My mate Ian's round the world race with Clipper Ventures…...

[Finn666]

Too bad that Switzerland has no harbor where they can check-in at so I have to pass unfortunately

[FOXY]

I could make Qingdao - China if it happens in July/August…

[jimmy]

If wellington is not booked I'll fly down to meet them. Sounds like a once in a life time thing. Or maybe hemi will be keen, it's his home town after all.  Either way I'll go down and get pics

[Beatle]

looks like fun…gotta hunt them down...

[Giles]

@FOXY:

I could make Qingdao - China if it happens in July/August…

Wont be July or August. I am afraid…..

[Giles]

@jimmy:

If wellington is not booked I'll fly down to meet them. Sounds like a once in a life time thing. Or maybe hemi will be keen, it's his home town after all.  Either way I'll go down and get pics

Not booked.  So you are up there.  Still negotiating Port of Call in New Zealand - I will confirm….

[madmonday]

hello, out there.  did any of you see this???

come on you can do it, hehehehehhehehe

[madmonday]

very sad only three of us have signed thus far.

where are your nuts you bunch of lily livered so & so. . .

[Max Power]

If they came to Hamburg, I might do it. Unless you need talent to climb up there

[madmonday]

don't need talent.  i'm in it, hahahahaha

& Giles made it to the top, hahahahahahhahaha

[Giles]

Monday and Landon:

http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/index.php/race-news/

[Giles]

And, any other takers?

http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/index.php/the-race/the-ports/

[madmonday]

soooo, they are here today???

let me look on their site & try yo figure this out. . . .

[Giles]

No, the dates should be on the link above…..

[apba1166]

Derek Lundy's great book about the '95-96 Vendee Globe race, GODFORSAKEN SEA, has hair-raising scenes of  the single-person sailors of the 60-footers, sleepless days on end, climbing their 80-foot masts in Southern Ocean gales to fix halyards, repair lines, or hand-furl and the like. Amazing stuff.

[Giles]

I'll hunt it down.  Thanks, G

[Giles]

A couple of Ian's crew use the Green outside the house to fold some of the sails they will take with them around the world.  Race starts this Sunday, we'll be at the race start to see them on their way…...

[madmonday]

i'll see them in about a year or so.  safe travels

[Giles]

Just wandered down to the dock to see how things are going.  Frantic prearations all round:

[Giles]

Popped down to see Ian off today.  He left here to go about 20 miles down the coast to Southampton.  Southampton is the port that the fleet will sail from on Sunday.

Not as worrying as it looks, this is a smaller class of boat undergoing a righting test

My friend Sir Robin Knox Johnston (who was the first guy who sailed around the world single handed and is the guy behind this race) with the local Mayor.  Robin is the one scratching his beard, the Mayor is the one wearing the necklace

Opposition

Opposition

Opposition, opposition, opposition

Ian's boat

Ian then decides he needs to fix something up the mast (10 mins to spare - no sweat)

And at last they are off (that is not me Ian blows a kiss to)