To view the latest official Clipper Round The World 09-10 race news click here.
To track the boats in real-time, click here.
Both links open in a new window or tab, so to get back to my site simply close the Clipper site when you’ve finished with it.
For what’s happening on my boat go to The Teams and scroll down till you get to Hull & Humber then go to Crew Diaries. These are updated regularly. Also, if you open ‘Follow’ there is a menu down the left side and you can look at photos & video taken during the race.
Ken, one of the Humbersauruses , wrote this on March 28th which gives me more angst than the race itself, well, almost….
“Feed a crew member for £3 60 per day.
No, it’s not the strap line for the latest Oxfam advert, it’s the daily budget given by Clipper for victualling.
Two crew members have taken responsibility for this task. At each stopover they are given a wad of cash it’s then their responsibility to spend it wisely – when it’s gone, it’s gone.
The £3 60 per day has to cover all food, plus everything from toilet rolls to washing up liquid, ie: the “weekly shop”. So, off they go to the cash and carry armed with, lets say, 30 days (leg) x 16 crew x £3 60 – that’s about £1500 by my reckoning. It’s then a question of hunting out the bargains, making sure that whatever is chosen can be cooked in one pan (plus a 2nd for rice, pasta, etc) Budget constraints mean that purchases are at the “value” end of the range rather than “Tesco Finest”. Stopovers such a Qingdao present further challenges as most of the labelling is not in English (fortunately, we did have a very helpful local who aaccompanied and advised) Fresh fruit and veg are bought for the 1st 10 days or so (their shelf life). Fresh meat is not an option as there is no refrigeration and, any way, it’s too expensive. Salami, chorizo, etc, are the nearest we get to meat.Butter, marg, and fresh milk are also “no goes” due to lack of refrigeration and cost. Dried milk and peanut butter act as substitutes.
Bargain hunting can sometimes rebound as the crew on one of the other boats found when their Chinese branded “extra value tinned beef steak in gravy” turned out to be dog food ! Plenty of herbs and chilli sauce seemed to mask the worst of it – I’m told.
Catering size tins of vegetables and fruit are the staple supply. Tinned tomatoes seem to feature in most meals. The tinned vegetables are reminiscent of something from the 50′s. Half inch cubes of carrot, swede, etc, with some peas. I thought that sort of thing was long gone – not so.
Once purchased, the supplies are then split up in “day bags” – a plastic bag containing everything for that day, including a menu and recipe tips.
Bread is made daily – and is one of the real “treats” (without butter though)
Because of the extended time that this current leg is taking, supplies are going to be tight. We had a quick stocktake yesterday and menus have been revised accordingly.
For pasta, substitute butter beans, for powder milk substitute condensed milk, etc. By the time we reach S Fran, just about every rusty tin and packet that’s been tucked away in the back of the shelves will have been consumed.
So, here’s a little poser for all you creative “ready steady cooks:”
Plan a hearty meal for 16 using ingredients from the following list:
3 x 5kg catering tins of Sweetcorn
1 x 5kg Catering tin of Tomatoes
1 split pkt of lentils
5 x pkts of soup mix (pkts are too old and wrinkled to identify flavour) Unlimited supply of Oxo cubes, herbs, spices
And for dessert, anyone got any creative suggestions for 28 tins of condensed milk and 3kgs of Angel Delight ? (apart from the obvious)
Out here, we’re now in convoy with California and Oz. California really does look in a sorry state with just a 15ft stump of a mast (originally 70ft). Winds are expected to pick up in a couple of days so we’re heading a bit south to avoid the worst of them. Eta S F is now 6/7th April.
We’re all good apart from Della who dislocated her shoulder. She was on the wheel when we were slammed by a big wave during the storm. The shoulder has gone back in but she’s on a lot of painkillers and has been getting advice via the radio, from a doc on Oz.”
I thought you ought at least to have one response.
I think your blog is very interesting and well written and will be a wonderful record of your adventure to look back on when you are 82 and a bit to reflect on the details of the journey which otherwise would be lost in a mist of isolated remembrances of key events… but not what you felt or read or ate day by day.
Clare wrote a diary of our trip from LA to NY in 1982 and we came across it the other day and it provided a real feel for the trip which otherwise was a more vague recollection of the heat in Death Valley and the length of the grain prairie across Iowa etc.. then what we thought about Chicago and then on to New England and the rest.. you will find your descriptions of the Clipper race bring it to life again much later when you look back.
Dear Nicky – wow – your adventure sounds harrowing at some points but so much fun overall! I can see these stories developing into something really wonderful – perhaps a book or even a speaking tour! Something we’ll all have to think about some more…..
Wanted to send you a Happy Mother’s Day message – will be thinking about you in the middle of the Pacific – and sounds like getting nearer and nearer to the equator.
Not only are you a wonderful mother – but sister of the year – what you are doing is truly amazing and you must remember that when you do feel a bit homesick or tired or scared – or any of the emotions that would be normal during an experience such as yours.
As you requested in your text – I have sent blog info onto bookclub girls and to JB to do the running group. BTW – JB has sent you a response on your blog – did you get it?
I also sent it to Iain Murray – thought he would enjoy keeping tabs on you.
Life if pretty normal back here – James is working at that pizza place that Thomas and Andrew worked at – I think it’s Millineum Pizza – to try and save some money to go to Europe in July for 3 weeks….so we keep our fingers crossed for him.
Samantha is loving college life and very independent – we hardly see her….a grown up little girl.
Will has some exciting news – he just beat Douglas’ gold medal 50 metre freestyle time at CIS – so he is very happy.
Missing you – and we look forward to the celebration upon you return.
Love,
Pam
Hi Nicky,
I’ve been following the race and reading your blog. I’ve found it fascinating and am really excited that you have just about completed the journey. I loved the description of falling out of the toilet zip up door!
Tomorrow is book club so we’ll toast to your safe return.
By the way , it’s wet and cold here, so you’re not missing a thing!
Go for it!
Love
Christine
Hi Nicky.
We met at Great Huts in Boston Bay, Jamaica.
What a wonderful surprise to get the bag with hats and the shirt you left for me. You had already left when Suzette gave me the bag. Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you and your generosity will live on when I gift the hats and shirt,
We both enjoyed meeting you, Thomas and Libby. I’m sure your stay at the Great Huts was most relaxing and very enjoyable after the hardships you endured out on the briny. And I’m sure that all of your family are both pleased and much relieved that your leg of the race is over and you are safe and sound.
Just read your blog. Wow -what an amazing one of a kind adventure -really tests your metal – and so well written too. As Candas and I said, we have some interest in the 2012 race and will give it serious thought over the next 6 months. Your blog is the first literature we have read about the race.
We returned to Kingston on Tuesday, one day later than planned to allow the civil unrest situation to abate. Things seem to be normal again and we plan to return to work tomorrow.
Thanks again Nicky for your kindness and thoughtfulness and best wishes for good health and much joy in the future.
Alastair