110 miles for British Red Cross

We made it back!

I just spent two weeks hiking the Cape Wrath Trail with my friend Helen to raise money for British Red Cross. Our assault on the UK's toughest thru-hike was amazing - despite the midges and the crazy heat wave - and we had a fantastic time and met some great people along the trail.

I managed over 110 miles and 6km of ascent/descent in 2 weeks before multiple injuries meant I sadly had to pull out of the final stretch, and Helen managed an impressive 130 miles. Fear not though, we'll be back to finish the last section after I sail across the Atlantic next year!

Thank-you so much to everyone who sponsored us and helped us raise a whopping £1,325.31 (including GiftAid) so far for the British Red Cross.

If you haven't already, please support the amazing work of this charity and help us hit our target here: www.virginmoneygiving.com/redshoescaitlin

Lochan Fada

Nosey neighbours at Strathcarron

Sandra Squire, 17-18 Leg 8

Welcome to the third in an ongoing series of guest posts from my fellow 17-18 Clipper Race crewmates and current 15-16 crew members! This is a chance for them to tell you all a little bit about themselves, why they chose to sign up for Clipper, and share some of their experiences.  Keep an eye on this space - I have another FIVE in the works already!

Now, over to Sandra Squire who will be sailing Leg 8 in the 17-18 race - enjoy!

Hi,

I’m Sandra, I’m a 40-something year old married Mum of 2 boys, currently aged 6 & nearly 9. We live in West Norfolk, although I originally hail from Hertfordshire. I’m a local Borough Councillor and hopefully by the start of the 2017-2018 race I will also be a County Councillor. I was elected for the first time in May 2015 and am enjoying the ups and downs of political life. I’m signed up to do Leg 8, the homecoming (glory) leg in June/July 2018.

So you might be forgiven for wondering why on earth I’d be wanting to leave my family and go off sailing the ocean on a 70ft racing yacht with about 20 other like minded, crazy people.  Well, there’s no one simple answer, it’s a combination of things.

Way back in 1999 I broke my back, which does change your life quite significantly. I was very lucky and have recovered fully, with a fierce determination to prove that I can do anything I choose to do. 11 weeks after my breaking my back I went travelling around Alaska for 6 weeks alone, against doctors advice. You’re getting some idea of my personality now?!

I thrive on challenges; I don’t like heights – so in 2011 I abseiled down a lighthouse raising money for the RNLI while doing so. To date, that is the most frightening thing I’ve ever done!

Both of my sons have Autism, which brings with it numerous challenges. We’ve seen prejudices and ignorance regularly, done battle with schools about support or progress and generally developed a very tough skin with the ability and willingness to face down anything or anyone. So I went into politics, it seemed a natural progression!

When you listen to people talk about Autism, it is the disability that is seen above everything else. The focus is always on what they can’t do and what they find difficult and not on what they can do, or the simple beauty of truly having no idea and not caring what other people think.  As an overweight, stay at home Mum, I want to prove to my boys that anything is possible. That ordinary people can do extraordinary things and that if they really want them, and are willing to work hard for them, their dreams can become reality. 

I’ve always wanted to learn how to sail, but never really got round to it. So when we moved to Norfolk, half an hour from the coast, I took my chance & had some lessons, followed by a course. A few months later, we bought our first boat on a whim - a 16ft cutter rigged dinghy. I had to get the harbour master to rig it, as I hadn’t got a clue where to start!

It was while I was flicking through the RYA magazine when recovering from pneumonia in 2015 that I came across an advert for the Clipper Race. It was interesting enough to make me look at their website, and that was interesting enough to make me fill in the form. Which inevitably led to an interview in Gosport, which is quite a day trip from Norfolk! 

Fast forward seven months and I’m in the gym 4 days a week and practicing knots blindfolded (sorry Caitlin!), I’ve got my first week’s training booked for over Easter and my son’s school friends tell him that he’s got a really cool Mum!

I’m raising money for four local Norfolk causes so hopefully I can do my challenge, inspire my kids and raise lots of money for some causes very close to my heart, all while meeting some amazing fellow crew and making some really good friends. Why would I not want to do it?

So why Leg 8?  Well, I can’t realistically be away from my family for 11 months and I was torn between Leg 1 or Leg 8.  Partly as it would save money on flights and partly because it would mean departing or returning to the home port in front of a home crowd. So I eventually settled on Leg 8. But if say a well known chocolate manufacturer that uses purple packaging were to see their way to sponsoring me to do Leg 1 as well, of course I’d be very grateful…… :)

• Sandra Squire

www.sandrasquire.com  

Jess Barton, 17-18 RTW

This is the first in a series of guest posts from some of my fellow 17-18 crewmates and the current 15-16 crew in which they tell us a little about themselves, their Clipper experiences so far, and pass on any hot tips! 15-16 crew will also be sharing the 3 things they wish they'd known before setting sail and their funniest moments onboard. 

Enjoy!

Hi! 

I’m Jess! A teacher of Music and English as a Foreign Language, and musician based in Shanghai, China originally from Frinton-on-Sea, UK. I have always been keen on sailing / water sports generally, courtesy of my membership to a youth organisation called the Sea Cadets. I was lucky enough to attend a unit which was literally minutes from my house, and we lived very close to the sea, so I was able to get a lot of boating in! This was all well and good until 2001, when I noticed something physically wrong, that had been ignored previously… I have S.U.F.E (An acronym for a hip condition, which I can never spell!!) Basically, the growing plate was slipping off my femur resulting in my leg being hard to walk on and my back changing shape. At the age of 12/13 I as told to give up all contact sports etc. I am not one for being told no, so when the opportunity came to get back on the water, I did so, but very gingerly. I was scared that I would hurt my leg. 

I was sponsored by my local rotary club to sail with Jubilee Sailing Trust, again, a charity that enables both disabled and able-bodied sailors on-board one of their two tall-ship vessels all over the world! I joined in Hamburg, Germany and sailed into London (UNDER Tower Bridge!) This revitalised my sailing confidence, as I gradually re-learnt what I could and couldn’t do… and this is now why  I am here.

Caitlin, asked me to write a guest blog about my Clipper Experience. Now, I am a “rare species” because it is not the first time that I have taken on the Clipper Experience. I first joined Clipper for the 2013/2014 race where I completed Leg 6 (Qingdao – San Francisco). I was a part of a competition held by the Sea Cadets to raise awareness of the charity, and as a reward, to sail the North Pacific. I was a sponsored crew member, and it was incredible. We took part in three training, practically back-to-back. Which, on reflection, was very tiring!! We went from complete novice, to a race sailing crew! Our training was in Gosport UK using the Clipper 68’s as the 70s were already racing. The first week, was very much based around getting to know the vessel, be safe crew, and be able to do all jobs on board. The second week included sea survival training as well as more sailing, racing technique, and how to get the best “out of the boat” and then the third week was more of the sailing, and including the use of the spinnakers. 

The training isn’t just about what you need to know about the vessel, it also gives you a chance to “practice” what kit you are going to bring, or how to pack it. No word of a lie, on one of my training weeks – someone, brought a SUITCASE! – Tip: DO NOT EVER, EVER bring a suitcase!! I found that I had two kit bags for the race… one was my clothing, and the other was my sleeping bag/foulies/boots. You will need to get used to packing light… absolutely NO luxuries! You will get used to wet-wipe-showers!! 

In terms of the leg that I completed – it was just incredible. I was onboard CV27 (Then named Team Garmin) and we were a very small crew, only 12 of us! I was one of two leggers that joined for Leg 6. We set sail from Qingdao, took part in the “Parade of Sail” (which is where all vessels complete a set route, motor sailing, mainly for colours / promo shots etc.) then, we all made an attempt to start the race. It was called within minutes because of the lack of wind, and it was decided that we should motor to the coast of Japan, by which time the wind would fill in and we would be able to get sailing! 

The race itself was great fun, full of adventure, and experiences that I will never forget. Seeing nothing for miles, but being in great company! I won’t go into the nasty details that you don’t need to know about sea sickness or injury…. But, yes. WHAT A RACE. When I got to San Francisco, I was extremely happy, but also very sad that I was at the end of my experience…. And this is why I am now  returning to Clipper to join the 2017/2018 crew, as a Round-The-Worlder, not only because I want to do Leg 6 again, but get the satisfaction of circumnavigating, something that not very many people get to do! 

I completed my level one training in Sydney (October 2015), something that I didn’t have to do, because of my experience…. BUT, I hadn’t sailed on a Clipper yacht for just under a year at that point… and it was just like riding a bike… a skill you don’t forget. I have already set my sights on becoming a watch leader… and the ball is already rolling with that as I was the leader of my watch for Level 1 – here’s to that being the case for the remainder of my training! I return to Australia to complete levels 2 and 3 respectively in April and October 2016, then I will complete level 4 in the UK when I return after completing my teaching contract in China. 

As a returning of the favour, I am fundraising for Jubilee Sailing Trust, because without I would not have got the confidence back to get into sailing again!! To follow what I am doing, where I am, how the fundraising is going, and my blog… please see, www.facebook.com/jessbarton1718 you can also “click to donate” by visiting www.justgiving.com/jessvstheworld

• Jess Barton

New Crew Supporter!

I am thrilled to announce that One Fitness UK has joined the ranks of my Crew Supporters. They have generously donated full gym membership for the duration of my Race preparation to help me reach the level of physical fitness required for such an extreme sailing challenge. 

Having suffered from a knee injury when attempting the Cape Wrath Trail last summer, I've been pretty much a couch potato (apart from physio) since September. With Level 1 Clipper training looming in March, I decided that now my knee is well enough to start exercising, it's time to get into shape! 

Cue the fantastic One Fitness UK - the staff at this super friendly gym have made me feel really comfortable and have made getting back into exercising regularly actually quite fun. I'm looking forward to working with them over the next 18 months to get me to the peak fitness I'll need for a circumnavigation - thanks One Fitness UK!

onefitnessuk.com

First Gold Level Supporter!

I'm thrilled to announce that I have my first Gold Level Supporter, Michelle Matthews, who has generously committed to a monthly contribution worth £1000. With Michelle's help, I can now sail another 786mi / 1266km - that's 1/5 of Leg 2 from South America to Southern Africa!

Here's a taste of what her support will look like when I'm out racing across the South Atlantic: