Monday
19th February 2001
Back in the
UK, you don't know how lucky you are boy! |
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BBC Bristol Online's Clipper diarist is back in the UK after spending
several legs on-board the Bristol Clipper as a crew member. In
the last of her diaries, she reflects on her experiences.
Some weeks into their journey to Japan I feel for my colleagues
on the Bristol Clipper as they approach the cold bit.
Freshly returned from the warmth of the fabulous Hawaiian Islands
at the end of the second leg of the great adventure, having had
the pleasure of running around in bear feet for several months,
hitting the cold tarmac at Bristol Airport came as a bit of a
shock.
Whilst on the long haul home across the last bit of Pacific before
hitting the North American coast and then the Atlantic far below,
I wondered which special, bizarre, high and low moments would
endure:
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| The
canal itself was a major highlight, our passage through
what to me is one of the world's greatest wonders. |
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The wall to wall torrential rain and permanently soggy pants we
endured from Cuba to Colon combined with the thrill of being first
over the line.
Shopping for victuals at the supermarket under heavy armed guard
added to the patchwork of extraordinary moments of this gateway
to the Panama Canal.
The canal itself was a major highlight, our passage through what
to me is one of the world's greatest wonders. I was awestruck
by its vastness, sharing this waterway with gigantic banana and
container ships, towering above us and then slipping off silently
to their destinations.
Discovering a heaving mass of maggots under both Simon's and Mark's
bunk on the same day! And, dealing with it without causing a bout
of seasickness.
The frenzied "sweat shop" round-the-clock repair of
spinnakers when blown in stifling heat and humidity, sewing yards
and many yards with a manual wind
up machine.
The absolutely magical sight of hundreds of dolphins leaping and
playing in our wake. Steering by the beautiful moon and stars
on wonderfully clear nights that bathed the water and decks so
brightly you thought it was almost day.
Coming third so close behind London into the Galapagos was a real
low, lots of swearing and frayed tempers - but that's racing.
Slipping into hippy mode on Santa Cruz - a real high. The crew
adorned themselves with countless friendship bracelets, toe rings
and sarongs - relax was the mantra, as we enjoyed paradise.
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| Being
knocked down by a 35 knot squall, screaming along with the
boom in the water. |
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Walking (or should that be shuffling) with the Jurassic Park tortoise
on safari in the Santa Cruz Highlands escorted by our unconventional
back door guide with some dodgy history and geological terms.
Robin being presented with a bill for 52 Bloody Mary's on Christmas
Day (we're not sure he didn't drink them all himself).
Our New Year's Eve eve party with egg throwing and tug of war
competitions in the street astonishing the locals.
The tremendous warmth and friendliness of the islands people.
In particular one of our ferry taxi drivers, short of the odd
tooth or three who motored out to us ever valiantly, one hand
on the tiller and the other bailing water furiously from the aft
end of his precarious transport, always with a huge smile and
a wave.
Our initiation ceremony conducted by our very own Nepture (Bob
in a stick on beard and Simon's sarong - don't ask) and the bucket
of yesterdays food lovingly mixed together with cans of pilchards
and anything else vaguely disgustingly smelly to baptise our crossing
the equator.
Being knocked down by a 35 knot squall, screaming along with the
boom in the water, and hanging on to the helm for dear life.
Standing on Diamond Head Crater looking down at the finish line
realising that for me the game was over and envying those who
would continue on.
And so back to reality, or is it, with fear of the great four
walls of officedom I have taken once again to the water. This
time to gain my boat masters licence to drive the Bristol Ferry
boats - and whilst I do, in the cold and frosty mornings I have
yet time to mull over the treasured moments shared with my Clipper
colleagues and yearn for my next adventure out to sea.
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