Ellen Macarthur Trust

Christmas Eve

Day 14, Christmas Eve
 
Thank you all for your wonderful messages, keep them coming, I really appreciate reading them.
 
Susana has done a great job making ID "Christmasty" with decorations we stowed aboard in the UK back in September but I've not really got into the festive mood this year. Maybe its the 30 degrees heat, the cloudless skies and the endless horizons you get on an ocean, maybe it's the preoccupation of undertaking (and still needing to complete) such a momentous challenge or perhaps it's much more straightforward than that, Christmas just isn't the same without being with your family.  I spoke with Elaine yesterday, she was at the beach in Tortola with my son Timothy being given a tour of the island. Specifically, she was at Trellis Bay where in 1984 I worked for several months at the Last Resort and they are staying at a villa in Cane Garden Bay where, in 1984, I had my accident. It wasn't until I put the phone down that for the first time on this trip, I was aware of the emotional aspect of what I'm doing, particularly so because my wife and son are now at the very place my life changed forever 25 years ago - it must be tough for them too knowing that. I really miss them very much indeed and knowing that I'll be spending Christmas away from them for the first time and I won't be there to share their joy of opening their prezzies Christmas morning, I'm preparing myself for a tough day - of course I'll have Susana and Digby for company and no doubt they'll be missing their families just as much so we can at least console each other.
 
There are already a few presents under the Christmas tree and we even have a chicken (we think it's a chicken) that we bought in the Cape Verde islands which we are going to roast with some potatoes and carrots followed by Christmas pudding (no custard for me, it makes me gag; read my book to discover why and evidence that nuns are not as angelic as you may think).
 
The sea state is back on the beam which means we are back to pitching and yawing which, for me at least being in the wheelchair, means clinging on for dear life trying to stop myself sliding about and makes typing a near impossibility. On which note, I will wish you all a very Happy Christmas and will try to write another blog tomorrow, Christmas Day, that is assuming I get time between the various media interviews we have lined up.  Listen to You and Yours, BBC Radio 4, today at about 12.20pm.