Monday
15th January 2001, 0915 GMT
Mother watches,
and stray fish!
BBC Bristol Online's diarist Jane Rickard reports live
from the Bristol Clipper |
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Day
10 dawns and for our watch, the latest time change which has been
decreasing in hourly chunks as we venture ever westward, the deck
summons at 6am.
The good news today is our calculations show we have crossed the dreaded
ITC Zone, the master of all winds holes and sea car parks in the Pacific.
Two days ago wafting around in a couple of knots of wind we estimated
our arrival into Hawaii as sometime in September - perish the thought!
 |
| I
felt a rush of emotion as I realised here I was in the middle
of the world's largest oceans in harmony with the boat and the
elements on what is truly an adventure of a life time. |
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The Zone does have a tendency to wobble about a bit though, so
as we head north west directly towards Hawaii at a decent 9 knots
we hope it wobbles towards the southerly boats in the fleet so
we can make a few miles up.
As the sun rises on a beautiful morning we encounter our first building
Cumulonimbus clouds that to date I've only seen in sailing text books.
The bearer of increasing winds these magnificent structures graced
by the appearance of a beautiful rainbow provided a veritable
feast for any artists pallete. Equally canvasable!, yesterday's
sunset was quite spectacular.
Called on deck as I emerged from my slumbers for a
spinnaker hoist, I took up position on the piano strings (the
lines that come back to the cockpit to hoist the sails) and experienced
one of those magic moments.
I felt a rush of emotion as I realised here I was in the middle of
the world's largest oceans in harmony with the boat and the elements
on what is truly an adventure of a life time.
Now 8 hours behind GMT and 3 behind Cuba our body clocks struggle
to adjust to the food and sleep shift (well mine does anyway). Our
watch system operates on GMT whilst our meals are eaten by the ships
clock in the good old style of rising and setting sun which as I write
shows the local time of half midnight being 8.30am your time. The
result is my stomach is constantly chasing the clock especially
with lunch 3 hours later. Confused, my stomach certainly is.
A watch Mother's work is never done - the ongoing tasks through
the 24 hour service they provide covers... well all sorts really.
The boat is a hive of constant activity with a team on deck dedicated
to making it go faster while Mother team at its beck and call
fulfill their needs of
square meals, pass endless chocolate bars, fruit (if still available)
and drinks up the companionway. Pump the generator fuel tank,
clean the heads, replenish galley food supplies from bilge bag
reserves, wash the decks, wake up the off watch .......
Mother watch duties even extend to the removal of uninvited bed
guests trying to snuggle up with fellow crew members. On hearing
plaintiff cries of 'someone help me get this smelly fish out of
my bunk', Mother Robin goes to Carolyn's rescue - the slippery
customer proves a bit of a challenge, but with the aid of a torch,
its stunned into submission and returned to the deep only a little
worse for wear.
Foul play is suspected, but this is a genuine case of a stray sea
friend. As I close, the sky darkens and the wind is seriously picking
up - more speed is on its way - watch this space |
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