Log one - 39 days to go Hi 鈥 I鈥檓 Matt Jeffrey, and I鈥檓 counting down to the day I鈥檒l be boarding the James Cook in the 2005 Tall Ships' Race 鈥 and for me, there's only 39 days to go.
 | | The James Cook is not tall but it's fast |
I'm a member of the crew sailing on the 20.9mtr ketch from Cherbourg to Newcastle in the middle section of the race known as the "Cruise in Company". But before I do that, I鈥檝e just been on my first training weekend on board - it was time to find out what this ketch can do, and how we would all work together as a crew. We sailed out of the River Tyne into the North Sea. I have been sailing for three years at the Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club and for Durham School, in dinghies which can be really fast - so the James Cook will be a totally new experience for me. We all arrived on the Friday evening on the North Shields quayside and quickly went on board, down to the quarters and selected a bunk. I nabbed the top one. None of us knew each other, so the skipper, Steve Lennon, set us all going on his "name game" 鈥 but I reckon we鈥檒l have to do it again next time we all meet.
 | | I made my bunk like home very quickly |
We were all given essential safety instructions and supplied with our wet-weather kit, life jacket and safety harness. Sailing at sea is a very different discipline than the reservoir sailing I'm used to. The evening meal was going to be another first for me - chilli con carne was on the menu, but it was hot and good. Time was getting on, so after a mug of hot coffee, it was time to try out the bunk 鈥 I don鈥檛 remember much of the night, so it must have been comfortable 鈥 but I do remember whacking my head a couple of times on the bulkhead 鈥 I won鈥檛 be doing that next time! Saturday 鈥 the morning started at 7am 鈥 it normally takes me a while to get out of bed on a Saturday, but there was no escaping an early rise here. It was warm but with light winds 鈥 as I like the speed of high wind sailing, this was a little disappointing. | "The Ocean Youth Trust say that the Tall Ships Race is a 鈥渓ife changing experience鈥 鈥 if this weekend is anything to go by, it certainly will be." | | Matt Jeffrey |
I was on breakfast duty. I can cook a pretty mean bacon and eggs, but this was even easier 鈥 toast and cereals 鈥 and I didn鈥檛 burn it! We motored out of the Tyne and off on an easterly tack 鈥 Norway direction. The day was all about learning the various team roles. I seemed to be doing a lot of rope work - sail raising. The wind had got up and the sea had quite a swell on it. At least three of my crew mates were sea sick, and I remember thinking how lucky I was not suffering with it too. We came back in for an early evening skipper change, then sailed up the Tyne to the Millennium Bridge and moored up. It was time for fish pie supper on board then a visit ashore to the quayside. Sea air and fresh winds were tiring, and we all returned at about 10 and crashed out in our bunks.
 | | It's a steep learning curve on deck |
Sunday - the wind had got up early and we were able to sail off the quayside and all the way out to the North Sea. I spent much of the day helming at the huge wheel, but some of the time, I was practicing knots 鈥 they are so important on board, and undoing them at speed can be as important as tying them 鈥 but more practice is needed - hopefully with slightly warmer hands. Tuna and cheese stuffed jacket potatoes were on the lunch menu, and this time it wasn鈥檛 me cooking. The training weekend went so quickly. We came in at about 5pm and moored up at North Shields. Of course the boat gets fairly dirty over a weekend of sailing, so we all spent about an hour cleaning it up 鈥 ready for another trip. I hope to do another training session on board before the race voyage 鈥 so there will be more Tall Ships' Race logs to follow鈥 Meantime, as they say "there's no such thing as a free lunch", so I had better get on with my fund raising! The Ocean Youth Trust say that the Tall Ships' Race is a 鈥渓ife changing experience鈥 鈥 if this weekend is anything to go by, it certainly will be. Your comments victoria jewitt
the whole event was amazing andi would deffinatley go again maybe next time as part of a crew. daniel bentley
hi people who i met on the tall ships am reeli missin ya especial emma and matt emma ya were the best hope to see you agen soon and wot u been up to latly ya matt & emma ya were the cushest people i met on the tall ship james cook Ryan Newcastle
This was a really cool log. It's nice to see how the tall ships went from a crew members point of view. I hope it was a great experience and life changing. It was certainly fun reading all about it. daniel bentley
am missin every one a met especialy matt and luke missin ya all emma a luv ya pure loads hope to see ya agen al tell fore head he dont stand a chance luke morgan
i was on the james cook this July. Would love to do it again n usin daniels word it waz "cush" The crew were brill 2. Remeber dan why do fish have thumbs? U kno ;) pat w
we had the tall ships in waterford wonderfull time had by all hope newcastle enjoy the spectacle daniel bentley
missin ya matt cant wait to see ya Philippa Francis
I sailed in the 2003 Race on James Cook. It was a life changing experiance, I have never been so exhuasted, sleep deprived or excited before. The whole situation is thrilling including the bits that go wrong! Since then I have been bitten by the bug and sail when I can on the James Cook. Emma Hopps
Hi matt remember me i was on the boat with you from London to France, it was great fun. well i hope you have fun and i will see you when you arrive in Whitby. hope the weather is good. As Steph said its CUSH! Daniel Bentley
Matt I remembar all the fun we had I will visit you when you come into the tyne hope to see you soon. Enjoy yourself I hope you have as much fun as what I did on my two weeks hope there are no storms for you and the rest of the crew. Realy good website i was on it with matt when you took the picture he is a realy cool kid realy funny billie jephcote
i haventbeen on it yet but i am going on the 5th aug lookin forward to it.!!!!!!!!! :) steph
hey matt its steph remember i was on the boat the same time as you . soz for being a bitch about the whole hinges need oiling thing and i had a great tim e its a bit of a bad picture of me above cos im in the background .see you later .ITS CUSH susie
hey matt, remember me? i hope so cos my bunks on that photo too! not long till were off to france! exciting suff or wot! michaela
hiya cant wait til the race come im cumin to watch it jhon
yes it was wkd like an i had an emaseig time | 
