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A CROSSING TO REMEMBER
Across the Atlantic Summer 1993
Ken could not believe that you are only allowed to take 25kgm weight of luggage on the plane. We repacked his bags half a dozen times and weighed them on the bathroom scales, until he was satisfied that he had everything he needed for an ocean crossing.
I took him to the station at Chester to catch the London train and he staggered aboard wearing two coats and carrying two bags. Later he telephoned from Heathrow to say he had arrived safely and met up with the rest of the Ocean Youth Club crew and that already they had been divided into watches.
They then flew to Boston in a Jumbo jet and briefly met the crew from the West Indies to Boston leg as they passed in the airport. Boston must have been good because even though they were there only one day Ken used his cash card twice and was interviewed for television.
On the day of the start of the race it took most of the day to tow all the large tall ships out of the harbour. Aboard Francis Drake they were shown the ropes and practised man overboard techniques. Ken hoped that no-one fell overboard as they weren't too good at it, perhaps this was the idea!.
That evening there was a spectacular sunset with tall ships silhouetted against a red sky all around them. This was the last time they saw another ship in the race until they reached Ireland.
Aboard the Drake life settled to a routine of watches and galley duties. Fresh bread had to be baked every day, they had all the ingredients but no recipe. It took a few days before they got it right but they had to eat it anyway!
Leaving Boston the weather was good but there was an iceberg alert. This involved a lot of sunbathing on the deck but no bergs were sighted. Dolphins visited the boat everyday and swam all around. One night Ken went on watch to find that they were surrounded by a school of whales.
Now the weather was not so good and the wind increased reaching force nine on some days. This enabled the boat to make good speed with some exciting surfing down the big waves. Harnesses were the order of the day, everyone had to be hooked on before they left the cabin.
About half way across it was the skipper's birthday. Julia was the only female skipper in the race and there was a surprise party with a special cake baked on board. She was given birthday gifts which the crew had secreted in their baggage.
Every evening there would be a gathering of crew in the cockpit for merrymaking and the singing of songs about the greatest boat in the race and the best crew who sailed her.
After 21 days they crossed the finishing line and experienced an Irish welcome in the sailing club at Dun Laoghaire. This must have been good because Ken lost his wallet in the harbour.
Eventually the Greater Manchester Challenge caught up and they sailed to Porth Dinorwig in the Menai Straits where they were welcomed by parents and friends. Here they waited until the official day when all the tall ships were to sail into the Mersey where they berthed with the other smaller tall ships in the Albert Dock.
To see such small vessels and their young crews and to compare them with the liner like tall ships berthed on the Birkenhead side, for them the crossing was a real achievement. We visited Ken at the Albert Dock where he was on galley duty for the day busy making cups of coffee & tea for all his friends and telling of his experiences. Ken had bought a Russian sailors uniform and it is rumoured that he went to dinner in it.
On one day all the crews paraded through Liverpool. Ken and his shipmates held up the Francis Drake banner and sang their special songs. Ken said it was like when the F.A.Cup is brought home, people were cheering like mad, hanging from the lampposts and standing on the buildings.
The grand finale was the parade of ships in the river Mersey. Ken climbed the mast on the Drake for a good view. He recognised friends from Glasson in their boats.
We went to collect Ken from the boat a few days later. We had to lever him off. Nobody wanted to leave as they had made such good friends and had such a wonderful time. For the next week or two Ken could talk of nothing else but the boat and I don't think he has come back to earth even now.
Ken would like to thank the club for the generous grant from the Melvyn Taylor fund and all those who helped him make the trip.
Ray Morris