Header image: Henri Lloyd in St Katharine Docks before the race start

Events

They left me behind

At the Dickens Inn

The day of the race start itself was one of mixed emotions for me. Mum’s post describes it chronologically. What she doesn’t say is that she and others kept finding me in tears. Yes, it was very exciting, yes, there was a great atmosphere and yes, they were supposed to leave me behind. It just…

Read More

Race Start – Dad and Mum

Ready for the Off

Sunday 1 September (actual Race Start Day) we were back again in St Katharine Docks where all of the boats were lined up ready for the off, a fantastic sight. We had to decide where to stand to watch the actual boat departures. Four boats at a time would be exiting the dock, passing through…

Read More

The day before…

Crew at the Naming

The race start weekend started with a crew party on the Friday evening, then Henri Lloyd’s boat naming ceremony was in St Katharine Docks first thing on Saturday morning. I had been asked to go help with getting the boat into a state suitable for such a ceremony, but apart from anything else, I overslept!…

Read More

The Run-up to Race Start

Anita and Lynne

I really can’t believe that Anita hasn’t written about the Race Start – yet! She has mentioned it but …. What a memorable event!  The actual Race Start was on Sunday 1 September but the festivities (for us) started on the last Friday in August.  Ray and I travelled to Anita on the Friday morning in…

Read More

Boat Prep Week London

After another move

On arrival at St Katharine Docks to help get our Henri ready for sea after my non-Clipper weekend, I couldn’t find her. This turned out to be a common occurrence over the rest of the week as the fleet of yachts were regularly moved around in the dock. The 12 70′ yachts made the dock…

Read More

The “waterproof” watch

Clothes, and Eric, drying out over lunch

I tried to get through my first Level 1 course without a watch. When I’d sailed before, this hadn’t been a problem. There were clocks and we were woken up when it was time to come on duty at the start of a watch. (Why can the word “watch” have so many different meanings, at…

Read More
ANITA SAILS AGAIN