I have a particular interest in the 2006 Clipper round the world yacht race (website HERE) - as not one, but two, of my friends are participating - Rick on Glasgow Clipper and Peter on Jersey Clipper. Both come from my village; both signed up for the race without knowing the other was doing it; and neither had sailed before. What's more, Peter has recently celebrated his 70th birthday on board the boat and is, I beleive, the oldest person to have sailed round the world on the Clippers. Its been fascinating to hear the tales from the road (or sea!) as the race has progressed- not only from Peter, but from the starlwart Jersey groupie - Peter's wife Mary, who has flown out to meet him at various stopovers.
Now as the race draws towards its conclusion (Liverpool; 29th July) members of the clipper crews are starting to reflect on what the race has meant to them. Fascinating reading, and almost inspires me to sign up for next years race. Take for example a recent diary entry (HERE) by a member of Singapore Clipper:
" Silvery moonlight nights and clear starry skies makes one want to mull over the meaning of life and our place in this vast universe. Stormy seas trigger a full awareness of the insignificance and frailty of human lives. I learnt about patience, tolerance, and magnanimity. My experience and those around me on the boat has reinforced my belief in the resilience of the human spirit. I better appreciate the concern and care of loved ones, friends and strangers alike. I began to shed stereotypes and cast off prejudices."
And, another (HERE) also from Singapore Clipper:
The final countdown, 12 days to go after 180 days of sailing and almost
1 year on board of "our" UNIQUELY SINGAPORE. Yes, our boat, it became
ours - a member of the family, which we dressed, nurtured, fixed and
fixed again and which kept us safe in howling winds and crashing seas -
a member of the family.
So are the others, I am just one of 51 who dared to venture out sailing
our boat around the world, we are all members of the UNIQUELY SINGAPORE
family. We share moments nobody can express in words but we understand,
we just need to see into each others’ eyes. Many members of our family
grew up on the boat, they changed character, became stronger, more
assertive - as we all have .We have been here and done it - sailed
around the world in a nutshell, across all oceans.
The final countdown, 12 days to go - one more stopover in Jersey, one
more crew dinner, one more cigar to personally celebrate a safe
crossing. I will treasure every moment still to come, every sail
change, every watch, every sunrise and sunset until we tie the knot in
the River Mersey, where we started our journey in September 2005.
The final countdown, 12 days to go - it will be hard to leave our new
family behind, but every end is another beginning and I know I will see
them again. Left is to thank all my friends who encouraged and
supported me throughout, who have been there for me, day and night, who
kept me safe from harm on this incredible journey of a lifetime.
The final countdown, 12 days to go - there is God; I have seen it - out here on the oceans where the world is still at peace.
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