Race start, off Southend Pier

Two different views of the race start off Southend Pier.

The big day on video!

The Big Day!

The full four hours of Race Start from St. Katherine Docks in London.....

Pauline and Sydney

Ali's Mum (Pauline) and Sydney have travelled up.

Fantastic to have them as part of Ali's send off.

To celebrate, we had a gorgeous meal at the hotel's restaurant.

I was going to be so good, keeping this blog up to date everyday!

I was going to be so good, keeping this blog up to date everyday.

But, once you learn of the mad couple of days I've had, you'll understand and perhaps even forgive me for not doing so!

So I last left you close to Tower Bridge on Friday - contemplating the yellow rain warnings for Sunday! - Thankfully they didn't materialise. 

Then there was the crew party on Friday night! The less said about that, the better. It didn't bode well as it was across Town - and Ali doesn't do crowded tube carriages - or walking "miles" through connecting tubes! Then, in true Clipper style it was a case of cramming far too many people into some function rooms, ply them with drink, jack up the music and hope for the best.

Perhaps I'm being a bit too unkind. If you have several hundred drunken sailors it's inevitable it might turn messy. It did. the noise and heat turned it into the perfect pressure cooker - £6.50p for a pint of beer didn't help either! But Clipper did their best. That didn't stop Ali and I having a row when I suggested we might leave at 10pm! It's OK - we kissed and made up before we left in the taxi at nearly midnight!

The Adventure Begins.

The adventure begins.......

Or does it? In someways it's the end of the adventure - or the start of the end. 

Four years ago, Ali and I went to Ocean Village in Southampton, to see the start of this strange thing called Clipper Round The World - the Race of Your Life. The bizarre concept of members of the public, or MOPs, racing large ocean going yachts around the world!

Ali had done some sailing before, as a teenager. Her dad was (and is?) a keen sailor while in the army. (No mixed metaphors there!)   

 To cut a long story short, that was the day Ali decided to take part in Clipper Round the World. This blog is not the story of the four years leading up to this moment. It's the story, looking forward. Of race start weekend and the rest of the 15/16 race. 

We made some incredible friends in those four years. And we've have some really high highs and some really low lows! (I am that Clipper Widower!) - the story of which is told on our Facebook pages. 

So, what of this weekend? All the boats leave St.Katherine's Dock, in London, on Sunday. Fanfares, tears and hugs from all us friends and families. It's going to be messy. 

Then on Monday, it's Race Start proper, in the Thames estuary, off Southend. 

So, today is about spending some time together and scouting for somewhere to eat tomorrow night. 

Fine Dining - Well, an Argentine Grill!

Getting into the feel for South American food! - An Argentine Grill! The steak just melted in your mouth! 

http://constancia.co.uk/