We now know the last three ports of call. If you’ve been following the Clipper website you’ll already be aware of them, but just in case there are other things going on in your life, here they are.
The “South East Asia” stop is now confirmed as Subic Bay, The Philippines. Not an area I know anything about so some basic research tells me that it was a former US Naval base but is now a holiday destination. (I’m sure for some people that “but” is unnecessary). The temperature is likely to be in the low 30’s during the day when we’re there in late February, cooling to 20’s at night with a 1% chance of rain. Won’t be needing my flannelette nightie or Pac-A-Mac then! It specialises in beaches, good for the Clipper boats if they run aground. The fleet are due to arrive 25th-26th February and leave on 28th so a whistle-stop only. Not even worth unpacking the bikini.
The “China” part of leg 5/6 thus starts with arrival in Sanya February 10th-15th, moving onto Subic Bay on 21st February, a quick beer there then off to Zhuhai for arrival around 2nd-3rd March, a crew change for those who are not doing leg 6 and departure on 9th March to George’s “home” port of Qingdao. They should arrive there around 17-19th March and depart for Seattle on 26th March.
Onto the final leg, leaving Panama around 5th June next year. Due to the way the Panama Canal scheduling works this date is vague. I suppose it’s possible I may not even see them transit. Once all the fleet is through the Canal, the last section of Leg 7 will start. They race to New York / New Jersey, planning to arrive around 16th-19th June. As this is the end of Leg 7 there’s a crew change-over and they set off on 27th June for Bermuda.
The arrival window at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club is 1st-2nd July, leaving on the 9th so not much time there to relax. Bermuda is an archipelago of seven coral islands with around 170 other rocks and islands that are important enough to have been named. Possibly because ships have hit them? The large islands are connected by bridges. It is nowhere near other islands I’ve been to, if you look it up on a map all you’ll see is sea.
From there we’re on our way home. Foyle Marina at Derry-Londonderry around 23rd -27th July. Actually, that gives me some time to spend in Bermuda if I feel the need to stay in one place for a week or more. Bring out the bikini.
Once we’ve left Ireland on 2nd August it’s back to St Katherine’s Dock in London for 8th August, unless they sneak in a late stop. Then we pick up our normal lives?
Next time: probably disappointing for the sailors, back to my plans. Unless something more exciting occurs beforehand.
George and John's boating trip no longer 