Leg 5 - race 7 - day 23
At 6am came off my shift on deck to help with breakfast it's shrove Tuesday ( pancake day) even though the boat was really heeled over I managed to wedge myself in the galley and make 20 pancakes ! Wondered if the kids are making some ? Miss them lots xxx
Went to bed at 7am it was so hard getting into my bunk as so heeled over ! Literally had to climb up the wall. A struggle sleeping as rocking about so much and heeled over kept feeling like I would fall out my bunk.
Woke at midday but chilled in bunk. Had a coffee then back to chill in bunk til 5: well if you can call it chill. Getting bashed around whilst trying to stay in your bunk! Listened to David Bowie on my i phone. Start shift at 5-10pm today then standby 10pm - 3am then sleep till 7am then will be on 7-11 each day til end of race. Only 8 days to go! Feel so bashed about my thumb is swollen up from yesterday.
Went on deck at 5pm and was shocked to hear the last two watches had taken the Yankee 1 down as wind had got up but not replaced it. We were losing places in the race could have been second but had dropped to 5th!! We were keen to get Yankee 3 up so Matt sophie Carl and Caroline took this up to the bow to Hank on : Bob the skipper was at the helm but didn't bear away enough so they were being hit by waves and nearly lost the Yankee in the water. Carl's Sophie's and Caroline's life jackets inflated automatically. They ended up just tying to the the side. Matt the watch leader was so cross and stormed off after having a go at Bob, saying he quit from being watch leader. Sophie was really upset and in tears and Carl told me he didn't want me helping at the bow too dangerous!!! The shift went on minus Matt and we ended up hoisting the Yankee with Caroline at the helm bearing away which is what should have been done in the first place. Came off shift at 10pm. It was a surreal shift really : feel so upset we had been doing so well and now had dropped back, plus I felt so sorry for the guys on the bow working so hard to try and get the sail up. Was on stand by watch till 11pm then bed. New shifts start 7am - 11am tomorrow ; let's hope tomorrow is a better day!
Miles covered 230 : 5.1-9.3