Oh yeah, and a bunch of night sails, too.
Having been a regatta and inshore sailor for years, and since this has been a very tame TP thus far, the daylight challenges have been familiar. OK, except for the length, but that is obvious. There are sail changes, trying to sleep as soon as your watch ends, food management, and searching for chafe areas that goes beyond any short overnight race. TP also takes self sufficiency to an extreme, as we are way beyond the range of any rescue helicopter, and yet that is not a worry (even if it should be).
In some ways, even though many ladies sail this race, this is the ultimate 'guy thing', way beyond Outward Bound due to the commitment everyone has made. Of course I love my family on shore, but this is something I (I won't speak for the other crew) do rather selfishly... but that should be OK. Crew members rely on each other absolutely. In the process, our individual strengths, as well as weaknesses, are exposed.
We have each prepared ourselves for this event. For me, at age 61, it was not one I could miss. This probably sounds trite, but absolutely sincere. And emotional, yes. And for some reason, feeling subdued.
Although the 24 hour periods are broken down into 3 hours on watch and 4 off round the clock, it is the nights that have delivered the most new experiences. After 10 nights of sailing, and the prospect for more ahead, here are some examples that stand out.
Nights one and two involved getting offshore, but still using familiar references. Catalina Island, Santa Rosa and San Miguel were discussed, even though all we ever saw was Catalina.
At night is when the vastness of the ocean, faith in your skills, and the self sufficiency required, kick in big time. Clipping in to the boat with your safety harness is mandatory at night, knowing going overboard would likely have a bad result. Plus, it would be inconsiderate to not clip iin and spoil the race for your crew mates.
After multiple watch changes and sleep deprivation, I can't put the night sails in order even now.
Initially, we reached offshore with our regatta #1 genoa with the lead forward to capture the breeze., into the darkness. A couple of nights later the true wind was in the 'teens, and our blast reacher and genoa staysail, offshore sails, launched us into the blackness. Guided by wind angle and knotmeter guages, and low tech masthead wind vane and rushing phosphorescence of the water we calculated our progress, or our lack therof.
Andy
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