Race 1: Portsmouth, UK to Puerto Sherry, Spain

LIFE ON BOARD

Race one was all about settling in. Into the watch system, the roles on board, the rhythm of the boat. Including how we eat. Ocean racing can burn up to 5000 calories per day. So we eat to support the potential for endurance-style exercise. I was on galley duty with my friend Justin on the third day. We still had some fresh meat, vegetables and fruit, so we made sliced meat and salad brioche rolls and fruit for lunch, Mexican chicken and bacon fajitas with refried beans, salsa and guacamole for dinner, and fresh baked bread and granola for breakfast.

We came 5th in the race, which was full of highs and lows. The lows being that the race ended before the course was completed due to unfavourable winds. The highs were abundant. From big winds and squalls to stunning sunsets and spotting whales, multiple pods of dolphins, and having a little bird join us on the boat for the last couple of days. Like my first galley duty, this race was a taste of what’s to come.

Leg Start Day – Clipper Round The World Race 2023/24 – Puerto Sherry, Friday, 15th September 2023.Photo: © Brian Carlin/16 Degrees South/Clipper Racedefault

LESSONS
I had the chance to manage the spinnaker trim at one stage during the race. This was the first time I had held the spinnaker sheets as every time we’d hoisted the spinnaker during training I seemed to be at the helm. I was surprised at their length, how thin they appeared compared to the other sheets, and yet how incredibly strong and robust they were. It was a work-out holding and easing these sheets with so much wind in the sail!

SUSTAINABILITY
Food and food waste is always top of mind for me. We had a short race and we’re trying to use all of our fresh food first before tapping into preserved options. Supporting this, the galley watches were finding ways to reuse left overs from one meal into the next or in the next days cooking. This behaviour will hold us in good stead should we face any unfortunate conditions that keep us at sea longer than expected – we won’t run out of food.