Now, where did I leave you? In St Katherine's Dock I think?
The journey was tough, 3 weeks of sea training, one week of theory and a bundle of notes and knots to learn.
Can you tie a Bowline, a Sheet Knot or a Rolling Hitch, me neither!
My first week of training was with Skipper Vicky, the one female skipper to take part in the Clipper Roung the World (RTW) race, but I am getting ahead of myself, we didn't know that then.
One week in the worst living conditions I have ever experienced. The smell, the foods and the heads (toilets to you and me). I must tell you about the heads; there are 2 of them, no door just a zip down curtain, no seat (apparently its dangerous for the boys!) and yes we all sit down to wee. With standing room only, you soon learn how to be a contortionist. My sailing friend Lesley said to me the other day, "I don't know why you dont just have a bucket hung over the stern." she has a point. It would help with the below deck aroma!
October 2012, we motored out of our berth, we raised the sails of the 68ft Yorkshire (she had taken part in the last 3 RTW races) and off we went sailing down the Solent. Day 1 and we were sailing, unbelievable!
Vicky drilled us into the Clipper way, I was luck I didn't know anything else and I followed her every word. Truth be told I was pretty scared. We ate, slept and sailed. We journeyed to The Needles, to The Edison Lighthouse and back, we anchored in Poole Bay, we laughed, we cried and we bonded.
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