Hungry and tired but spirits are high!
Hi everyone,
I hope you like the picture I attached with this message of waves breaking at the bow in some moderately lumpy seas that we’ve experienced these past few days.
We’re now past the Scoring Gate and making good progress towards the southern tip of Taiwan, some 600 or so miles northeast of our current position in the South China Sea. Unfortunately we didn’t gain any additional points at the Scoring Gate and decided a few days ago, after assessing our position, that we should play the longer term game for the overall finish. That’s why we’ve kept to a more easterly track than most of the rest of the fleet and are hopeful that this will pay big dividends over the coming days. With the winds set to drop soon and turn more to the east, we are hopeful of reaching up the coast of the island of Luzon, which is in the Philippines, rather than having to beat if we were further west. Let’s see how accurate the forecasts are. I feel that the wind gods owe us a few favours after the last couple of races.
It’s been hot, humid and bumpy over the past few days. With the wind strength steadily increasing and wind-over-current conditions, the sea has been quite lumpy and the boat has been listing up to 25 degrees at times. This makes getting about the boat and doing the everyday tasks and just sleeping that much more difficult. Consequently, the crew are all in need of some extra hours sleep and are probably slightly undernourished right now with conditions in the galley for cooking being somewhat less than ideal.
We’re all waiting in anticipation of the sudden temperature changes that will happen after we get north of Taiwan and are preparing our kit bags with the added layers that we’ll need for the final few hundred miles into Qingdao itself.
Our new crew member Mark has fitted in well although we lose him again when we reach Qingdao. I’m watch leader again for this trip and enjoying the added responsibilities that come with the role. My watch crew are a great bunch, we get on well together and share the load well. I will be sad to lose Ruth at the next stop as this is her final trip. She has been a great team player, always has a smile for everyone, is a constant source of fun and her work ethic is second to none. I just hope we can find someone good enough to replace her. I know that Rachel will miss her also, as they have developed a close friendship during their time together on board and at the stopovers.
There’s not been much shipping traffic to worry about so far on this leg other than inquisitive fishing boats. They have a habit of turning towards us at night and getting a little too close for comfort at times. There’s no point calling them on the radio because many of them don’t have them switched on or can’t understand us even when we do make contact. So there’s usually much torch flashing at our sails and at them to get their attention and identify ourselves as a sailing vessel sometimes coupled with large turns to port or starboard to avoid them.
I’m really looking forward to meeting the PSP team at the Qingdao stopover. I understand that we have a sailing day with PSP and their guests on board New York and look forward to showing everyone around my home for the past 6 months. It will be interesting to see what everyone makes of it and if it inspires any of them to do something similar.
I’ve just come off watch and have washed all of my clothes and my hair of the saltwater spray that’s been coming over the decks for the past week or so. Apart from constantly sweating in the humid conditions I almost feel human again. All I need now is to catch up on some sleep and eat a proper meal and I’ll be fit for the rest of the journey up to Qingdao.
I promise you we are trying our best to push this boat in to the lead and we won’t stop trying until we’ve crossed the finish line.
I’ll write again when we’re closer to Taiwan.
Best wishes,
Martin
Your PSP correspondent from the middle of the South China Sea
