27th October
It’s easy, as we embark on Leg 2, to rush ahead and focus only on the miles to come. But before looking forward, it’s important to take a moment to pause and really recognise what we’ve achieved and how far we’ve come together as a team.
Leg 1 was a huge milestone. To have crossed an ocean, to have weathered challenges both physical and emotional, and to have come together so strongly as a crew is something to be deeply proud of. It’s with great pride that we stood together on the podium in third place for Race 2. This felt particularly significant for those crew who left us at the end of the leg to return to their everyday lives. We’re missing all of them, their humour, their grit, and the energy they brought to the boat. A particular shout out to first mate Charlie who made the brave decision to leave the race for now. As we settle into this next chapter all their contributions remain part of who we are and what we’ve built together.
Some of you may have seen the conversation around our protest after Race 2, which resulted in us moving from fourth across the line to third in the final results. For clarity: we lodged a protest after Qingdao went within three nautical miles of the coast, a clear breach of Clipper Race rules. That rule was introduced after a grounding incident in the 2017–18 race that caused a shipwreck in a protected nature reserve in South Africa. Of course, we understand how bitterly disappointed the Qingdao crew must feel, but we also know the process was fair and followed properly. The resulting noise online, in conversations, in speculation, is just that: noise.
That word, noise, has been on my mind a lot lately. When the last race began, I had just turned nineteen. There was a lot of noise around my age; people doubting, offering unsolicited advice, sometimes meaning well, sometimes not. At times it was deafening. A trusted mentor told me something: “You have to cut out the noise.” I remember saying, “But how? It’s everywhere.” And she replied, “I don’t know how you do it, but you must. Learn to tell the difference between what’s useful and what’s just noise.” It took time, but slowly I learned to turn down the volume, to take what helps me grow and let go of the rest. That’s been one of the most valuable lessons in leadership and in life.
As we said goodbye to some familiar faces and welcomed new ones, we took the opportunity to revisit our values and behaviours as a crew. Two stood out as the hardest to live by: API (Assume Positive Intent) and Avoiding Blame.
It’s human nature to question others: “Did they do that right? Are they trying hard enough?” but as former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi reminds us, this way of thinking serves no one well. Out here, in such a demanding and unpredictable environment, assuming positive intent is essential. It’s how we stay united.
Blame, too, is a powerful force and a destructive one. I’ve talked before about the words of Brené Brown, whose insights on blame I shared at crew allocation and revisited with the team recently. Her message is simple: blame is a way to discharge discomfort and pain, but it solves nothing. What keeps us strong is owning our part, learning, and moving on together.
We’ve now settled beautifully into Leg 2. We’ve welcomed new crew who have brought a breath of fresh energy and perspective, helping propel us toward our next destination: Cape Town. One of those is Lauren, our new First Mate. She’s a few months younger than me, and together, as professionals, we have a combined age younger than some of the other skippers. But rest assured, we’ve got this.
This is our opportunity to continue quietening the noise and showing, through our actions, what young people can achieve when given responsibility and trust. Because experience isn’t just measured in the number of times the earth has orbited the sun. It’s measured in what you bring to and take from every single moment.
Here’s to the moments ahead, to the lessons still to come, and to this extraordinary crew who make every mile worth it.
Fair winds, Ella
Midday boat meetings
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