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Hummingbird - Welcome to the moshpit, by Gina



Greetings from the race track! Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to slickest and happiest crew on the ARC+. Meet:
- Skipper Arrrrrr Sprot, Dragoness, still connected to her propane source;
- First Mate Holly Vint, also happy to go by “Best Mate”;
- Nicky, passage maker and author of “Nicky’s Nautical Notes”;
- John and Fraser, headlining the “Two Australians walked into a bar” gig, now streaming live along with Sargasso mid-Atlantic;
- Jen and Chris, star-gazing and star-chasing; nothing on this boat can tempt them away from their sextants, which have surely just about fused to their bodies;
- Erika of Knots, talented dancer, knitter, all round happiness maker, lady of the kite;
- Michelle, circumnavigator and mighty helmswoman;
- Tony “CoRiley”, who is serving out a 24-hour swear word-free period and struggling with it; and
- Cui, filmmaker who’s sure to clinch the Palme d’Or at Cannes

Together, despite the shenanigans we get up to, at one point today we were 8th overall and are constantly teasing, strategizing, planning, thinking, laughing, meeting, deciding. Yay Hummingbird!

This morning, as the sun rose, so did the tempo and energy up on deck. Cockpit became moshpit, and DJ John was on his turntable, driving some very energetic dancing undertaken by the planking platoon. All this before the first sun sight by the celestial nav team. Welcome to Hummingbird. Cui captured the frenzy on his GoPro and has now edited this for Rubicon3’s homepage – Bruce, you have never seen anything like this!

In pursuit of fitness (apparently, driving Hummingbird downwind with an imminent spinnaker wrap isn’t hard enough), pole dancing has acquired a following. Both Nicky and Jen demonstrated how to walk the downhaul tightrope up to the spinnaker pole, swing up to pole, grab pole between legs, pose, inspect chaffing, aaaaaand land. 10-10-10 scores to both.

It is a busy boat, and people find all manners of services to offer. Tony for example, provides shading on demand with a stray umbrella which has found its way on board, a service very much appreciated by helms-people between the hours of 8 and 3. Erika braided Gina’s hair the other day to help keep her cool in the sun (Fraser is wondering if this service might benefit him. Fraser is also bald.) Holly has a remarkable ability to find things people have misplaced, and Nicky whose bunk lies immediately behind the heads, will know if anyone has not been using the LAVAC as per Admiral Miranda’s instructions and shall be transmitting the list of offenders. Miranda will be waiting for you in St. Lucia, just you wait.

Cometh the hour of two in the second half of the day, Rachael puts on her sage toga and does teaching in the Great Bird Amphitheatre, open to all members of Hummingbird society. Today, she delivered her ruminations on the SeaPro nav system and also opened the gateway to VMG contemplation for the yearning.

Family and friends, you will be pleased to know we are all looking after each other. As a nurse, I am extremely pleased that people have taken a real interest into the urine output, bowel movements and hydration levels of fellow crew. Social well-being is also assured with happy hour, and now, Ship's Cluedo! Everyone’s been given a name, object and venue for their “kill”.Just hand your victim the designated murder weapon in the correct location and its game over. Nicky was the first victim, when Jennifer handed her a butternut squash at the helm. Chris has been suspiciously lurking around with a pink fender but no one has taken the bait yet. There is now a complex spy network in place and traps about, keeping everyone mentally sharp.

It’s hot as hell and we are all sweaty and sticky, yet having to get on with our tasks with a massive weight pack (the lifejacket) on at all times. I now have an idea of how Lewis Hamilton feels when he’s all suited up and having to race on a track in the tropics. It can get immensely uncomfortable and at times you think you are going to snap. But then, very soon, the sun takes a chill pill and nestles behind the clouds for the evening sunset that accompanies happy hour and dinner. The 12 of us sit around like a murder of raucous crows, laugh and chow on dinner. With each passing day, the challenge of facing the heat gives way to the bigger, more important challenge of doing everything we can to get a podium spot. And I am now with Nicky as she says there is no other place she’d rather be.

But Bruce, you’d better hurry up and get that gelato-maker installed.

Tonight’s broadcast is brought to you by number 8 and the letters V, M and G.

Gina (now canonised for breadmaking, though my fellow shipmates seem to think my miracle performance also extends to corn popping and have requested a 50% salty, 50% caramel mix)


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