7th November 2019 – Race day 17 – Glow in the dark
Finally, I am back on deck!
Sophia is with is too. It’s great to have our watch at full strength again.
It’s great knowing that we are so close to finishing.
We are in the top 3 for sure and keep pushing for that podium.
Our whole watch is back together on deck to finish the race.
Jeronimo and Ryan have their game faces on, constantly checking our course, our position vs others and what the weather is going to do next.
We are healed over to 40 degrees so everywhere you move is like a Go Ape climbing challenge, you have to plan it in advance then climb, crawl and pull yourself into position.
It’s warm which means we can wear a few less layers but there is always the risk of a rogue wave and sea spray soaking you through so most of us stick to our full wet weather Minion kit.
The general mood has bounced back, and a party atmosphere is beginning to cut through.
DL gets the Ukulele on deck and we have a team sing along for our happy hour singing the “jammer song” which is something DL created to help us find the correct Jammer in the pitch black so we do not accidentally drop a sail.
This doesn’t help the high concentration of the experienced and Uber competitive sailors amongst us.
We are reminded to focus, not break anything and complete each evolution flawlessly and fast like pros.
The Crew are beginning to think about their appearance for the first time in 2 weeks.
Ryan shaves off his beard sitting on the stern and leaves an impressive moustache ready for the cameras.
Sadie clears the gunk from her nails using what looks like a machete of a sailing knife, DL tries out the nail scissors on his Leatherman multi-tool and Jesus shapes his beard in the heads and does a great job despite the angle and movement of the boat.
I decide to stick with how I look in an attempt to look like a real salty “sea-dog” but in truth I probably look like the same office boy that left home 3 weeks ago lol 😊.
Ryan has sailed around this area before and shares some knowledge about the fast-changing weather conditions and how Table Mountain creates its own localised weather which does not show up on the radar.
Basically, be on high alert for any strange shaped clouds and unusual wind patterns on the water.
The night watch was brilliantly clear.
DL had his laser pointer out again showing us the different stars and constellations above us.
Bioluminescence glows in the water as the boat cuts through it, leaving a ghostly green and blue trail, like a road in our wake sparkling into the distance.
I am writing this a day late and I can’t remember what on earth we ate yesterday.
My stomach says bread and lots of it.
Jim Leafe 