early morning preparations

Today is the tenth anniversary of 9/11. My condolences go out to all those who lost loved ones and friends in 9/11 and subsequent atrocities elsewhere worldwide. My thanks go to all those who even now, from whatever walk of life, go out each day to protect the rights and freedoms of billions of people worldwide, so that we can all go do things like this below.

So, when it's the first race day of the series what do you do to prepare? 

Well in Millbay village, preparations for yesterday's afternoon races went something like this.........

advertising hoardings waiting to be inflated

I got up early and was in the Barbican area of Plymouth by 8.30am.  A walk onto the Hoe confirmed my worst fears......it was breezy, no, REALLY breezy. Pushing the upper limit of 30 kts breeze above which AC45's don't like to sail.....well the crews don't. I can't speak for the boats themselves - they might quite like it. I'm pretty sure when I'm being tossed about and throwing up over the side, Arwen seems to be getting maximum enjoyment!

Along Madeira road, portable food outlets were setting up and getting ready for the anticipated tens of thousands of people who hopefully would be turning up.  I reached Smeaton's Tower on the Hoe and cut back down to the road and the little cafe tucked under it seaward side. It's a favourite fair weather haunt of me and the Missus since its a patio that opens directly onto Plymouth Sound affording excellent views. They also happen to make one mean bacon bap and Latte!
Of course today it was full frontal open to the winds, which whilst somewhat fierce weren't that particularly cold.

Contemplation before the day's big events

Restored, it was time to stroll down the road, around western approach and along the road to Millbay Docks, passing the lifeboat station on the way. Crew members were already there and so was an ambulance, parked up on standby - thorough!  I also discovered a lovely little bit of street art. We have the south west coastal path that runs along the entire coastline of Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. In Plymouth, the walk has art accompanying it.....plaques from old industries on walls, poetry attached to walls, statues, old marine floats - anything to do with our maritime culture really. Well I found gold bullion. For a split second, I thought my luck was in.........someone had very kindly left gold for any passerby to pick up........ah well wasn't really going to happen was it.............but it provided me with a few moments of humour!

the inscription on the floor tells the story of how in the 1930's gold bullion was often transported worldwide from Millbay docks. It used to be stacked on the quayside in towers like this and then left in the care of one policeman!

It was calm at 9.00am in the village. Greencomm boat had been rolled out of the tent, security guards were roaming around and there were people strolling everywhere. The support teams wore rather 'cool' sailing jackets, all black with fluorescent green trims and America's Cup logos on sleeves and left hand breast.   Actual team crews all had different uniforms - Korea was rather a striking blue and you soon worked out who the 'five' crew were - they had their names emblazoned across their back.

Whilst admiring the boats floating at their huge orange moorings in the calm waters of the inner basin, I got interviewed by a local TV crew. Hah!  I managed to sound articulate, praised the city council for their foresight and the America's Cup bandwagon for being so slick and organised. I extolled the virtues of sailing as a sport and what a unique spectator sport it could be in such a grand venue as the ampitheatre of Plymouth Sound. I didn't ramble, I was concise, enthusiastic and welcoming....I actually did OK I think.

those dagger boards are 2.7m high

And what did they show on the local news last night? Some yob youth with a can of lager going 'yeah its cool man!'  BOOM, BANG, BANG......that's me being bought back down to Earth with a very large bump!

If you were lucky, like me, you got in slightly early and were shown nicely by a security guard to the prime corner location, the place where the ramp down to the pontoons was, where one of two cranes were, the place where outer dock arm meets main causeway and where boats get rolled along to their craning position! 

all the support boats

Everything comes in the 140 shipping crates and at the end of next week it will all be packed back inside them and the ship will set sail for the Panama canal and the journey to San Diego

And there I stayed, through rain, wind, crowds rushing in to throw me from my position; rude visitors who insisted they get prime spot because they had bigger cameras (I ask you?  People turned up three hours later and got angry because they didn't have a ringside seat....well get up earlier next time!!).

Spotlight's Amy Cole with her camera man for local BBC news

I met an Olympian Kayaker (British), a lovely American elderly couple, who were the epitome of grace, good humour, enthusiasm, with a broad and empathetic outlook on the world and its current politics and events and some very pleasant, courteous and good humoured French Americas Cup support crews.

fast, sleek, black, and don't I wish I had a ticket for one of those......

the press boats all moored up and ready to go

As the hours moved on, the village came alive. People clutching weather reports dashing in to the main communications centre. More media cameras arriving although sadly and frankly down right stupidly, none from our own national news stations. The World's oldest international sporting event with new format and amazing sporting pageantry......ignored by national news. Shame on you ITV, SKY and BBC.

The rescue divers, air cylinders strapped to their thighs, ready for rescue action

Press boats were bought in and moored up - huge powerful black ribs with yellow press banners flying on small masts at the back;  the advertising  floating board hoardings were inflated and towed out in to the sound.......a boring job for one rib driver, but hey someone has to do it.

The elite 'diver' rescue team swaggered into view....kitted out in blue wetsuits and dive gear, small oxygen air bottles strapped to each thigh; huge red medical ruck sac bags on their shoulders. These are the guys who jump in if boats tip over and people get trapped under sails and ropes.  They have their own ribs, small, fast and very distinctive, huge red flags flying from their sterns.

Support crew carried various bits down to ribs.  The supplies needed for the 'coach' boats that follow the action, staying on the periphery of the race zone and then zooming alongside each of their boats when the race finishes. High energy drinks and food packs in ice boxes, loaded carefully on to the ribs along with spare bits of kit..........

Some people started taking equipment down to the boats where support crew were making them ready,  sail bags, tiller poles which connect the two rudders, it all went down the ramp.

Finally, the moment I'd been waiting for, a close up of the boats. Security guards came forward and slowly, politely and patiently pushed us back with large metal safety railings. along the main dock arm from Team Korea's tent, came the AC45 - settled in its custom made trolley. Moved in to position, next came the huge sail - over 20m long.

these are the blocks on the base of the crane

Slowly the sail was hooked onto the crane hook. Every single step was checked and double checked. This was a practiced team who took no chances. Slowly and thoroughly were the watch words as the crane cable took the weight. Of course, what they hadn't anticipated was wind.  As the sail rose to its full vertical height a savage gust caught the sail and whipped it across the dockside. Thank heavens the lower sail was resting on a trolley. The sail with five burly ground crew were whipped across the dock from one side to another, none of them daring to let go of the ropes. They managed to tame the thrashing sail wing but I bet there were racing hearts and a few silent prayers sent up in that one minute!  As the sail rose, the multi hull on its trolley was pushed underneath and the sail wing slowly lowered into place.  Then it was the attaching it - several tense minutes went buy.

One more push back by security teams, the crowds reluctantly shuffling backwards, and the boat was lifted vertically and swung out over the dockside.......awesome, impressive, brilliant!  Deep concentration on the face of crowds and ground crews.  All the responsibility on the crane operator and his dexterous manipulation of his small waist mounted remote control unit.....no pressure then !

Slowly the boat was lowered in to the dockside corner between floating pontoons, a member of ground crew holding a rope leading from each bow and aft position on each hull.  That boat didn't even through a minute splash when it finally touched water....now that is truly skill!

What unfolded next was a close up view of preparation of the boat. There was a division of labour. Fitting the large centreboards and rudders was delegated to support crew. Ropes, tiller fittings, electronics - all that was done by the sailing crew themselves...each member checking, rechecking and then checking again the bit he (or she - there is one female crew member on board one of the ORACLE crews) was responsible for. I guess it is personal preferences for winch tensions etc.....and that reassurance that comes with checking it yourself. I understand that mentality. People laugh because I'm so slow at rigging Arwen....but its something I enjoy. It allows me to check her each time I sail. I build in 'slip time' into each trip I do so that I'm not feeling rushed. I don't like people helping me do it although I do understand why they want to and I've learned to find people 'jobs to do' which are not life dependent ones and which make them feel part of the fitting out crew. It's an important point....I want people to feel involved in Arwen, even if they don't like sailing in her.

Across the way, the ORACLE crews were going through similar preparations, only they were struggling more because of the wind. On the outer arm reach - next to the narrow inner bay entrance, they were catching the fully force of the rising winds, so mounting sails and swinging boats into the basin were taking on a new art form!  ORACLE did it with style though - very impressive.

And then, it was time to leave the buzz of the Millbay village. It was getting crowded. The press were arriving, dignitaries were entering hospitality tents. Privileged people with 'special passes' were melting through security checkpoints and sauntering past us penned in common folk. The razzmatazz had come to the basin and the proper sailing crews were jumping into ribs for briefings and trips across to their boats. As the first of the AC45's  glided through the inner basin entrance to the open sea, I took my cue, and melted out the back, dashing along the road back to the Hoe.

Had it been worth getting there early and paying a horrendous car park charge? oh yes - definitely!!

Steve