I actually don’t know how it really happened and why I was caught by the idea of the Clipper Around the World Virus in 2017. I always had the dream to cross an Ocean with a sailing vessel. I usually follow all the great races like Volvo Ocean Race (now Ocean Race), Vendee Globe, Sydney Horbart or Fastnet. When I was young I had great interest in the BT Global Challenge and I also actively searched for a berth in the ARC. But either I did not have time or I was short of money or my normal life presented all those responsibilities that are holding us back doing something exceptional. On the other hand I was getting old fast, not much time left to cross an Ocean and enjoying it.
I think I was on a business trip to London to meet my friend Clive when I saw a Clipper poster with “The Race of your life”. I was thrilled by the motive of a girl with two half’s, normal her and Ocean racer. Yes, could be me, right?
When I returned home I started studying the concept and options. Obviously I knew Sir Robert Knox Johnston as I consumed all the literature about sailing hero’s of the past, Slocum, Montessier, Sir Robert, Ellen McArthur and so on. I was thrilled by the idea of racing around the globe with 11 boats being part of an amateur crew. Brilliant concept to train non sailors and make them a team that can fight nature. I ordered the book “Team Spirit” by Brendon Hall. It is a phenomenal description of the effort, challenges and rewards of the race besides being one of my favorite books about management. I went on the tracker of the 17/18 race that just started. I got caught. I wanted badly to become one of the Clipper family and be part of a crew at least for one leg in the race around the world.
So what does it take to get on board? You need to apply. And that was quickly done. After handing in the application you receive a package of material describing the adventure. I already had an idea at least in theory. But what leg or legs should I take. Again my dream for decades had been to sail past point Nemo (the point in the Southern Ocean that is furthest away from any landmass or Island in any direction) to Cape Horn rounding this most mysterious and deadly patch of water in the history of sailing was out of reach. Clipper does not do Cape Horn. But it is a important point on the bucket list of sailors to dive into the Southern Ocean, the Ocean below 40 Degrees latitude on the Southern Hemisphere. Leg 3 from Cape Town to Western Australia would have been the one. But it is 4200 nm „only“. End of a long story – I decided for leg 6, at that time 6800nm Miles up North through the North Pacific. And I seriously also considered Leg 7, around North America.
I scheduled the required interview, in my case by phone since I was unable to travel to Prtsmouth due to business. It was end of September, a dull and rainy day in the UK North of London. I visited our UK distributor who’s owner is one of my best friends, Clive. He gave me his office and I called Mrs Dana sharp on the minute as we Germans are trained to do. We had a chat. Dana explained who Clipper was and I had to tell her who I was hoping to become qualified. And after presenting myself as somebody who was able to distinguish port from starboard she asked me which leg. I said Leg 6 opting for leg 7. From the other side cam „Uhhhhh“ and „do you know, what this means“?
I asked whether she had been on the race and she obviously said yes, I raced as round the worlder two editions before this one. How can I be chief recruiter without knowing what this is all about. I need to find those people that do not qualify. And I am telling you that Leg 6 is for sure the biggest challenge. The North Pacific is still in winter mode. It is grey, it is cold and it is violent. It takes something to get out on deck if you are in a storm for days and I mean storm, I mean 60 plus knots wind for days. You ask yourself when will this screaming and banging stop. And every time, every watch you stick your head into the cold and wet seeing the waves towering 12 and more meters you ask, when, when will it get quiet. But on the other hand it is the thrill and you learn that our boats can master almost anything.
Another aspect that is special on this leg is the physiological aspect in the team. Not many conflicts compared to the Doldrums. Being wet all the time, dead tired and physically exhausted after each watch does let you think so much. You just wanna sleep, get an hour or two relief from the havoc. And with all of that being said, I loved every mile of the Pacific.
It was clear for me that this is what I want. I want to feel and see how you manage your little tiny life in this little tiny group out there in the storm. I don’t mind the cold after I had tested that in early spring. So I said to Dana, I am in for leg 6 – nothing else for the moment. It is what I was looking for, filling the experience gap in my sailing life. And it also will open an experience that will be hard to beat in my current dread mill of an over busy work Life hunting from one meeting to another, from one WeChat post to another, from one air travel to another, from all frictions of our „highly developed“ society. It is a breakout from the hunt to become recognized, being trained to consume and to be locked in to conform. Out there 3000 miles East of Japan and 3000 Miley South of the North Pole in a 70 by 10ft container without global news, instant communication and the threat of bad news will bring hopefully some piece of mind. Reduction to the watch, to the task, to the small bubble we are in will be the one experience of my lifetime, my motivation to do this.
I got excepted for the 17/18 race. I paid my fees. I got my insurance and I started to plan my schedule. End of September 2017 my world was supposed to change. Leg 6 for the 17/18 race was supposed to start end February in Qingdao China. I had three month left to do 4 trainings of a week each, Sea survival training, medical checks, visas and so on. I tried to build a schedule that might have worked. But as hard as I tried I could not make it work without stepping out for three or more month. It was impossible. Could not fit the trainings. Was it over? I called Dana and discussed what to do. Easy solution. Do the race 19/20. it’s more time and you will meet more future crew mates, team mates and Clipper junkies doing so. You will sail in level 4 training with your race skipper. So there are tons of advantages. It so it was. Clipper Round the World Edition 19/20 became my race and Leg 6 my future destination.
Joe Sails 