Skippers Report 2007
It's Saturday 30 th June , the race is over and Team Laura were placed in eighth position overall out of 26 starters. 7 boats withdrew, one was dismasted and the rumour is that one crew mutinied! I'm feeling both elated and deflated. Elated that we did so well (and I think we came third in the Tilman challenge) but deflated because the big adventure is over. For me this is the end of a nine year project, to build the boat and to complete the Three Peaks race. Now what to do ?
After withdrawing last year and seeing the calibre of the opposition, I can hardly believe that we did so well. At the start of the race I was hoping for a mid field place at best and to come in eighth is beyond all our expectations. Of course, I knew we had a great crew and I think the credit for our success goes in equal measures to all on board. To my co-skipper and victualler Huw , to my son Jeremy and his fellow “mountain whippet” Dave and to sail trimmer and helmsman extraordinaire, Ed, thanks chaps.
We were supported by three “angels” Jenny, Jenny and Rachael who delivered bikes, provided hot drinks on the mountains and drove a few thousand miles between them. Thanks girls.
Main memories will inevitably be of the ferocious seas around St Bees head (we registered 48kts windspeed at one time) and my delight that Laura behaved so well. Shipping forecasts will never worry me again. A close second will be the laughs we had, jokes that will never be funny to anyone not on board but to the five of us will always raise a smile, how Jeremy broke the Three Peaks sleeping record with a straight ten hours in the “coffin” during a full gale, the delicacy with which some of us managed to vomit overboard and then recover and keep sailing.
Huw will forever hold the record for the “most water in the cockpit” after steering us in to the largest breaker in the Irish Sea – the record can't be broken because the cockpit was completely full!
Will we do it again next year? I don't think so – maybe Laura will head for the Med and sunnier sailing.
My thanks again to crew, support team and all who contributed to “Wells for Africa ” – we have raised nearly £2000
Dick
