Well I am well and truly back in the bosom of the PSP Clipper bubble.

Our boat is moored at Liberty Landing in New Jersey and we have the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline to frame our view.

It was somewhat bizarre flying over the Atlantic and looking down to the ocean below knowing that my next viewpoint would be from a boat making the return trip. When you are 30,000 feet up flying at 500 miles an hour and you know you’re going to be travelling at nothing even close to that on  your way home it did make me question the logic of this endeavour……but then you get back on the boat and the 5 months I’ve been away seems like 5 minutes!

So far it’s been about checking in with the race team, handing my passport over, a half day refresher safety brief, a new/re-joiners meet up and seeing some sights. Most of the new or re-joiners are feeling slightly apprehensive at this stage but I’m sure any pre-race nerves will soon disappear as we slip our lines first thing next Monday morning for the first race in this Leg to Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland.

So the schedule is departure at 7.30am N.Y. time on Monday 25th. Arrival in Derry-Londonderry between 10th and 14th July. Depart Derry-Londonderry on 22nd July. Race finish in Liverpool on 28th July. My Clipper venture is then over and from then life returns to normality…….well whatever normality means!!!

So I did say we’ve seen some sights so here are a few taster pictures of N.Y….

The view from the Freedom Tower.. apparently the tallest tower in the western hemisphere!

Liberty Landing marina across the Hudson and North Cove marina below with the Liverpool yacht coming in to berth.

Taking a walk over Brooklyn Bridge.

The Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn Bridge.