Blogs

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Clipper girl comes to Weymouth

I am sitting at the train station platform of Portsmouth, drinking tea and waiting for my train home. I have just completed my second training week with Clipper Ventures and I am truly exhausted, my hands have painful chafe, my knees are covered in bruises and my shoulders are screaming from lifting heavy sails all day and all night.

It has been another great week, the team bonded well together and we raced our boat New York hard all week. Most days we were experiencing force 5- 8 wind, which gave us a small taste of what is to come in the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race. Having spent all week living in the ‘ghetto’ with 11 other people, sleeping in the same room, eating together, sailing together, it feels odd to be sat here alone.

The highlight of the week was sailing on my home territory. Setting off from Cowes, we sailed past the needles of the Isle of Wight and headed west towards Weymouth. Words can’t describe how happy it felt being on the helm of this 68-foot racing yacht, past the sights of the Jurassic Coastline. I pointed out to my fellow crew St.Aldhams Head, Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door, Ringstead Bay and Portland. It was so beautiful and I was thrilled to be at the helm, beating upwind towards Weymouth and Portland.

We decided to take the boat right into Portland Harbour and show everybody where the 2012 Olympic sailing events were going to be held. You simply can’t get a better location that Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour. We entered the harbour on a starboard tack, full sail up and all the crew out on the rail. The new Dorset and Devon Air Rescue helicopter flew overhead and took a good look at us. We then tacked mid harbour and back out into Weymouth Bay. Just brilliant!

Coming in to Weymouth Harbour, people found us fascinating, they were waving from the dock side and from their cars. We must have looked quite a sight motoring down to our berth, especially with the bold ‘New York’ written across her hull. Once in our berth, I decided to attempt to climb the mast. The masts of the Clipper 68’s are 70-feet high. I was connected to a harness and began climbing. I nervously reached each spreader and could begin to see over the top of the rooftops. This was very scary, as I reached the top of the mast I could feel my legs and arms shaking. I just managed to pull out my camera out of my pocket and take some photos. What a beautiful view over the top of Weymouth, across the sea and the harbour. This was an absolute highlight of my week, but I am not sure how well I will manage it in the middle of the sea with a big ocean swell! I guess this is what it is all about. Only 50 weeks to go now……….