Here we go again!

Tuesday 5th January 2010

Position: 109degs 08'329 S   23degs 31'377 E

Boat time: 09:51hrs

Well here we are back on the water, back where we belong! It was a close start and most boats stayed in sight of each other until last night. It's still a very close race though with only a few miles between all the boats. We're currently flying the mid-weight kite to try and make up some miles lost through the night. Morale on-board is high as we finally start to settle into the watch system. So far so good and no seasickness from any of the crew - even me!

As part of our thanks to Geraldton for hosting us, all the boats had to sail through a manadatory gate laid over HMAS Sydney where it was wrecked in the 2nd World War and where all 645 members of its crew died. At Gerealdton there is a memorial dedicated to the Sydney and one of us off each boat took a wreath up to the sight, and then we laid them in the water as we the sailed over the wreck. The gesture was greatly appreciated by the locals and many people on board. A touching moment when we went up to the memorial was when Paul of Edinburgh read out a letter on behalf of an Ozzy crew member whose Uncle died in the wreck and whose name is remembered on the wall of reflection.

As we head up North and West towards the next scoring gate the fleet is starting to spread out as different tactics come into play. The weather has been windy but mild and overcast and everybody has been enjoying a turn on the helm. Yesterday, I surfed my first wave with a poled-out Yankee 2 foresail, staysail and full main reaching 15.2 knots on the speed instruments and 16.6 knots on the GPS! Everybody says that the instuments are more accurate but I'm inclined to believe the GPS! Either way its my new PB and the speed record, so far, for the leg! Bring it on for making it faster!

Our last night in Geraldton was celebrated with live music on the foreshore and a firework display! Our stay there has been a truly memorable one and, in some ways, I'm sad to leave. However it feels great to be back at sea and I can't wait for the sun to come out! Also, we're all set to be in Batam Island (a holding point just before we parade into Singapore) in plenty of time for my birthday!

Happy New Year to everybody and don't forget to you can follow the race on: http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/

PS. I put loads of photos on my Facebook page before I left Australia. If you can get on Facebook, look me up and go to my photo page. You can also find the photos through my Dad's Facebook (Alan Whitehead) or my sister Kate's (Kate Whitehead)