Welcome to my world.  The view above is where I get to work and I love it.  This is a picture of our arrival at Derry, me up the mast taking both spinnaker halyard blocks and lines off to replace bearings and redo primary straps.  This shows several of the boats working on their “deep clean” which we all do for a couple of days after arrival.

So, now I am in Den Helder Holland enjoying the peace and quiet of a town where almost everyone is riding around on bicycles.  Just loving the relaxing atmosphere and not only that I have found a great café that the internet has helped me upload pictures of the NYC to Derry journey.  So here goes!

After a great time in the NYC area, we began our next race.

After motoring out for several hours, doing a man overboard drill and some reefing drills, a LeMans start was in our future with our boat being the center of the line and calling the timing and anyone over early.  Although it was exciting being the boat in charge, it was distracting and we did not accomplish our best start.

Each watch took turns overtaking boats and then losing them.  No one was super awesome that night but all were doing their best.  We came back on at 6am and were a bit shorthanded due to the visit of the Green Monster.  No, I was not visited on this trip!

Even though down a few, we managed to change from kite 3 to 2 to Yankee and staysail and to bring the code 1 up on deck for readying it to go up.  All of this in lightening and Big thunder and rain.  What a great day!! I love what nature can hand out!  Winds were 20 to 30 knots with poor visibility so great fun.  We did see UNICEF with their kite up going the wrong way and then spotted GB.

June 22nd was the “Day of Waves”.  Winds were 30 to 40+ all day again with the lightening, rain and thunder.  Giant waves pounded us.  The first big one hit while I was trimming the traveler and 4 of us had our life jackets go off the force was so great.

Later that night while unfastening my short tether to cross boat to get lines ready for kite to go up, I was hit by yet another wave and slammed into the pedestal grinder.  This resulted in either a badly bruised rib or a cracked one.  Not sure at the time other than big pain.   I was just glad that my long tether was still attached or I might have gone swimming.  But the night was still young and I got hit yet again and this time while trimming the kite, I fly into the next winch on deck.  The good thing is that I had both tethers attached so did not go too far.  All in all not my day.  Dealt with the pain during the next watch, but every wave was a jolt to the system so I finally asked to stay down for a while.

This resulted in Mother duty substitute and Elaine and I managed to spill boiling water and noodles down the front of my clothes.  Only foot was unprotected.  hmmm…what have I done wrong??

June 24th went back up for duty and was jolted again by every wave and not very mobile or moving well.  Was put in Time out for 3 days and not allowed up on deck.  That helped but one can go stark raving mad having to stay down.  I finally disobeyed and went up and started working again.  Every pull or grind was a nightmare, but, we had several others that were dealing with some hurts so I had company and thus it was not so bad staying up.

Because we were near area of icebergs there was a box outlined that no boat could cross due to a penalty being placed on them.  Good safety measure.

June 27th we were given a great dolphin show.  All had white bellies and were bigger than others we had seen.  Later saw a Portuguese Man of War (slimy light bluish squid looking) going by the boat.  It was probably about 1/5th the size of the boat.

This race is interesting as LMax and Derry are basically match racing for 1st place and GB and Garmin are match racing  for 3rd.  Most boats are going easterly.  Hmmm, will we cover?

 

You thought you might escape a sunset.  I just love watching them. and like to share.

John helping me with milking the tack line to smooth it out and hopefully help it run through jammer easier.

Part of the other watch, Jill, Dan, Laura hanging out while Elaine is trimming the kite or sleeping?  Then there is me showing how to sit properly to trim.

Lunch is coming so off  now and more later!