Archive for July, 2009
A huge thank you to the utterly marvellous companies who donated the lovely things for my auction. And just as huge a thank you to everyone who placed a bid. Between you all, I managed to raise enough money to pay for my return flight home from Brazil and my sea survival course, which incidentally I did on Saturday (more on this in a mo). So give yourselves a slap on the back because without your help, I would have had to spend the rest of my life in Rio (bummer) and wouldn’t have been able to learn all the fantastic things I’m about to share with you.
So Sea Survival, not exactly a course I was relishing. It wasn’t just the prospect of having to swim fully clothed that put me off, it was knowing that I was going to learn about all the nasty ways I could potentially die by setting sail across the ocean that was the downer.
However, it started off well as the instructors (who incidentally train Royal Marines so sort of know what they’re talking about) gave us the stats about how unlikely it was that we’ll ever need to put into practice the stuff we were about to learn. So that was good. I could enjoy my cup of coffee after that.
The morning then passed by in a flurry of tales about the numerous different ways you can die at sea. There’s not just drowing, there’s secondary drowning and dry drowning. There’s hypothermia, heat stroke, sunburn, frostbite, gangrenous immersion foot, severe injuries while trying to abandon ship, heart failure due to cold shock or hydrostatic shock (? forgive me medics), dehydration and starvation. On the plus side, you do get wind swept hair and a good bit of colour in your cheeks.
Anyway, on that cheery note, we set off for the pool, fully clothed. It’s safe to say I was bricking myself. They’d warned us that they were going to beast us so that we were truly knackered before attempting to climb into the life rafts as that’s how we would be in reality.
I obviously have a face that encourages instructors to pick on me, as I was used as the guinea pig for every demonstration there was. But after the initial jump into the pool, my fear gave way to fun. It was seriously fun. Now I know that in real life it won’t be fun. There’s nothing funny at all about abandoning ship at sea, trying to get to your life raft if you didn’t get on it before leaving the boat, surviving the hideous sea sickness, dehydration, starvation and utter depression that comes from living in a life raft, waiting to be found. But in the pool, it was fun. And not nearly as hard as they made out.
What I found amazing about the training - and indeed all the training I’ve done so far - is that if you just go for it and try, you actually can do so much more than you think you’re capable of. I am extremely claustrophobic, so sitting in a small orange bouncy boat, all zipped up with no air coming in wasn’t pleasant. But I was put in charge of organising everyone on the liferaft and did it, without batting an eyelid.
Then we had to tip an overturned liferaft onto our heads. Again, the thought of a large piece of plastic landing on my head and pushing me under water filled me with dread. But it was fine. They teach you how to create an air pocket and how to get out from underneath it.
I know that should - God forbid - I ever have to put any of this into practice for real, it will be utterly terrifying, but I’ve learnt that I am far more capable than I thought I was. I genuinely feel prepared now to face whatever is thrown at us.
But the best bit of all was learning some of the useful life saving tips that inhabitors of life rafts could benefit from. For example, you can’t eat protein as it requires too much water for the body to process, and water isn’t something you have a lot of on a liferaft.
However, you do get a fishing line and hook and apparently, the fishing is remarkably good as the shadow created by the life raft attracts fish, which attracts bigger fish, which attract even bigger fish (which is why you need to sit on some of your layers of clothes to provide padding from some of the bigger fish nudging your bottom none to gently).
And although you can’t eat the meat of fish, you can eat their eyeballs because they’re just liquid. Yummy. More please. And you can eat their skin, just scrape the scales off first. But don’t drink fish blood. Too salty. Turtles on the other hand, have marvellous blood which you can drink at will. However, you need to be sharpish because it takes just 40 seconds before the blood congeals. So you have to slit, pour, drink and swallow at speed. And of course, finding the turtle might be tricky in the first place. And all of this is a fairly mute point when you’re allergic to seafood as I am.
You also get two sponges on the life raft, one for mopping up sea water (and sick) and one for mopping up the condensation from our breathing on the roof, which you then squeeze into a water container and drink. Yummy. Drinking other people’s breath. The rafts also very cunningly have a V sewn into the roof to catch rain water, which flows down a tube and is attached to what looks like a catheter bag. The salt water settles at the bottom, leaving the fresh stuff on top - which you then pour into your deflated life jacket, which now doubles up as a water container. Clever no?
The most important thing learnt (besides the four steps you MUST do the minute you get into a life raft - and no, it’s not shit yourself although you do need to pee within an hour) is that someone isn’t dead until they’re warm and dead. If they’re cold and dead, they’re probably just deeply hypothermic. Useful to know I think.
So that’s how I spent my Saturday. A little different from the norm, but very interesting none the less. Now to go look up a recipe for turtle blood and fish eye soup….
PS - for my mother’s benefit who I know will read this, I’d like to reiterate that all of this is likely to NEVER be needed, but better safe than sorry.
PPS - I forgot to say, the highlight of the day was that the film crew was there. They’re making a multi part documentary of the entire race no doubt to be broadcast on a channel near you soon, and the camera man decided that I was his spokesperson of choice. So after every exercise, as I emerged from the pool looking like a drowned rat/yeti, I had a camera shoved in my face and asked how I’d enjoyed the exercise. I feel my fame might be shortlived…
Tags: sea survival, Training
July 27th, 2009
I have some gorgeous things that clients and friends have kindly donated to me, so I’m holding an online auction to help me raise funds for my trans-Altantic adventure. Please spread the word far and wide so that lots of people bid on the items. With less than two months to go till I set sail, I really need to raise some funds.
This is how it will work.
- As of now, you can place a bid on the auction prizes listed below by posting in the comments box.
- Name the item you’re bidding on and state the price you’re willing to pay for it. Note: all items have a minimum reserve price that unless met will not be won. Please also note the shipping costs involved (these are UK shipping prices, if you live outside the UK, I will have to work that out on a case by case basis but they will be kept as low as possible, just to ensure costs are covered).
- The auction will run until 10pm BST on Sunday 26 July 2009.
- The person with the highest bid will win the item.
- I will email the winners and arrange payment (via paypal) and will send out the item to you.
Please treat this the same way you would an eBay auction - if you bid on an item, you are obliged to buy it if yours is the winning bid.
SO HERE’S THE BOOTY!! LET THE SHOPPING COMMENCE!
PRIZE 1 - a fabulous family holiday from Tots to Travel worth £500!! (reserve of £200)
www.totstotravel.co.uk
Family holiday vouchers to the value of £500. Amazing child friendly holiday properties in the UK, France, Italy, Lanzarote and soon Spain. Take a look at the site and see for yourself just how fab the properties are. They all come fully kitted out with everything you need for babies and children - including toys, sterilisers, cots, high chairs, potties, plastic crockery, change mats, blenders, monitors, stairgates and much more.
And with £500 in vouchers, that could cover the cost of a week long holiday or make a big dent in the cost of one of the bigger properties. The team at Tots to Travel can help you draw up a short list of properties that fit your criteria. You won’t get a family holiday this great for less. Read here what mummy blogger Katyboo had to say about their Tots to Travel holiday.
Note: no postage cost
PRIZE 2 - a month’s worth of Babylicious kiddy snacks worth £15 - reserve of £5
www.babylicious.co.uk has given me a month’s supply of their yummy and very healthy Kiddylicious fruit snacks. The prize includes 3 boxes (10 bags in a box) of crunchy fruit snacks in apple, pineapple and banana. So that’s 30 bags of fruit crisps that your children will love in their lunchboxes next term. Find out all about them here
Postage is £4
PRIZE 3 - Cuddledry Apron-Style towel worth £25 - reserve of £10
www.cuddledry.com - as featured on Dragon’s Den - has donated a gorgeous Cuddledry apron style baby towel. It makes bathing a baby so much easier as it leaves your hands free and stops you getting soaking wet. The one available is the colour as shown in the picture. Find out how it works here.
Postage is £4
PRIZE 4 - £100 in vouchers for fab kids clothes from Aunty Ollie - reserve price of £40
www.auntyollie.com - This company makes really lovely children’s clothes in retro-inspired prints. The summer range is simply gorgeous. Check out the full range here. Get these vouchers and go on a spending spree! They’ll also be introducing a new winter range soon so you could always hang onto them and kit your kids out for winter.
No postage cost
PRIZE 5 - Stardust Kids kids electric guitar worth £60 - reserve price of £20
www.stardustkids.co.uk - Which kid wouldn’t want an ultra-cool kids electric guitar? (My son has been pining for this one for months). Perfect for all those aspiring rock stars. Find out more about it here
Please note, the guitar available looks just like the one in the pic i.e. blue. Postage is £5
PRIZE 6 - £100 in vouchers from Sweaty Betty - reserve price of £40
www.sweatybetty.com has given £100 in vouchers to spend on their awesome range of casual and fitness wear that just makes you want to take up running or yoga or something energetic! See the range here.
No postage cost
PRIZE 7 - £100 in Boden vouchers - reserve price of £40
www.boden.co.uk has given me £100 in vouchers - perfect to give your wardrobe a boost this summer or stock up for Autumn. See their gorgeous things here
No postage cost
PRIZE 8 - A Wrapture from www.morrck.com worth £35 - reserve price of £15
A beautiful navy and light blue Wrapture in size Small (suitable for children aged 2 - 3 yrs). Wraptures are very cleverly designed thick, toasty, fleecey coats that children are able to put on themselves - much less faffing when trying to get out of the house. And while it might be summer now, you know it’s not going to be long before winter comes knocking. See the range here
Postage cost is £4
PRIZE 9 - Suede photo album from www.darlinganddarling.co.uk worth £35, reserve of £15
A beautiful suede photo album, perfect for keeping all those baby pics in - or any special memories really. A brilliant gift (please note that this prize is for a plain suede album, not personalised as it states on the website).
No postage cost
PRIZE 10 - Ladies Pamper Hamper from Pampercakes worth £25 - reserve of £10
www.pampercakes.co.uk
This pamper box is the perfect treat for yourself or for a friend. It includes aromatherapy bath butter, 5 mini heart soaps, cocao butter bath treat and individually wrapped Belgian truffles.
No postage cost
Prize 11 - An All in One Nappy Wallet and change mat from www.melobaby.com - worth £30, reserve price of £12.
These are stylish and practical, suitable for mums or dads. And they’re essential for travelling - so if you’re going away, make sure you get one. They hold everything you need for a nappy change but also have a fitted change mat that can be removed and washed. So no more lugging a big nappy bag around or hunting around for nappy cream while holding a pooey baby. Find out more about it here
No postage cost
Prize 12 - A gorgeous hooded cardi from Daisychainbaby. Worth £26, reserve of £10.
This lovely Green Eyed Monster cardi will fit babes aged 12 - 24 months and can be in either blue or purple. Made from Alpaca blend, it’s wonderfully soft with no itchy bits.
No postage cost.
And finally, www.finkcards.com, have given me 50 packs of their excellent Family Edition conversation cards.
These cards are simply brilliant at getting the whole family talking, ideally round the dinner table as they ask a range of questions which children from the age of 3 up will be able to answer. They’re also great to use on car journeys (no more ‘Are we there yet?) because you can spend hours answering the cards.
You can buy them for the special auction price of £3.50 (normally a fiver). Simply click the buy it now button below to get one. They are not part of the auction, just a quick and simple thing you can buy right now that will soon have your whole family talking
Please post a comment if you have any questions or email me: melissa@peekaboocoms.co.uk
Happy bidding!
Tags: auction, aunty ollie, babylicious, boden, cuddledry, darling & darling, fink cards, melobaby, morrck, pampercakes, prizes, stardust kids, sweaty betty, tots to travel
July 16th, 2009
One of the reasons I decided to do this crazy sailing thing was because I wanted to do something completely different from my day to day life. Here’s just how different it is:
On any normal Monday morning, I’d get up at 6am, make lunchboxes and cups of milk, put on laundry, before downing coffee, getting kids dressed and off to school with maximum nagging, before settling down behind my pc.
This last Monday was a little different. At 3am, I was hauled out a bunk, staggered into several layers of wet weather gear and made my way up onto the deck of a 68 foot 30 tonne boat that was smashing its way through waves just off Beachy Head.
The four crew members on watch needed help to change the headsails as the wind had increased overnight and with waves knocking the boat around, more hands were needed. By the time we’d put up the headsails and reefed the main, it was time for our watch to start.
Watching the sun rise at 4am (yes that’s the time it gets up in summer), my three watch mates and I clutched salty mugs of tea and took turns helming our way upwind towards a rendevous point where we were meant to meet the other clipper boats at 9am. This was the start of the third consecutive day of being offshore. We’d already sailed to Beachy Head and back twice with some awesome moments - like surfing waves going down wind in the moonlight and beating another boat on the line after racing them for 24 hours (sadly, our watch was actually asleep at the time but we heard the commotion and celebrations as they were pipped on the line).
This was part C of our Clipper Round the World training and was designed to get us used to living on board, getting into a watch system and offshore racing techniques. For reasons unknown, we didn’t have a full compliment of crew of board - just 8 of us plus the skipper - which meant a meagre four people per watch. Which isn’t a huge number of people to stay in control of a big boat off shore.
Added to this, I was the only girl. This wasn’t a massive issue, but girls and boys talk about very different things. Guys just don’t get how uncomfortable bras can be worn 24/7 and can’t celebrate in the joy of discovering that not wearing a bra really isn’t an issue when you’re wearing about 10 layers of clothes all of which are designed to make you look like a telly tubby.
And then there’s the issue of what to wear while you’re sleeping. You see the blokes can just wear their boxers and no shirt and simply pull their gear on when it’s time to go back on watch. But girls can’t really just lie around in their knickers. Putting PJs on and off is a pain when you’ve got a tiny amount of time to get your head down or to get back up on deck. So I ended up sleeping in my thermals. Bad idea. These same thermals are worn day after day while you work your butt off, so are coated in sweat. They’re sticky and hot and just thoroughly nasty. After three nights of this, I’d finally had enough and decided, in a fit of exhaustion, to take them off and just sleep in knickers.
So when the other team came to wake us up, I jumped out of bed yelling: ‘WARNING! I AM STARK BOLLOCK NAKED!’ before clambering up my bunk (I’d been hotbunking in a less bouncy bunk) to find my kit. Not a fabulous way for any of us to start the day really. But needs must. And of course it then became the standing joke of the boat.
Anyway, back to the Monday in question. After meeting up with the other boats, we decided to do our own thing and not race down to Poole, opting to cross the English Channel instead heading towards France and the island of Alderney. The freshening breeze that had kicked up at 3am continued to grow and grow till eventually we were smashing into mountains of water in a force 7/8 gale with gusts of 39 knots.
There we were, just four of us, navigating our way across international shipping lanes while trying to hang onto the contents of our stomaches. Eight hours is a long time to be pummelled by wave after wave breaking over the side of the boat with cold water dripping down your neck and stinging your eyes with salt. Not to mention the constant roar of the wind in your ears, making it hard to hear the person sitting next to you, much less 68 feet away at the front of the boat. We’d take turns helming as it is both a physically and mentally punishing job trying to prevent the boat from crashing into each wave, not something your crew mates down below with churning tummies will enjoy, as each crash down the back of a wave causes the whole boat to jar.
By 8pm I was shattered and collapsed into my bunk, having managed to avoid sea sickness. We were up again at midnight, tackling the same sea now in the dark, but with a beautiful moon to highlight the white tops of the waves. There was something magical about seeing the lights on the coast of France and knowing that we’d got there. Us amateur sailors with little more than 3 weeks of sailing experience on these big boats.
The closest I came to tears was at 4am when my knot hard shoulders and cramping legs simply couldn’t hold the wheel any longer - I’d done a double helming shift as one of our watch was down at the nav station telling us where to go and the other two were both violently ill. We’d entered the Alderney Race where wind goes against tide, kicking the sea up even more. I was absolutely finished.
Just like the race which we never saw the end of, we never got to see Alderney as we collapsed in our bunks waking again at 8am to find us barrelling down wind back towards Blighty.
Out of the 8 of us, only 2 of us weren’t sick. And miraculously I was one of them. I put it down to a combination of Kwells, sucking on crystallised ginger and using my birth breathing (I know - weird) to help me relax. A tense tummy feels worse than a relaxed one and it seemed to work. Those hypnobirthing CDs really were worth their weight in gold!
The excitement didn’t end there. After meeting up with the other boats outside Poole, we had a final race around the Isle of Wight. With more galeforce warnings, we set off in rolling seas and freshening winds flying a spinnaker. Yee-hah sailing of the highest order as we surfed down huge waves at rapidly increasing speeds. After a few of us had a terrifying turn at trying to control the boat at these crazy speeds, the skipper took over.
We managed to reach 20 knots of speed before broaching violently. Although the skip managed to recover from the broach, the pressure on the spinnaker pole was too much and it broke off, blowing out the spinnaker and leaving it flying wildly from its halyard. The noise of the madly flapping sail combined with the roar of wind and the rolling seas made me freeze in fear, like a rabbit in the headlights. But somehow or other, the team managed to retrieve the sail from the water, cutting away part of it to free it from beneath the boat and leaving us to sail free again.
Blowing out spinnakers at high speeds will happen on the race so it was great to experience it - and hopefully next time I’ll be slightly less terrified. As the lovely Dave succinctly put it: it looked liked someone had kicked started a tractor in his underpants after the experience.
We continued racing back to Cowes where we all finally got to take a shower for the first time in five days. My hair looked like something out of the witches of Eastwick. Five days of suncream, wind and waves breaking over my head had left it looking rather special. It was impossible to get a brush through it.
We staggered to a pub where we all sat swaying in our seats before giving into exhaustion and collapsed into our bunks.
And that was it. Well besides the usual deep cleaning and boat sorting out. We had survived it and I feel far more prepared to take on the actual race now.
As we philosophically discussed one late night shift, doing this race is not dissimilar to the waves we were ploughing through. Sometimes you feel completely up, riding the crest, thinking this is awesome. And other times, you get into a deep depression and wonder why the hell you’re there. But what I’ve discovered about this whole crazy adventure is that it truly is about the journey, not the destination.
July 9th, 2009
