Blog action day

15.10.09

 

Today, October 15, is the annual Blog Action Day, a day that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. This year’s topic is Climate Change. Blog Action Day 2009 will be one of the largest-ever social change events on the web.

 

I believe that through education and experience of the natural environment, we can grow a community that loves and cares for the environment. Through this experience, we will change how the communities look at the world around them and learn how to live in a more sustainable manner. Every little action and choice that we make can make a difference and contribute to a global effort, that is needed to slow down the impact we are making on climate change. Just by cycling into work at least once a week means that I now feel healthier – both in myself and for the environment. By choosing groceries with less packaging has reduced our household waste. By being more a little more conscious of our water usage has reduced our bills and our garden is happier for it. All of these are easy-to-do, every day actions that require so little effort, and that’s all we need to do… make more of an effort.

 

I am passionate and love our ‘BLUE’ environment and so through The Blue Climate and Ocean Project (www.theblueproject.org) and the launch of the new mass-participation event, The Blue Mile (www.thebluemile.org), am hoping that by encouraging more people to enjoy our blue environment, they will be encouraged and hopefully inspired to care for it.

 

Conrad Humphreys

08.10.09 - Blog update

After the intense racing during the Archipelago Raid in Sweden, I managed to take a week off and had a relaxing time back at home in Devon. It was great to be

back and enjoy the local beaches and catch up with my family.

 

I’ve since been busy with continuing work on The Blue Mile (www.thebluemile.org), which will take place July 2010 in Plymouth. We have had an enormous amount of enthusiasm about the mass-participation event, from every corner of the planet from Hawaii, to Australia as well as nationally and locally and will soon be formally taking entries via our website.

 

I’ve also been working in collaboration with the Global Sports Alliance who has published a new book called “Champions for Change: Athletes Making a World of Difference”. Along with five of our Ambassadors for The Blue Climate and Oceans Project (www.theblueproject.org), I feel privileged to have been asked to be one of the 38 athletes to contribute towards this book which includes three-times Tour de France winner Greg LeMond, four Olympic Gold Medallist sprinter Michael Johnson, world-record breaking long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie, and surfer Jack Johnson amongst other athletes. The book is due to be launched on 4^th November at the United Nations in New York.

 

More locally, I am pleased to be invited as the special guest for the Jubilee Sailing Trust’s (JST) Charity Black Tie Ball to be held at the New Continental Hotel on Saturday 24^th October. The JST is a charity which aims to integrate able-bodied and disabled people through sailing their two magnificent tall-ships, Lord Nelson and Tenacious. If you are interested in getting togged up, having a three-course dinner and dancing the night away in support of the charity, please contact Alan Puddicombe the Secretary of the JST Plymouth branch for more details (01752 862868 or email thepuds@toucansurf.com).

 

The following weekend (30^th October-1^st November) The Drake Foundation (www.drakefoundation.co.uk) is organising an event with one of our Blue Project Ambassadors, Antony Jinman. The challenge is to “virtually ski” 600 miles to the North Pole in just three days and this will be taking place in the Drake Circus Shopping Mall, Plymouth, using three cross-trainers provided by Nuffield Gym. Antony will be helping the Drake Foundation to raise funds for the Plymouth community and volunteer groups – so do come along to show your support, see Antony’s great photos and video footage and ask him questions about his polar expeditions. Everyone can take part and can “ski” alongside Antony in teams of six. There will be also be prizes provided by Cotswold Outdoor. For more information contact The Drake Foundation on 01752 764455 or email drakefroundation@gmail.com

 

We hope to see you there!

 

Conrad

Final Update from the Archipelago Raid 09

The previous six days' raiding now seem like a blur, but the blisters on the hands, the bruises on the knees and the broken daggerboards are the evidence of another enduring event.

A mixed result overall, we came with high hopes of repeating our 2008 result, where perhaps a more conservative approach yielded a strong closing performance. This year we took too many risks and were not on top of our navigation, which resulted in broken daggerboards. To win this event you need to balance the risk. I think we pushed too hard at times.

This event is for me still the highlight of the sailing calender. It produces amazing friendships between competitors, who are drawn from all over the world to test themselves. It is brilliantly organised by Christine Salen and the Atlant team who understand how to push the boundaries of sailing and the limits of the sailors.

The real magic of the event is that over the six days you are forced to make good with what you have. It's a wonderful metaphor for today's world where we must learn to be more resourceful. Onboard you carry just enough food and spares and if you break something you find a way to fix it.

It is also an event that perfectly complements the ambitions of the Blue Project. It is a "quest through nature" with every competitor experiencing the breath taking surroundings of the Archipelago through the power of extreme sport.

Conrad and Ryan, Team Blue 2009.

www.conradhumphreys.com

 

Down but not out

21.08.09 - Blogging on Day 5 of the Archipelago Raid

 

Today was without question the toughest day for me personally. The course was set back in the Swedish Archielago and involved six checkpoints, scattered about hidden in small beaches and narrow gullies.

 

We got off well and by the third checkpoint we were up to 4th and going fast. We were sailing downwind in the gusty conditions following Will Sunnucks and Eric Proust when suddenly a rock appeared under the water and we smashed both daggerboards.

 

Ryan was flung around the forestay slamming his knee against the hull. The boat survived but both daggerboards were in pieces. We carried on towards the next checkpoint and tried to tape the flailing carbon skins together to effect a repair.

 

We arrived at the finish in 9th and set about relaminating one of the boards. We only had a two hour pitstop, to eat, rest and rebuild the boards.

 

I was on my knees, tired, hungry and feeling like the race was beating me. It's an understatement to say this race is hard. Everything aches, hands are covered in blisters, arms and legs are stiff and you a contantly feeling like you need more calories.

 

With no rest you're off again for another 100 mile leg. Somehow you dig deep enough to find the strength. Ryan and I have eaten 5000 calories today and still need more food

 

And sleep.....

 

Final day tomorrow back to Stockholm. A top ten finish is on the cards, assuming we get through the day without hitting another rock at high speed.

 

Cheers Conrad

 

 

Daily blog, images and tweets live from Conrad Humphreys during the Archipelago Raid starting from Monday 17th August 2009.

 

For more indepth visit www.conradhumphreys.com

 

Folllow tweets www.twitter.com/conradhumphreys

 

Follow the race www.archipelagoraid.com

 

Day 3 of the Archipelago Raid

19.08.09 - Big Wednesday

Just a short update as I’m shattered and need some sleep. The day got off to a great start as we led off the startline in big breeze and sailed out in front for most of the first checkpoint, not bad for the old tiger!

Problems with the starboard rudder caused an early swim leaving the checkpoint, but we made some ground and finished in the top ten.

Second leg the breeze had built to 20 knots and in true Archipelago Raid style we had an amazing down hill run through the rocks at blistering speed. We had some great speed and passed through the fleet to record our best finish of the Raid so far with a 5th.

Tomorrow we will cross back to Sweden before the wind picks up. It’s going to be a 30 miler upwind- ouch.

More tomorrow

Conrad

Daily blog, images and tweets live from Conrad Humphreys during the Archipelago Raid starting from Monday 17th August 2009.

For more indepth visit
www.conradhumphreys.com

Folllow tweets
www.twitter.com/conradhumphreys

Follow the race
www.archipelagoraid.com

Archipelago Raid Day 2 - not our best day

18.08.09 - Conrad's Blog 

 

Night arrivals on day 1 and a lot of paddling on day 2.

 

Yesterday we left Stockholm with around 10-12 knots of wind heading north east for the nature reserve on the eastern side of Bjorko. There were 5 checkpoints before the finish. As the breeze died, the paddles came out and the slow progress caused the race to be shortened at checkpoint 5. The leaders crossed the line just before midnight with many of the fleet spread across the Swedish archipelago.

 

Day 2
With most of the teams still feeling the effect of the late arrival a large number of the boats were late for the start, including us. By the time we had our tent up and got into our sleeping bags, it was 2am last night and we were woken up at 4am to be informed that the start had been delayed until 8am to allow time for the wind to fill in.

 

We never really recovered, the late start meant that we were playing catch up for the crossing to Aland and with a dying breeze the back markers were left with a 10 mile paddle.

 

The good news is that the second leg has been postponed due to bad weather (there's currently no wind and tropical-like downpours) so we can catch up on some sleep tonight and start fresh at 3am tomorrow morning.

 

Cheers
Conrad

 

Leg position: 14th
Blue Miles covered: 72 miles

 

Daily blog, images and tweets live from Conrad Humphreys during the  Archipelago Raid starting from Monday 17th August 2009.

For more indepth visit
www.conradhumphreys.com

Folllow tweets
www.twitter.com/conradhumphreys

Follow the race
www.archipelagoraid.com

 

The Archipelago Raid 09 starts today

17.08.09 - Last Breakfast

Nice banter during breakfast, everyone has their own ideas about what
spares to take. The mood is upbeat as crews tuck into the last proper
breakfast. The next 6 days the diet will be power bars and lucozade
gels.
The weather forecast is for the wind to die and I suspect we will have a
long paddle to Fejan. It could be a long one! After that it's anyone's
guess, the race organizers are keen for to go north of Aland which would
put us over 60 degrees north, better pack some more thermals.

Crewman Ryan Crawford said:
"woke to the sound of rain on the tent and breeze, now there's nothing.
Not looking forward to paddling on day 1!"

Daily blog, images and tweets live from Conrad Humphreys during the
Archipelago Raid starting from Monday 17th August 2009.

For more indepth visit
www.conradhumphreys.com

Folllow tweets
www.twitter.com/conradhumphreys

Follow the race
www.archipelagoraid.com