Moments Like These

The yacht teams are making their way ever closer to Tauranga, and the podium positions are all to play for. Welcome to Yorkshire has edged up the race board and is currently in 4th position behind Gold Coast, Derry-Londonderry and just a couple of nautical miles behind Dutch yacht De Lage Landen. All the while a dedicated team of Yorkshire crew have been repairing one of their spinnaker sails which was damaged after being dragged under the boat last week, and Skipper Rupert Dean has praised the team - including Kate - for their efforts. All are hoping the repair will be finished by the time they reach port in New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Kate has written an update on the Clipper Website's 'Crew Diary' page about some experiences or 'if only they could see me now' moments that she has had while on the race. She says:
"I am sure that my family and friends must be wondering how I am coping with life as a legger on Welcome to Yorkshire.There have been several 'if they could see me now' moments so I thought I would share them with you.
The first was the thrill of setting off at race start – I was finally on my way after months of anticipation. No time for nerves as there was a lot happening on deck as we set off into some brisk winds. This was unfortunately the cause of my next 'if they could see me now' moment as I succumbed to a bad bout of seasickness. On Day 2 of the race I found myself sitting in the saloon with a group of people I didn't yet know very well, wearing my base layer leggings and top, already suffering with boat hair and feeling pretty rough. “What on earth would my family and friends say if they could see me now' I wondered...
Only two days later I found myself at the helm of Welcome to Yorkshire in the Southern Ocean with a big smile on my face. This is what it is all about, if only they could see me now!
By day seven it was my turn to be on mother watch along with James. This is a long and tiring day, providing hot meals and drinks for a crew of 18, starting with breakfast at 5.15. It doesn't sound too bad except that the galley is very small for two people to work in (and James is a big chap!) and the cooker has only three small rings and a tiny oven. It also means being below deck for the whole day which was unthinkable for me only a few days before – if only they could see me now!
My most recent moment came during the night of the big storm. Sitting on deck in the middle of the ocean and feeling totally at the mercy of the elements was very frightening but an experience I will always remember – if they could see me now they would think I was completely mad, but then I think you have to be a bit that way to have signed up to do this in the first place!"
(Kate Prior, Welcome to Yorkshire Crew Diaries, Race 5 Day 12; 21/11/11).

(Posted by Eleanor Prior)