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As I opted for a quieter life in March 2018, I've been ticking off the 'what I'm going to do when I retire' list.

The next one is taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, 11 matching racing yachts (basically all identical and spartan would be a charitable description of the interior) leaving London on September 1st. Take a look at www.clipperroundtheworld.com to see what it is, and search "Clipper Southern Ocean" on YouTube to see why I am as scared as I am (bricking it mate, as my daughters would say).

UPDATE...at last. Made it to the Whitsundays (Great Barrier Reef neighbourhood). You’ll need to buy me a pint to set me off telling you all about it - which you’ll regret before the third sip - because there is so much to say. I’ll keep it short. The race has more than fulfilled my worst and best expectations during the 40,000km we’ve sailed. As well as nature’s attempts to inflict damage on crew and boat, dangling from the 95’ mast and swinging out over the guard rail hanging off sails were added to the mix. I was ‘bricking it’ about the Southern Ocean. I wasn’t expecting what the South Atlantic did. A 9 day storm with huge winds and waves.

The experience took me back to my days as a brickies labourer on Thornley Crescent. At the end of the day, we chucked all the broken bricks in the concrete/cement mixer, put a hose pipe in and left it for twenty minutes. Always came up squeaky clean. Just like that but for 9 days.

I’d lost over 2 and a half stone by the time we got to Cape Town, and as I got off the medic said “don’t smile at the cameras, your face looks like a dog chewed it”. Fran, who turned up unannounced just at the right time for my spirits, was disgusted that she only weighed 7lbs more than me.

Lynn was there to meet me in Fremantle, which was unfortunate because the water maker broke down 14 days out and we survived on 500ml water a day. She burst into tears when she saw me which I thought was lovely until she blurted out “you look like an effing skeleton”. She didn’t really say effing. Told you I was bricking it about the Southern Ocean.

Back to Cape Town for the lowest point of the journey. A visit to one of the townships. All the things you see on TV can’t prepare you for the scale and depth of the poverty. I can’t even think about it without tears pouring down my face (I’m in the bath at the moment so it’s ok...sorry, probably not a picture you wanted). It was also one of the most uplifting. Unicef and some partners are working on a project to protect the most vulnerable to neglect, sexual abuse, violence and drugs......as well as all the other mountains they face. The project in its self was inspiring, but one element blew me away - a future leaders programme. Who would think of doing such a programme in this environment?

The young people I met were intelligent, articulate, honest, pragmatic (corruption is not just a white problem in government; the biggest problem in the townships is the residents apathy) and fantastically optimistic and positive. 

When you compare these people to our current crop of ‘world leaders’, who share none of the qualities of these leaders of the future, I would vote for the youngsters all day long.

An interesting footnote (to rugby nuts anyway); one of the young leaders was the nephew of Siya Kolosi who had just, that day, landed in Cape Town to parade the Rugby  World Cup in which he’d just lead South Africa to victory.

Two points....Siya is a product of the Townships - proof that the youngsters enthusiasm and optimism aren’t misplaced. Second point...his nephew wasn’t allowed to go to the parade because his mother couldn’t afford the bus fare.

I told you I’d be brief. Ish. If you haven’t already, take notice of the next paragraph? If you don’t I’ll tell you all about the incredible wildlife. That’ll make you wish you had.

Straightforward request - please donate a few quid to the charity we're supporting which is UNICEF, and I will love you even more than I already do.

Thanks a million for reading, and even more than that if you've given a quid or two. 

I NEARLY FORGOT to tell you.... we’ve won three out of the five races so far and are leading the overall race! Wow, I can hear you thinking, I’m going to give double the donation now. 

Keith

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