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And they're off! Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece sets sail on the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race
Elisa Jenkins
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Elisa Jenkins and the crew onboard Cape Breton Island: Nova Scotia's Masterpiece
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Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of articles by Elisa Jenkins, one of the crewmembers aboard the Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece, one of the nine yachts racing in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. Here she talks about the days before they set sail from Humber, UK. As of press time, Elisa and the team were on their way to Brazil. During the race, Elisa is also raising funds for the Cape Breton Cancer Centre through the Mile to Mile Campaign. Her goal is to raise $35,000, $1 for each mile of the race. To donate, go to www.capebretonclipper.com.
It’s hard to believe the moment has arrived. As I passed through the airport security check, Dad said, “See you in a year or so!” The reality finally hit me! I tried to be strong and smile as I gave a last wave goodbye.
Rows of bright lights stretched a long distance ahead – I looked out a window along the foggy Halifax runway. The jets fired up, and I was officially returning to the UK for Clipper 09-10 Race training. After writing only a few lines, we were above the fog bank and Halifax had disappeared.
As I approached the Royal Clarence Marina in Gosport, UK, our eagle stood out among the other yachts. To see the 68-foot hull design right in front of me was incredible! “Here’s my home for the next year,” I thought, and was filled with pride to represent Cape Breton Island in a world class racing fleet.
After navigation, meteorology, sea survival, and VHF training, I finally got to go sailing on our Cape Breton Island Clipper! It was an exciting training week – especially meeting our skipper, Jan Ridd, and Caper race crew.
The first couple days out we practiced our reefing, headsail changes, and spinnaker work – all in preparation for a two-day offshore race against the rest of the fleet. On board were two Capers, myself and Dan McCarthy, along with Allyson Murray from Halifax, and RTW crew Shannon Gallins from Victoria.
Our offshore race was the first of many challenges. We started in light airs, to the point of stopping at times, and watched as conditions built to more than 30 knots!
We headed towards France and got the watch system underway – four hours on watch, and four hours to sleep/eat/prepare to come back on deck. One of our night time watches found us on deck, trying to fold our biggest sail. A surprisingly great effort was required to get the job done. The winds were increasing.
On deck for my next watch, I was surprised at my lack of energy! Trying to eat was now difficult with the conditions, so I stuck to water and took a position on the helm — concentration took over. It was exhilarating to steer up and down the waves, trying to keep a smooth course for the crew who were seasick. Keep in mind, we haven’t left the channel yet!
Off duty, I was craving a banana. Picture your kitchen on a 45 degree angle, and the only banana left is in the top cupboard – on the uphill side! That was the situation in our saloon. A seasick crew sat on the downhill side, head against the wall, asleep, and grasping a bucket.
Timing it with the waves, I made an attempt to climb up for the banana. Once within arm’s reach, I was sent downhill and landed next to my fellow crew. He didn’t wake up. After four more tries, I got the banana! Exhausted from my efforts, I lied down on the bench and took a couple bites. Several minutes later, I realized I had fallen asleep, holding the half eaten banana! The comedy of the situation gave me some energy.
We were rewarded with beautiful sailing for our final day of Part C training. Following some safety drills, a match race with Cork Clipper was organized. We tacked back and forth many times, trimming sails with each move. After a period of close competition, it was clear Cape Breton had gained the lead. It was satisfying to work together as a team and perform well over the week!
After months of preparing crew and boats, it was finally time to sail north to the race start in Hull. Several hundred people lined the Gosport waterfront as the Clipper fleet departed the Royal Clarence Marina.
Our delivery crew of 11 on Cape Breton Island got ready to slip lines. As the mayor of Gosport passed up the last one, Bobby Currie’s Clipper Song played over the speakers. With crew and spectators clapping their hands, I felt proud to showcase our Cape Breton music.
The delivery started as a fantastic downwind sail, then developed into a force-10 gale! The wind shifted, so we had to sail directly into the wind and waves. Most crew were seeing these conditions for the first time. On the ocean, waves are further apart, making it easier to steer the boat on a comfortable angle. This was not possible on the English Channel. The short, choppy seas made for a rough passage for more than 16 hours. All crew were wet and cold, but impressively kept good morale.
On an exciting note, my fastest speed while helming under triple-reefed main was 15.9 knots!
The Hull Marina was full of interested spectators with cameras on our arrival. They asked what it was like to face the heavy weather during the delivery. As we walked into town for supper, race announcements were displayed on every second street lamp. Moments like this remind me of the scope of our adventure.
I now have to trust my life experiences to this point, both on and off the water, have left me prepared for the challenges ahead.
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