The start – Rolex Sydney Hobart 2013

THE most iconic race in the sailing calendar and the Clipper fleet are taking part for the first time.

Sydney to Hobart: Vicky Ellis has faith in her crew of hardened amateurs

We are officially “hardened amateurs” according to our skipper as we line up with professional sailors not to mention Clipper’s Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, whom we hope to beat. Our skipper, Vicky Ellis, is one of two female skippers in the race,

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It’s Christmas

Three months – nearly 20,000nm – 4 Continents – and it’s Christmas!

Here I am with most (but not all) of my family on Christmas day in Sydney, Australia.

Family and friends in Sydney

I’ve probably sailed more miles in three months than your average coastal sailor in the UK sails in a year, and I’d never sailed before embarking upon this adventure.  I’ve travelled across the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay, the Atlantic, South Atlantic, dipped into the

The Tasman Sea – it’s a devil

Tuesday 10th December and we’ve rounded the bottom of Tasmania heading up towards the Bass Strait. The wind has done everything from 4 knots to 44 knots. The last watch have reefed in and out most of the afternoon. We’re still flying Yankee 1 and really making some pace.

However the wind and waves are really picking up

How far we’ve come

Watching the awe, amazement, concern and excitement of new leggers shows us just how far we’ve come as individuals and a crew.

The predicted 60 knot winds just rolled in and out with new crew aghast at the size of the waves and the noise of the wind.

For those of us who ‘enjoyed’ the wrath of Mother Nature last leg, this was

Number One

Foredeck work was, I thought, the domain of beefy chaps. It appears however that we ladies have a place there too.

I’m usually number four, relaying messages from the cockpit/helm to the bow and foredeck crew as well as encouraging everyone to pull together – literally.

Three Months

I recognised with all the house moves we’ve done as a family that at around the three month mark certain restlessness sets in. Whether it’s to do with the newness and excitement wearing off or the reality of what is ahead I’m not sure.

All I know is that right now I have that restless, not quite myself feeling and I’m about to be hit by another Southern Ocean low pressure system that is going to give us a good beating.

Team Switzerland in the 13-14 Clipper Race: From Cape Town to Albany, Australia

If…