Time for a holiday - Dee Caffari
After some interesting sailing and an eventful race last weekend we have had a busy week.
Back out on the water for a couple of days sailing and getting some more accurate calibrations for our wind instruments allowed us to enjoy an almost empty Solent in comparison to the weekend. The guys have been busy working through the jobs list that always seems to be ongoing while we have been alongside and progress is being made at a rate of knots.
I returned to Leeds Met Uni yesterday for some more testing, a review of where we have got to and a plan for what we need to achieve next. The results were all positive with me attaining my personal bests in many of my strength tests. The day was long and busy but I do really feel as if all the hard work has been worth it. We have come a long way in a short space of time.
With so much going on, I am pleased to say that I am in a position now to take a few days to re charge my batteries with a holiday before the last push to the Vendee Start line begins. While I am away the team will be changing the rigging on Aviva so they will have their hands full.
Back in a couple of weeks!
- Dee
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Back to training - Dee Caffari
After a very relaxing holiday, spent doing very little but resting well and eating well, I have been straight back to it this week with no holding back. Tanguy Leglatin has been over for some coaching for the week, so it was far from a gentle familiarisation with Aviva after our break. I wanted to spend time flying the spinnaker and handling it alone so I could be more confident in the Vendee Globe this winter. I hope to be sailing downwind with the sun on my back and making some fast progress along the course and keeping up with my fellow competitors. To do this I need to feel happy about flying the spinnaker so we have spent time this week doing exactly that. We had a great overnight sail and I was thankful for the temperate climate the summer has shown us this week. My hands are sore and my muscles ache but I am feeling very proud of my progress. All I need to do now is practise.
Aviva is in great shape and the new rigging the guys put on while I was away looks great. Their jobs lists continues to grow but they are all smiling and pleased to see me back and taking Aviva out sailing again. There is a sure sign that summer is here and the pressure is slowly increasing. Each day departing from Portsmouth we have seen Hugo Boss and Pindar out sailing too as the skippers, like me, try and get as much time sailing as possible. We will soon be sailing with Ecover, so Mike and I can really check out some detail before the show down at the end of the year.
Dee
Protected by the Royal Marines - Dee
Now it is not everyday that a girl can say she has been protected by the Royal Marines, or zoomed over the Historic Dockyard of Portsmouth on the UK's longest Zip wire, but that is exactly how I spent my day today.
I was very honoured to have been asked to act as the VIP for the Royal Marines to protect in their display of close protection. I felt like Royalty, it was fabulous and each time I was under threat or attack the boys dealt with it impressively. Under fire and fast car manoeuvres left me feeling breathless and for the guys is was just another day.
We were then able to see The Field Gun crews compete in a nail biting race that only had seconds between them. I tried lifting a wheel from the field gun and it weighed in at 100lbs, which I could lift but had no chance of running with how the teams did. It was another impressive display.
It was great to see the Navy open to the Public with tens of thousands of visitors viewing the Past, Present and Future of the Royal Navy.
Dee
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