At last our absurd game of maritime musical chairs has stopped, and we have been permitted to arrive in Danang. 

This race will be remembered not for weaving our way out through the Great Barrier Reef, nor for sailing past Papua New Guinea and through the Bismarck sea (surely the only bit of Germanic geography overlooked at Versailles?); but for the email from race director Justin Taylor telling us that we were sailing too fast, and that the course would be extended by 2000 miles to choreograph our arrival to suit our corporate sponsor, the city of Danang.

The email came with a barrage of reasons, but notable by its absence was any hint of apology for the massive miscalculation of our race time, or any recognition of the effect this act would have on crew morale. 

For many – if not most – of us, the prospect of arriving early into port is a major motivating factor and makes the risks, cuts, bruises, and hardships easier to bear. To say this news went down badly is an understatement. Imagine a large sign at the halfway point of the London marathon reading “you’re running too fast – 13 miles down, 26 to go”, and you’ll have some idea. It has resulted in us losing two crew members, and has left the rest of us anxious that Clipper might pull the same stunt on subsequent legs. We all realise that, without corporate sponsors, the race would not be possible; we hope that Clipper realises that it’s also impossible without crew. As it is, sailing Garmin to Qingdao with only 14 of us will be hard work.