Leg 3, Day 8 - 8th December
Posted by Della Parsons on Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Leg 3, Day 8 - 8th December
Last night was a pleasure. My sleeping bag, now rebuilt, was not only warm but the extra layer provided extra cushioning and I was a snuggly as a snuggly thing can be! It did take an hour or two for my feet to thaw out but they did eventually. The hardest thing now is prizing myself out of it ready for my next watch!
We had quite a busy day today, dropping headsails, reefing and putting up the heavyweight spinnaker. I took the opportunity to film some action with the backdrop of the big seas around us – although it never quite looks as impressive on camera as it does when you're faced in reality by a 5 metre wave looming up behind you!
We are continuing to keep the pace up above our target so the atmosphere on board is bright and positive and the banter free-flowing. Apart from the cold there is nothing overly challenging about the sailing at the moment. The Southern Ocean is being kind to us – and perhaps we are all now so acquainted with the boat and how to sail her, that what seemed impossibly difficult 3 months ago now comes more naturally to us.
We have certainly settled into a way of life on board as a team and I note now that on the whole the teamwork is automatic and completely natural. If something needs doing, people just get on with it now whereas before they would huff and puff and either make a big deal out of it or try and get someone else to do it. Now we all think nothing of checking the generator, sourcing an electrical failure or having yet another go at fixing the ladies heads – a permanent fix of which seems to elude us at the moment! It's really fascinating to see how we've all developed as a group of people that live in such a confined space but who all get on really very well - with few exceptions - and how efficiently we all work and sail together like a well-oiled machine. If you could bottle this and sell it to companies and businesses you could make a fortune – as would they! It would improve productivity and team performance ten-fold. On a personal level it's also immensely satisfying to be part of the Hull & Humber Crew and I am already so very proud of what we have achieved together.
Last night was a pleasure. My sleeping bag, now rebuilt, was not only warm but the extra layer provided extra cushioning and I was a snuggly as a snuggly thing can be! It did take an hour or two for my feet to thaw out but they did eventually. The hardest thing now is prizing myself out of it ready for my next watch!
We had quite a busy day today, dropping headsails, reefing and putting up the heavyweight spinnaker. I took the opportunity to film some action with the backdrop of the big seas around us – although it never quite looks as impressive on camera as it does when you're faced in reality by a 5 metre wave looming up behind you!
We are continuing to keep the pace up above our target so the atmosphere on board is bright and positive and the banter free-flowing. Apart from the cold there is nothing overly challenging about the sailing at the moment. The Southern Ocean is being kind to us – and perhaps we are all now so acquainted with the boat and how to sail her, that what seemed impossibly difficult 3 months ago now comes more naturally to us.
We have certainly settled into a way of life on board as a team and I note now that on the whole the teamwork is automatic and completely natural. If something needs doing, people just get on with it now whereas before they would huff and puff and either make a big deal out of it or try and get someone else to do it. Now we all think nothing of checking the generator, sourcing an electrical failure or having yet another go at fixing the ladies heads – a permanent fix of which seems to elude us at the moment! It's really fascinating to see how we've all developed as a group of people that live in such a confined space but who all get on really very well - with few exceptions - and how efficiently we all work and sail together like a well-oiled machine. If you could bottle this and sell it to companies and businesses you could make a fortune – as would they! It would improve productivity and team performance ten-fold. On a personal level it's also immensely satisfying to be part of the Hull & Humber Crew and I am already so very proud of what we have achieved together.
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