Not much to report today in some ways - still no repair possible to either the mast track or the J1 halyard lock. But better numbers on the water, closing the two boats in front to within 10 miles.
Crédit : S Greenfield
The extensive area of Doldrums ahead has everyone talking - the way through is not particular obvious, and just about anything could happen. One thing most the navigators seem to agree on is that being further east is better, so every time a wind shift allows it, they are taking due east - when they do it they are making zero gain on Auckland - so its clearly important!
We leave you with Sam’s blog of the day, and our final Chinese New Year moment onboard Dongfeng - but a link to the destination, and Kiwi Sailing Legend Sir Peter Black. Think Red!
Red Socks
How’s this for six degrees of separation?
Last night on a Chinese boat sailing from China to New Zealand - from one of the world’s largest countries to one of the smallest- Horace and Wolf celebrated Chinese New Year, aka. The Spring Festival.
At the same time some 1.2 billion Chinese rang in the year of the sheep.
New Zealand is home to 40 million sheep and 4 million people.
I don’t know how many sheep live in China.
It’s a good luck tradition for Chinese to wear red socks on New Year Eve and through following day.
The same Chinese symbol for good luck and fortune is shared by New Zealand in their reverence for Kiwi offshore sailing legend, Sir. Peter Blake.
Blake wore his lucky red socks during every race of his 1995 America’s Cup campaign.
Blake and his red socks weren’t onboard for the only race that the team didn’t win, and when Blake stole the show and brought the Cup home to Auckland it elevated red socks to a national symbol, like sheep.
100,000 pairs were purchased. Not sheep. They had enough of those. Red socks.
Red socks were revived as a symbol of mourning when Blake was murdered on the Amazon some years later.
One of the two Chinese sailors onboard, Wolf, was keen to learn about Blake and the uncanny similarities occurring on this leg bridging his homeland and New Zealand.
In exchange, he taught me a bit about Chinese New Year.
“Chinese New Year is the most important festival for Chinese and all the family will get together for a proper dinner around the family,” explains Wolf.
He’s putting it lightly. Chinese New Year is the biggest annual human migration on earth.
“Some people will stand for days on the train just to get home,” says Wolf. “Two days, three days, because they’ll sell the standing space after the seats run out.”
He tells me how his family’s Chinese New Year tradition begins with a massive preparation of food in the afternoon. The TV is switched on at 6pm and the family will gather round and watch a state program while making dumplings and more food and more food.
“We have this one show that over a billion people watch. I think it’s the biggest show in the world,” says Wolf.
The fireworks begin around 11pm.
“The tradition is to scare off the evil spirits, and it looks nice,” he adds.
“And after midnight we say happy new years to our parents and call our relatives and send our best wishes.”
So both Wolf and Horace got to power of the SAT phone make one –short- call apiece to their families in China. Then they sat down in the galley and ate a simple meal together –with a few treats from home- went up on deck and rang in the New Year.
It was pretty special to watch Wolf and Horace adapt their favorite holiday to our offshore setting, but Wolf was still sad to be away from his family.
“It’s the first new years I’m not with them, but I don’t regret it. I’m doing something special,” he said.
So that’s the story of how Wolf rang in the year of the sheep on his way to New Zealand.
And till they get wet, he’s wearing red socks
From Dongfeng
