Here we are. Arrived yesterday after 5 days of racing. And I mentioned it so many times. It was hot. We were not where we could have been in the race. We at least were aiming for a much better result. But a chain of self enforced errors did not allow us to be in a better spot than 7th. We still contained good spirits. We loitered in front of the Marina in Subic Bay waiting for the clearance to move in.
We berthed at the pontoon and were told that immigration would take our temperatures and clear us off same day. Good part was that the Clipper crew threw some cold drinks on deck, beer, coke, Fanta and sprite. And guess what, it was hot, very hot. So beers went down like no tomorrow. Cool down program. That was yesterday 11 am local.
Sir Robin spoke to us what might or will happen. We will be cleared during the day. We will depart Mach 19th instead of a race start on March 21st. We will motor sail for 4 days North. Plan is that this will get us rest, let us do repairs at sea and get us as a crew settled. After 4 days we would Le Mans start in proper wind and head off East. Destination? Unknown….. Yes, we were told that the fleet will be informed mid way. Options? Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Mexico. „One port has to accept you. It is a very old mariner law. You are on refugee status“. Hhhhmmmmm. Really? The situation is very, very difficult and honestly the hysteria is beyond belief. Even on our small pontoon behind solid bars at the gate rumors are spreading like nothing. No question and no rumor is being left out. Wildest theories circle the community. But it is also obvious that crew members on all boats are considering to jump ship and end this disaster. The uncertainty creates a big uneasiness.
Nothing happened afterwards. We went into camp fire party mode. Gates to the pontoon were locked. Subic Bay Yacht Club is closed. Hotels rejected to take any of us but we were not able to to get off the bat anyway. No shower. Bigger questions to us was how to keep the party going. I mean how could we establish a supply chain. And as always money rules the world and the quarantine and thirsty sailors. The yacht club had its bar open. And as no person from the outside was allowed to go in. So 11 teams, like 250 folks were the right customers. And behind the „iron curtain“ a table was opened to take orders, manage money transaction and credit card payments. Business is welcome. Business rules the world all the time and whenever a situation exists like this. Reminds me of a meeting with the office of inner affairs in London where we discussed the topic how contraband gets flown into prisons by drones. There ore no fences and walls high enough, no security measures strict enough, no location isolated enough that there is not a way to get stuff into a locked down space.
It was sort of a party but honestly I was dead tired. I am not sure but I think I moved to the sail locker at 19:41. I decided to sleep there because bunks were limited and I want Laurance to stay in our hot bunk. Bad call. It was a bad night. sails are not cushions. The air was humid, salty, bad smelling and out of comfort. I had a bad night. But it does not help. Cannot moan about it. My decision. But will not sleep in the sail locker again.
In the morning we got going slowly. New news?! Yes, get into the line and there was the option for a shower. The shower block opened. There were guards all around. Procedure was to line up in front of the gate, wait, wait, wait. Three chaps were allowed to the shower at the same time. I do not like cues. I waited. At around 09:30 was my chance. But first of all I had to borrow shampoo. Yes I dont have shampoo on me. Weight saving contribution to our boat. There was a crew Head and Shoulders bottle that jumped at me. Only 2 people in the cue. And it took me 10 minutes to go to the block guided by guards, no escape. But you take what you can get and for sure shower. Cold water. My family knows wat that means to me. I hate cold showers. Yes I am heading to the North Pacific where I will not have a shower for 35 days. But guys, come on!!!! When I care for a shower it must be warm. No chance. So took my salty, stinking, worn out and filthy underpants off and jumped into the „iceberg“ shower. Awful. I hate, hate, hate it.
Loads of discussion went on. Crew want to leave. We already lost one and a second one will jump ship I am sure. Over the day nothing happened except me working on a menu, shopping list, boat inventory. It is a great job. It is a bit like discovery hunt. Stephen who is on the job with me (and leaves it to me taking decisions) and I still are finding places with food, not on the inventor and not handed over by previous victualers. We approached the job with a no mercy policy. Today we found more „treasures“. Three bags of „emergency food“. Three day bags. And in our open approach we just opened bags. We were surprised about a swarm of fruit flies getting at us and about this disgusting smell. I got each can out of the bags as rusty as they were. They clearly came in on our boat from London. Unknowns, mushrooms, spaghetti in sauce, fruit salad. Several cans had exploded. The disgust was beyond belief. No victualler in charge before had cared. Unbelievable. What to do? Rubber gloves. closed nose and eyes and just sort it. It is a bit like an abdominal surgery. All cans went into the bin. “ Emergency“ food? A joke. Not sure if you can understand this. But in case you really need food, persons responsible for emergency supplies were not taking care. It is critical to any boat to rely an good emergency supplies. This requires to open the bags at every stopover in order to find out at what state the emergency food is. It will be needed just in case something happens. In such an unlikely case you want to keep 17 people on the boat alive.
Ok we got this sorted now. Double bagged bin bags and off we went. Get all this stuff out of here. And we now sorted the new emergency food, No rusty cans, no uncontrolled storage. Being ready when needed.
Anyway, we are still confined. No new news. Guys start to freak out. Food supplies to the dock has not been organized. It all happens randomly. And as discovered here it is on an individual basis. We order ourselves. We ignore the regiment of 4 GBP a day. No we have not been able to replenish the boat supplies itself. Tomorrow no bread on the boat for breakfast. Cannot order it. What the hack. We have milk powder, bread mix and jam. Where is the problem?
So here we are. On the boat. Committees form. Emails get written. Lawyers are being considered. Provided the food list to the race office for food we need to cross the Pacific. Got conformation by Clipper that the food will be provided from tonight on. Hard to believe. But if it will happen then we will have a chance to get out of here in a couple of days.
The dynamic in this boot camp though is hilarious. But it is not what I was looking for. I want to sail!!!!! This does not feel right. Cant say more. But I would appreciate if the organization could at least cater for basic need, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Anyway we will wait. All is possible. Rumors believe that we will get cleared tomorrow.
Joe Sails 