Sent: 8/12/09Boat time: 01:30hrs
Position:
40deg 09.14' S
81deg 38.75' E
Well over half way now and starting to get excited about reaching Australia. With only a week to go before we get there, it's a popular conversation topic. What's the first thing you'll do? Where are you staying? What are you doing whilst there? Answers are wide and varied from taking a shower to hiring a motorbike! One thing is agreed though, and that is the shorts and t-shitrs will be ready waiting!
Tonight I'm definitely looking forward to the shorts and t-shirts more than normal as sitting on deck as we struggle upwind with the yankee 3 and second reef is not warm work - especially as all we can do is ride it out! Despite a beautiful sunny and mild afternoon the nights are still cold and layers are on!
We saw whales again the other day but this time they decided to stay around for a while and kept pace with us off the starboard beam for about half an hour. Every few minutes there were blows and as both wales surfaced and we even saw quite a lot of their bodies. Our resident 'expert' Jonny G reckons they were over 30ft long.
I had my first proper shower for 13 days yesterday after my mother watch duties. Although it was cold and i washed my hair in salt water, it felt great! However a day spent in thermals and foulies soon gets you back to feeling 'normal' - a slightly grubby, slightly smelly state of being, but everybody is the same so no-one notices.
After speaking to Mum, Dad and Hannah on the satellite phone the other night I've been feeling a bit homesick, especially as tempers have been a little frayed recently, but a fabulous days sailing seems to have sorted eveybody out and we're back on track to reaching Oz as fast as possible!
Hopefully, I will get some photos sorted out for the Blog when we get to Oz.
Don't forget you can follow the race on: http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/
Lily :)
Hi, Lily. Was lovely speaking to you on the phone the other night. Not far to Australia now. The boats in the virtual race have started arriving. My boat should be in Monday 14/12 - in about 6,000th place out of 67,000-odd. Steve Spreyer has done really well. He should be in Sunday night and is well above 2,000th place. Looking forward to speaking to you in Oz. It's 30C in Geraldton! Love, Daddy xx
ReplyDeleteJust read your blog.Wish I was on my way to Oz. Weather man just said sleet and snow.Yuck.
ReplyDeleteHope you can find a computer with webcam in Geraldton so you see Maurice. Take care. Miss you loads.Mummy xxxxxxx PS should see Johnny totnight as band is playing at school concert.
Keep going - you seem to be doing very well in the lighter winds and look like you are in for a good finnish to Oz. It sounds like Helensburgh weather every day for you at the moment.
ReplyDeleteLove, Janice & Peter