29/10/2024
Life is full of ups ↗️ and downs ⬇️ but when you compress many highs and lows into a 1 week offshore Sailing race ⛵ with 8 people, you learn a lot about yourself and others when put under pressure. 💪
𝟔𝟎𝟔 𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟔 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐚, racing around Sicily taking in Straits of Messina , Aeolian islands, , Egadi islands, Pantelleria, Lampadusa and Malta 🏝️ , racing night and day against 111 yachts from 29 countries...
Crazy lightning storms all around for 4 days 🌅⚡️ waves and winds strong enough to damage a house, let alone a little yacht bobbing in an ocean 100s of miles from safety at times.
We experienced an incredible storm ⛈️🌪️and 55 knots of wind (102km/h) on 1st night…. Some yachts were caught in waterspouts saw 125km/h winds.🌪️😱.....
And then frustratingly becalmed for perhaps 50% of the race….. 33% of the yachts could not finish the race due to damages!
BUT doing difficult things in life with good people brings immense satisfaction and I am forever amazed at the resilience of people in the sailing community 🙏Relationships that usually take years to form are forged quickly when in battle and at sea.💪
In the words of Aristotle.......
𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖆𝖗𝖊 3 𝖙𝖞𝖕𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖕𝖊𝖔𝖕𝖑𝖊.𝕿𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝖆𝖑𝖎𝖛𝖊, 𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖉.....𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖆𝖙 𝖘𝖊𝖆
To the 8 outstanding individuals who formed our Crew and hailed from 4 different countries 🌍, it was a pleasure to share the journey with such resilient people. Many personalities of differing skills and experience with 1 common goal – to finish one of the world’s Classic 600nm offshore races. ⛵️
𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕗𝕗 ✅
The week long prep and logistics in Malta prior to the race was a victory in itself trying to get a charter vessel compliant with a myriad of rules set down by World sailing authorities to protect lives of yacht racers. 📄
A massive thanks to my coskipper Clair Reed without whom I would have probably lost my mind and ultimately not succeeded. Strong women who are also leaders, can exist in a form that don't need to look like a suited and booted C level director. One of just 3 female 🚺 skippers out of 111 yachts
Finally to an unsung hero who was Skipper of another yacht. Someone who has competed in over 20 of these offshore classic races ⛵and introduced 100s of people to the joys (and pain) of offshore racing through his sailing business which focuses on racing and mile building trip.
He asks for nothing and gets little recognition from the powers who run Sailing for what he does for the community but without who's help we could not have got to the start line. You will not find a more generous and patient person in sailing than the owner and skipper of Sail Racing Academy. A huge thanks to Germaine Williams
