North Sea Yacht Race

Jamie Andrew

As Mrs Chippy leaves the great glacier carved bay of Stavanger and moves out into the North Sea, it's startling how quickly the conditions change. The pleasant breeze which played round our sheltered fjord now becomes a powerful wind and the surface of the sea rises up in a relentless procession of choppy waves, big and unpredictable.

I haven't even had a chance to change into my sailing gear so I duck down below to pull it on. Almost immediately the nausea hits me as the boat, pitching and rolling wildly, throws me around the cramped cabin while I wrestle with the waterproofs. ... (continues)