Christmas 2014

So it's Christmas time again. How many Clipper Christmases is that now - three? This means that this time next it will be all over for me. How do I feel about that? Not too sure really. On the plus side I will be able to call myself an ocean sailor and will have experienced all the good and bad aspects that such a trip brings, I would have been to somewhere in Brazil and celebrated big time and would returned home to family and friends.

On the downside I would have waved the fleet good by until summer 2016 when we welcome them home.

So it's Christmas time again. Time to celebrate another year successfully navigated. Levels 1 & 2 completed. I had plan to do Level 3 in October, but a change of job meant this had to be rearranged for 2015. Unfortunately, I couldn't make the official Clipper Christmas drink and the end of November, but did go to Hardys for the meal that Ali arranged. Three 11-12ers also joined us, so we got some good insights and tips into the whole experience. It would appear that bread making is one of the key skills to be mastered. A little something to learn as a new year's resolution perhaps?

The following Friday was another event organised by Emily at The Dickens Inn. We seem to gravitate to this place quite a lot! Every time a group of us meets, its a good mixture of familiar faces as well as new ones. Emily and I meet for the first time having only previously only hailed each other from our respective yachts as we passed on the Medway.

Simon, a newish member of Clipper had gone to the Clipper drinks the previous week (and by the sounds of it had only just got home!) commented on how there were five standard questions we all asked each other when we were doing the pleasantries. But then that is we are most likely to do - ask what your name is, what legs, have you sailed before etc. We also had someone signed up for the 17-18 race come to soak up the atmosphere. And the best bit of all this year I didn't fall asleep on the train and miss my stop!