110. Race 7 is underway ……. 8 days until I depart for Race 8 and the start of Leg 6!

The second race of Leg 5 (Race 7) got underway from Subic Bay, Philippines yesterday. As I type the fleet is spread out over an area of about 25 nautical miles, off San Fernando on the west coast of Luzon with a little under 1000 nautical miles left to race. Boats speeds right now range from 1 knot to a little over 5 knots in wind holes and light winds to the west of the Philippines. The winds further north, south of Taiwan, look more favourable.

Off the Philippines it is 0120 on Tuesday morning as I type and those coming on watch for the 0300-0700 watch have another 10 minutes sleep before they are woken to dress. Back here it is now 8 days until I fly out to Subic Bay ahead of reporting to the yacht again on 6th March. My personal preparations are now entering the final phase. My kit is laid out ready to be packed and my re-grown beard is passed that “prickly-why-am-I-bothering-to-grow-this” phase …. just about. I have visas-various and a nice letter from Clipper “to whom it may concern” explaining why I am arriving in the Philippines without a departure ticket. Other than a statement in the letter that I will depart the Philippines on 10th March there is still no news of the route for Leg 6, other than the existing arrival window into Seattle of 19th-24th April. With the latest news of Coronavirus coming out of South Korea I wonder how long it will be before Option 1, covered in my last blog, becomes the least worst option? (See blog 109: Limbo Latest ,,,,, the roulette wheel continues to spin, published 18th February – Option 1: Subic-Qingdao-Seattle)

………… meanwhile, and in a throw-back to Leg 2 from Punta del Este to Cape Town…. The Mail Online Travel’s reporter Sadie Whitlocks was onboard Punta del Este for Leg 2 across the South Atlantic and her article, plus videos,  was published on 20th Feb. You can view it via this link:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel_news/article-8024823/Crossing-Atlantic-racing-boat-crew-23-Clipper-Round-The-World-Yacht-Race.html

For Diabetes UK and the National Autistic Society see

https://www.justgiving.com/keithsclipperadventure

For UNICEF UK see

https://www.justgiving.com/KeithWinstanley-TeamUNICEF

Please take a look. Thank You.