Home At Last...

It seems that after circumnavigating the globe, Jamaica Get All Right have perfected the race start but are yet to master the finish. After a spectacular farewell from Derry-Londonderry we were off to a flying start and lead the fleet of twelve boats towards the north of Scotland, yet somehow this turned into a disappointing race for us. We came into Den Helder six days later and in tenth place, on the plus side we were still in time to watch Holland beat Costa Rica and secure their place in the World Cup semi final.

After so many weeks at sea I have become shut off from the outside world including international sport, which may have been a godsend when it comes to British attempts at Wimbledon and the World Cup - both sound like they made for painful viewing. I am patriotic but with England out of the tournament we could not have arrived in Den Helder at a better time to support the Dutch in their bid to reach the final. What a great opportunity to pretend to be from a country who had got so far in the tournament although it also meant I had to endure their frustration as they exited in the semi finals.

As Holland were still in mourning after their loss, we were busily preparing for the final race of this sailing adventure. True to form our boat was first out of the blocks and we did hold on for a little longer in this short race home only dropping to eighth. The disappointing result soon became a distant memory though as we sailed up the river Thames to be greeted by friends and family for the Clipper Yacht Race homecoming celebrations.

Over and Over Again

There has been plenty of time for the imagination to run into overdrive during these past few weeks at sea. It often feels as though we are in a movie somewhere between The Truman Show, Groundhog Day and Big Brother. For those of you unfamiliar with the aforementioned I will try and explain what I mean.

To start with we have a very strict watch rotation system in order for the boat to continue racing and the crew to get adequate rest. Each time you wake up (which happens five times every forty eight hours) it is the same process with the only variation being the food and temperature. The type of meal is the only thing that helps me remember what time of day it is when I wake up and the temperature dictates how many layers I have to put on.

Climbing onto deck after your rest the view is usually the same. There is a round circle of water that you are in the middle of and the only variation is the sea state and the weather. This feeling is even stronger in the Atlantic when we went days without seeing signs of any ships. We are completely reliant on the computer navigation system that tells us, apparently, we are getting closer to land. I have to admit at times it felt like we were in a goldfish bowl going nowhere.

This is a race but also an experience. A professional skipper and group of amateur sailors from all walks of life put together on a seventy foot yacht and sent out to sea. It could be a psychologists dream watching events unfold and sometimes it is hard to escape the feeling of being watched; I'm assured the two on deck cameras are purely for safety purposes.

As much as it might have felt we were making no progress at times in the Atlantic there was nothing to prove this but heading around Scotland was a different matter as the Isle of St Kilda became rather too familiar. By that I mean the view as I climbed onto deck was showing the same piece of rock from slightly different angles on three occasions. The flat calm conditions and very slight wind were not what I was expecting from the north of Scotland. The lack of wind and a current in the wrong direction meant progress became painfully slow; by that I mean we actually calculated a negative distance to the finish line on one watch. The most frustrating part was it seemed to be only us in this position and all we could do was wait for the wind to return whilst our competitors put in more miles.

A Royal Wave

I thought we had already bid farewell to Derry-Londonderry after the most stunning firework display on the final evening. I have high standards after attending the 2008 Olympic closing ceremony in Beijing yet somehow these rivalled it. As a comparison, what they lacked in quantity and size they more than made up for in style. There was a considerable delay before they could start - the stunning evening meant it was still far too light at 10pm but it was certainly worth the wait.

The next morning, following several group photo-calls and announcements, all crew were back on board and ready to set sail. As a means of thanking Derry-Londonderry for their awesome hospitality the twelve Clipper Race boats paraded up and down the river in front of the crowds. You would not have guessed it was a Sunday morning the turnout was that impressive. You might struggle to believe me but this send off made our New York departure pale into insignificance. I now know why The Queen waves in such a modest manner; my arm began to fatigue.

After a short motor down to the start we were in for one final treat - a truly incredible display by the Red Arrows. We watched in awe. I still cannot comprehend the level of skill and accuracy needed to fly with such speed and precision. Then it was our turn to sail at speed and with precision as we turned our attentions to the race start. It is nothing like a horse race in the gates or a running race where all competitors form a straight line. First you must work out the exact start line yourself using the markers on either side of the estuary and then set your watch to match the ten minute countdown gun. There is no room for errors as all twelve boats jostle for the best position whilst judging the wind and distance to the line. A false start would be penalised with a seven-hundred and twenty degree turn (not easy in a seventy foot sail boat) and an hour added to your time for every minute you spend the wrong side of the line.

It may seem strange to some that the start is so crucial when embarking on an eight-hundred mile race but if you could hear the screaming and shouting coming from each boat you would soon realise the importance. Getting above your rivals means you can find cleaner wind which results in in a significant advantage on the way to the first northerly marker. Jamaica Get All Right worked well as a team and despite a few barked commands from our skipper we had a smooth and successful start. Let the racing begin.