Day 01 – 31^st August

The Start Line

The actual race start was at the end of Southend pier. Being August Bank Holiday Monday, it was of course raining. Despite that, the pier was crowded (I didn't know until I got home, but my friend Gary was in the crowd) with people and there were quite a few spectator boats bimbling around as well. It also gave us one of the few opportunities to wear our nice new name stamped foulies on this Leg.

At 1230 the gun finally went and we were on the road to Rio. A number of the fleet put spinnakers up straight away, but Diane (skip) wanted to play a more conservative game, so we kept on white sails as we headed out of the estuary to North Foreland. Despite not having the kite up, we were holding up quite well and we could see others having kitemares ahead.

I was designated as one of the primary helms for starboard watch and though I was officially on Mother duties, I was asked to take the helm as we headed for Red Sands Towers. As we rounded these and the wind angle improved, skip decided to put the Code 2 up. Exactly what happened I'm note sure, but something went wrong with the hoist. I could see the clew under the boom and heard ripping sound as the tear in the sail appeared. The team did a great job in rescuing the sail, but it was a big setback so early in the race.

My next challenge was to survive the rest of  Mother watch by having to cook dinner as we headed down the English Channel.

Skipper's Blog

Kitemare!

Long night for our first leg, but we are getting settled into the watch routine and getting used to being on board. We took a few miles out of some and then gave some back but we are working on pulling in a few boats.

The guys are still sewing!

Crew Blog

We have a lot to talk about! Where to begin. Of course it was an exciting day for all of us...one that seemed to not really have a start and it certainly at this point does not seem to have a finish...just yet...we know that we have about 5,200 nautical miles ahead of us...

Sunday slipping lines for us crew was a surreal moment for all involved. Oh the tears were flowing...the smiles were abundant and the air was charged with electricity ...which in the UK is 240 volts...zap! We know that for all of us we share a common bond in doing this...everyone made sacrifices to be here to be a part of this race. We are supported by all of you reading this blog on your mobile device hopefully sipping a beverage we might like to enjoy with you when we return to tell our tale tales...and day one certainly was chalk full of them for us aboard ClipperTelemed+

To set the scene for you after our incredible experience waving goodbye to loved ones and steaming under the Tower Bridge...we motored down the river Thames. We arrived around 2300 BST and were surprised as we moored along one of the Clipper Ventures training vessels that the person on the receiving lines was none other than the omnipresent Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. Calm, cool and reassuring all while smoking a cigarette which we all thought he had given up on his last epic solo sail...

There is just not one person this race is about nor is this race one that is won by just one person. However there is one person whom we all know is one heck of a great sailor and inspiration for all us crew on board pretty much any this vessel... That one person is one that all of you know and all of us whom have been able to meet him instantly respect and appreciate his care and attention to our vessel and to all of us. A living legend. As we start this journey we hope only to follow in his sea steps and return safely to port...and hopefully on the podium!

Weather: Sheet...yes...but we all know it could be and will get worse...today kinda spat on us...as if all the months and months of training to get to race day could be rewarded with some sun...alas we are not fretting because we know King Neptune will soon be letting us know just how much sun his ocean can and will bake upon us...

Food: Hats off to the mothers of the day Linda and Chris

Breakfast...eggs , scrambled, toast.

Lunch...ham and cheese sandwiches, apple, chips (oh wait, I mean crisps!)Dinner...Mashed Potatoes and some strange but tasty sausage link thingy and then of course the obligatory coffee, tea and biscuits served up throughout the watches...so far we have not fed the fish! I'll let you figure out what that means...

The good..the bad the ugly.

The Start! Weee we're off to Rio! Great start...right in there...we flew our Yankee one...our stay sail and our full main and were in the thick of the sails all around with their kites up...some had some hiccups but pushed on...

Kitemare take one...we hoisted our medium weight spinnaker... then it turned into a little cry baby because...well various reasons that we will as we get better and better be able to do better and better...however the skinny is we are now breaking in our crews on board sail machine...as we are Alex and Nigel the sail makers stuck down below deck and still not feeding the fishes!