe at the beginning of WW1. We then continued to the other side of the Bay to the old Whaling Station. Unfortunately we were too late to get into the museum but instead went for a lovely walk along the cliffs looking out towards the Southern Ocean and our route into Albany. M and L then stayed to wave us off as we left for Sydney a couple of days later - thank you.
We arrived too late from Cape Town for the crew party but this was compensated for by the arrival of my good friend, Linda, from university days and her husband, Martin. They had rented an apartment about a ten minute walk from the marina and were very generous in letting Janice, Neill (both RTWers) and myself stay with them. Linda arrived with her arm in plaster having broken her wrist a couple of days previously as she clambered over some rocks to take a closer look. That's geologists for you.
This accident is payback for when Linda suggested I put my feet on the axle of my bike 40 years ago as we cycled back to the caravan after a day's geological field work up in Shropshire. It was a good down hill ride along the A5 until my foot went into the spokes and I somersaulted over the handle bars, only to break my right wrist!
Martin was very helpful to Janice, our Chief Victualler, as he drove her around fetching and collecting shopping while Linda helped with the actual shopping. Thank to both of you for all your help.
When I managed a day off from working on the boat I spent the day with Linda and Martin. We went to the ANZAC centre where there is an inspirational display and memorial to those that travelled from Albany to Europe at the beginning of WW1. We then continued to the other side of the Bay to the old Whaling Station. Unfortunately we were too late to get into the museum but instead went for a lovely walk along the cliffs looking out towards the Southern Ocean and our route into Albany. M and L then stayed to wave us off as we left for Sydney a couple of days later - thank you.
Wednesday 16 December 2015
Race 4 - Albany to Sydney
So what was it really like sailing through the Southern Ocean?
The morning before the race started I met our new skipper, Martin, who is standing in for Jim for Leg 4, Albany - Sydney - Hobart - Airlie Beach. Quite an undertaking to take on a new crew and unknown boat and sail it around Australia though he is definitely up to the task as can be seen from our brilliant result of 6th. Martin was a skipper in the 2000 edition of the race which went round the world the other way following the Trade Winds and taking in the Galápagos Islands, Hawaii and Japan.
After the opportunity to go for a short sail with our new skipper the race started and we left Albany in good sailing conditions with medium strength winds and relatively flat seas. After a couple of days the winds started to build though we never got the following winds that were promised. We were heading into winds that reminded me of conditions sailing towards Albany: the boat heeling over at 45 degrees and a constant banging as we crashed over the waves. Not particularly comfortable!
The racing was good as we managed to keep up with the fleet and it was great to see other boats as we headed east. Our position in the race was constantly changing and there was a real incentive to work hard and increase our efficiency. For me, Martin has been a great skipper and is always leading by example as he is often up on deck helping with sail changes and coaching those behind the helm. He has pushed us hard which isn't to everyone's taste and I think it will be difficult to go back to how it was with Jim.
We raced hard and with increasing winds our skills were stretched to the limit but everyone pulled together which resulted in us being able to maintain our position in the fleet and eventually come in 6th. The conditions in the Tasman Sea were much more challenging than the Southern Ocean with
winds gusting up to 65 knots and huge following seas and waves towering over the boat. The guys on the helm did a fantastic job of keeping the boat going in the right direction and with only a couple of
broaches that saw me clinging onto the nav station seat with muscles I never knew existed. We eventually came out of the strong winds and we're lucky, or skilled enough, to avoid the wind hole that was building along the East Coast and that some of the boats fell into. We eventually came into the Heads thinking that we were 7th only to discover that we had left 'Visit Seattle' behind and that 6th place was ours.
Our sense of achievement was fantastic as we came to celebrate our best result. We always knew we could sail the boat and with a bit of a push from Martin achieved something only dreamt of. The challenge is now to continue with our success and do well in future races.
Sailing into Sydney Harbour with the spinnaker up was fantastic and a fitting end to a great, but challenging, race. The CYCA is a wonderful yacht club and with all the professional crews gathering for the Sydney Hobart race has an amazing atmosphere. I am now left wondering how much more difficult this next race is going to be, or have we experienced the worst.
As I write this Sydney has just experienced a tornado with winds of up to 200 kph, rain and hail stones as big as golf balls. Luckily it was far enough from here otherwise boats could have been severely damaged and the race put in jeopardy. I have spent the past few days repairing damage to the boat and after a UNICEF corporate day on the 18th will be free to go and stay with my aunt and cousins who live around Richmond towards the Blue Mountains. I can't wait to spend time with them and to get away from Clipper life that can become all too consuming.
The next race is the classic Sydney Hobart starting on Boxing Day. Sydney Harbour will be filled with boats, both racing and spectator, and it is a privilege to be able to take part. We head back north to The Whitsundays on the 2nd of Jan where after a short stopover and crew change we set of for Vietnam and China.
I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year. You will all be in my thoughts as I bask in hot sunshine and celebrate with my Australian relations.
Kate
The morning before the race started I met our new skipper, Martin, who is standing in for Jim for Leg 4, Albany - Sydney - Hobart - Airlie Beach. Quite an undertaking to take on a new crew and unknown boat and sail it around Australia though he is definitely up to the task as can be seen from our brilliant result of 6th. Martin was a skipper in the 2000 edition of the race which went round the world the other way following the Trade Winds and taking in the Galápagos Islands, Hawaii and Japan.
After the opportunity to go for a short sail with our new skipper the race started and we left Albany in good sailing conditions with medium strength winds and relatively flat seas. After a couple of days the winds started to build though we never got the following winds that were promised. We were heading into winds that reminded me of conditions sailing towards Albany: the boat heeling over at 45 degrees and a constant banging as we crashed over the waves. Not particularly comfortable!
The racing was good as we managed to keep up with the fleet and it was great to see other boats as we headed east. Our position in the race was constantly changing and there was a real incentive to work hard and increase our efficiency. For me, Martin has been a great skipper and is always leading by example as he is often up on deck helping with sail changes and coaching those behind the helm. He has pushed us hard which isn't to everyone's taste and I think it will be difficult to go back to how it was with Jim.
We raced hard and with increasing winds our skills were stretched to the limit but everyone pulled together which resulted in us being able to maintain our position in the fleet and eventually come in 6th. The conditions in the Tasman Sea were much more challenging than the Southern Ocean with
winds gusting up to 65 knots and huge following seas and waves towering over the boat. The guys on the helm did a fantastic job of keeping the boat going in the right direction and with only a couple of
broaches that saw me clinging onto the nav station seat with muscles I never knew existed. We eventually came out of the strong winds and we're lucky, or skilled enough, to avoid the wind hole that was building along the East Coast and that some of the boats fell into. We eventually came into the Heads thinking that we were 7th only to discover that we had left 'Visit Seattle' behind and that 6th place was ours.
Our sense of achievement was fantastic as we came to celebrate our best result. We always knew we could sail the boat and with a bit of a push from Martin achieved something only dreamt of. The challenge is now to continue with our success and do well in future races.
Sailing into Sydney Harbour with the spinnaker up was fantastic and a fitting end to a great, but challenging, race. The CYCA is a wonderful yacht club and with all the professional crews gathering for the Sydney Hobart race has an amazing atmosphere. I am now left wondering how much more difficult this next race is going to be, or have we experienced the worst.
As I write this Sydney has just experienced a tornado with winds of up to 200 kph, rain and hail stones as big as golf balls. Luckily it was far enough from here otherwise boats could have been severely damaged and the race put in jeopardy. I have spent the past few days repairing damage to the boat and after a UNICEF corporate day on the 18th will be free to go and stay with my aunt and cousins who live around Richmond towards the Blue Mountains. I can't wait to spend time with them and to get away from Clipper life that can become all too consuming.
The next race is the classic Sydney Hobart starting on Boxing Day. Sydney Harbour will be filled with boats, both racing and spectator, and it is a privilege to be able to take part. We head back north to The Whitsundays on the 2nd of Jan where after a short stopover and crew change we set of for Vietnam and China.
I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year. You will all be in my thoughts as I bask in hot sunshine and celebrate with my Australian relations.
Kate
Sunday 13 December 2015
Arrival in Sydney
Just a quick post to let everyone know that we have arrived safely in Sydney after a very tough race from Albany. The Southern Ocean gave us a tough ride but nothing compared to the Tasman Sea where we experienced winds up to 60 knots and enormous seas. The toughest race so far but exhilarating once trust was put in the boat and the new skipper.
We got in earlier today, a very good 6th place, and I am now sitting in the CYCA (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia) drinking beer and eating ice cream. A fantastic atmosphere.
A big thank you to my cousin Anne and her son Christopher who were on the pontoon when we got in - it couldn't have been a better welcome.
I will get to post a more detailed account of the past two weeks, this is just an update to let you all know that we are safe.
Be back soon
Kate
We got in earlier today, a very good 6th place, and I am now sitting in the CYCA (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia) drinking beer and eating ice cream. A fantastic atmosphere.
A big thank you to my cousin Anne and her son Christopher who were on the pontoon when we got in - it couldn't have been a better welcome.
I will get to post a more detailed account of the past two weeks, this is just an update to let you all know that we are safe.
Be back soon
Kate
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