After an interview
along with some group activity tests I was one of the 48 lucky local applicants
to be selected to be a crewmember on board the Stavros S Niarchos to take part
in the Cutty Sark Tall ship race 2002 during August. The race was from Santander
in North Spain to Portsmouth.
The cost of this
voyage was paid for by the sailing training association (STA) but the crew was
asked to raise money through various fundraising methods to help fund for a new
crew to take part on a similar voyage for next year. As a crew we were involved
in the Lord Meyers show In July where we paraded through Portsmouth from the
Guildhall to Southsea Common. We had to walk around with buckets collecting the
odd penny from those watching the parade. We had raised roughly an outstanding
£200. Each crewmember also had their own sponsors from friends and family where
we aimed to raise approximately £100 each. I only managed to raise about £50
with money still outstanding from some people at college, for example someone
that I would like to shame called FATIMA owed me money.
Soon the 3rd
of August came close and we had to pack ready for the following day, Sunday the
4th where we had to leave for Spain. I am the kind of person that leaves
things to the last minuet so I started packing the night before. I stayed up to
4am trying to ensure that I had everything. On the crew requirements list it
stated that I was not allowed to take a large hard suitcase which I mistook for
just a large bag, therefore I tried to cramp as much clothing and accessories in
my college rucksack. The next day we had to meet at the Guildhall at 7.00am but
having little sleep I woke up late and missed the photo shoot just before the
coach was about to leave for Bournemouth. So there I arrived with my little
rucksack being embarrassed after looking at the gigantic bags the other
crewmembers bought with them. Everyone had at least 3 bags where I was the only
one with the 1 bag. Anyway, we left Portsmouth heading to Bournemouth Airport
via coach. Our flight was at 2.00pm and when we finally boarded the plane it
bought back memories of travelling to Bangladesh, as it had been 7 years since I
had been on an aeroplane. As the plain took off a wonderful sensation aroused in
my stomach, which is similar to that experienced on a roller coaster. As we flew
over France, magnificent spectacles of the coastline became visible. Chalky grey
cliffs were caressing the sandy beaches, which was stroked by the clear
seawater, at that point I felt gutted that I forgot to pack a camera.
When arrived in
Santander in Spain we were taken to the port where the Stavros S Niarchos laid
waiting for its crew. On that evening the 48-crew members including me were
divided in to 3 watches, Blue, Red, and white. We were all been allocated a bunk
number where we had to stay, this reminded me that I forgot my sleeping bag,
“oh nooo” I said but I was in luck, my watch leader Fiona Dangerfield, which
was also my old PE teacher at school had a spare. We were given shore leave
until 12.00am with instructions not to leave and so I with a few other members
of the crew decided to explore the town of Santander. We eventually entered a
bar where I had some chips and the others decided to drink till they were out of
their head. That night everyone was hyperactive jumping around the bunks;
eventually I started to sleep around 2.00am. The next morning we the white watch and some of the
volunteer/permanent crew were woken up 7.00am for breakfast at 7.30am with the
remaining blue and red watch being woken up at 8.00 for the second sitting
breakfast at 8.30. Unfortunately I was in the white watch so I had to get up at
7.00am. After breakfast we had a briefing with the whole crew including Captain
Barbara. We had to practice climbing the masts and tying the sails with a
special knot known as Slippery Hitch knot. We were told to always wear harnesses
when on deck. While we were practising the masts we had seemed gather crowds of
thousands of Spanish people in the docks. One of the crewmembers shouted out
something in Spanish, which attracted the attention of the Spanish people who
gave him a dirty look. I forgot what he said but it means “such my c***” you
can now see the reasoning behind the dirty looks. On this evening we were also
given shore leave but this time until 11.00pm. I was unlucky as always, I had a
watch at 9.00pm to 10.00pm so I had to arrive earlier. There was a crew party at
shore about a couple miles away, which we didn’t have time to go so we went to
the same bar as the day before. I was very thirsty so I tried asking for some
water but the waitress got me some weird pastry stuffed with something I had
never seen before. It was very hard; I had to mime out a tap with water running
out and me drinking an imaginary cup of glass before the waitress got me some
water ‘yipeee’. I have now learnt that the word for water is agua. The roads
in Spain were very weird, there were no traffic light are they drive on the
right side of the lane. If you wanted to cross the road you just had to run for
it and hope for the best.
I arrived back at
the boat for my watch at 9.00pm where my duty was to guard the entrance and to
stamp anyone who desires an STA stamp, for example many people collect these
stamps from each of the other tall ships. There were plenty of beautiful women
around and I got chatting to a few having no clue of what I was saying as The
only Spanish word I knew was ollah and agua. Luckily many people new some
English and taught me some Spanish, I now know how to say I love you
‘decairo’ and goodbye ‘adiose’. Few of the other crewmembers were taking
advantage of the women but I was not that type. Again everyone had a late night
but we had to prepare for tomorrow as we were to depart for the race, which was
set to start at noon.