普通人的环球航海故事第二季（三）误打误撞开始航海的侠义福将罗小刀

2022-10-12 10:38 陈杰 JieCHENClipper201516

前言：笔者作为克利伯环球帆船赛2015-16青岛号大使船员参加了第三赛段南大洋比赛，从南非开普敦-西澳大利亚奥尔巴尼，后于2016-17年为《环球少儿航海》杂志撰写专栏文章《普通人的环球航海》，介绍克利伯参赛船员的故事。今年青岛号自2005年首次参赛以来第一次收获了赛季总冠军，每一位克利伯中国船员都为之自豪，也让更多人好奇这个环球航海比赛中他们的故事。于是，有了这个《普通人的环球航海第二季》，这一系列，会用中英文两种语言为你介绍克利伯环球帆船赛中国船员们的故事，茫茫大海有怎样的魅力？他们和你有什么不同？你是不是也可以是他们中的一员去挑战自我、拥抱大海？欢迎你，了解他们，了解帆船运动，爱上大海。
我们的下一位水手有好几个名字。罗小刀，真名罗小瑜，在国际水手中被称为L，姓名首字母，前腾讯员工，因而取了“小刀”这个花名。2016年误打误撞接触帆船，然后就开始把自己所有的加班调休、年假之类能用的假期统统攒起来玩帆船。2017-18和2019-20连续两届克利伯环球帆船赛青岛号大使船员。也许小刀、大刀之类的注定是和大侠有关联的，帆船的江湖上也有不少罗小刀“行侠仗义”的故事。
以为是去“划船”比赛的第一次帆船体验
罗小刀从少年时代开始进入河北省武术站跆拳道队跟着专业队进行练习，虽然不是专业队员，但耳濡目染天天练习也颇有厉害之处，7年跆拳道、10年格斗以及泰拳、柔术为她奠定了超越很多人的灵活和专注。也就常常被身边朋友们邀请陪着去各种运动，或者带着孩子一起运动，颇有好人缘。
2016年还在腾讯工作的她被前老板邀请江湖救急去代替他参加帆船比赛，原本计划的厦门新年环岛赛因为临时有紧急商务不能前往，这顶替的人需要有点运动基础，但也不需要太多帆船经验，能当“行李船员”就行（俗称大帆船队伍中不太有经验的业余体验型船员，需要的时候帮忙压舷，其余时候不用太多操作）。彼时的罗小刀连帆船是什么都不知道，直觉中以为是让自己去划船，立马拒绝了，跟老板说我腰腹力量还凑合臂力完全不行啊，恐怕帮不了你。
老板斩钉截铁地告诉她：“不是划船，你去，人在船上坐着就行！”
于是罗小刀在厦门上了这条比赛船，结果全船除了船长和大副以外，其余的队员全部都是和她一样不会帆船的“行李船员”。从场地赛到拉力赛，连续比赛中，大副还晕船了，几乎把所有活儿都留给可怜的船长一人承担，对着一船没有大帆船经验的人，船长也累趴了。眼瞅着这么一船人比赛中快玩不动了，身形灵活的罗小刀冲上前甲板希望当半个Bowman（前甲板，通常负责处理前甲板缭绳、收换帆及观察），先不管会不会的，就觉着有个人在位置上也比没人强呀。船上唯一一个曾经学过稳向板小帆船的10岁的小朋友，就主动说“姐姐我教你”。
小朋友和船长在后面一起指点她在前甲板可以做些什么。于是其他的“行李船员”也被调动起来，纷纷开始从手边可能的小事做起，可能危机中每个人的潜能和团队的配合都高速发展，就这样的一只“草台班子”，不仅用上了球帆，还用的不错。就这么一点点教，一点点学，他们的队伍居然就把船航行到了第五名的位置。
这时候对讲机里传来一艘船呼救的声音，整个船队里就他们是距离最近的船，船长知道有组委会的工作船会处理完全不担心，就没有发出任何协助指令。也许无知者无畏，行李船员们都说不愿意见死不救一致表示要去帮忙，尤其是那位小朋友着急拉扯中动了舵，船从船队伍里脱离出来，慢慢的本来就靠边缘的船离大部队区域就更远了。后来的赛程中风越来越小，所有的船只能在海上漂着等候，小刀所在的船不在大部队区域，却恰恰碰上了点点流，慢慢地顺着流在不知不觉地向前移动着。一段时间以后，组委会宣布因为风况比赛提前结束，以目前每艘船所在位置计算最后名次。托那股流和要救人的福，他们的船漂到了第三的位置。当晚的颁奖典礼上，只有船长上台去领取他的荣誉，其他的“行李船员”们在台下鼓掌，不认为自己有资格站上台去抢占水手的风采，只记住了自己的第一次帆船体验。
海口海上“惊魂时刻”的淡定处理
罗小刀的老板认定了第一次接触帆船就拿第三的她是一名帆船“福将”，很慷慨地允许她以后可以在自己有船的地方继续玩帆船，同时经常推荐她去参加比赛。于是接下来小刀在厦门、海南、青岛，有海、有帆船俱乐部的地方玩了不少船。2017年，小刀到海口出差的时候趁着工作间隙去当地的俱乐部玩帆船。北京人的贫嘴功夫到哪里都不会忘的，小刀几句话人家以为她玩的很好呢，放放心心让她自个儿开了一艘激光稳向板小帆船出去了，教练艇、救援艇远远地看着她，没像对待新手一样贴的很近。
大侠一样的小刀顺顺利利开船出去，颇有点飒爽英姿，岸边的小朋友们也很羡慕。突然一阵风过来，把小刀的船吹到海中间，她发现自己回不来了。怎么办呢？小刀看看时间，原本约好的和合作方会议应该会迟到了，于是淡定地从救生衣兜里掏出手机，把自己的位置发给合作方致歉，告诉对方开会可能需要迟到一个小时，请稍等。然后继续把手机揣回救生衣口袋里，看着遥不可及的教练艇、救生艇，细细琢磨如何把自己自救回去，甚至开始想，实在回不去了就漂去对岸吧，不管是哪个城市，哪个码头，地球是圆的，大不了绕一圈多花点时间总会回去的。
“保持淡定、保持淡定，”小刀告诉自己，头脑中关于帆船的各种知识、各种画面一帧帧翻过，慢慢摸索，她居然就开始压舷起来，感觉到有点效果以后，接着压，船速起来，风的感觉和帆的配合越来越好，她就这么一路七扭八拐的居然逐渐就让自己回到岸上，岸上围观的小朋友们一起齐齐欢呼起来“姐姐好厉害！” 精疲力尽的小刀喘口气定定神，问教练和救生员为什么不去救自己呢？结果人家告诉她：“我们看你的船很稳定呀，没有翻船也没有呼救，停了一会儿还回来了，你不是压舷还压得挺好的吗？”小刀无语了，人家说的没错呀，估计出发前自己瞎贫嘴人家不是北京人，不懂得这个，当真以为自己老水手呢。于是上岸换好衣服回归职场丽人的模样，赶回去和合作方开会，顺顺当当搞定工作。
青岛号上的深夜险境中下意识救人
2017年中秋，罗小刀作为克利伯环球帆船赛2017-18青岛号大使船员参加乌拉圭到南非赛段的比赛。冲线当晚罗小刀值夜班，和同组一个外国船员共同负责Grander（双摇把绞盘，戏称“咖啡研磨机”，船上的动力输出设施，用来摇动升降帆），和队友面对面握紧Grander的摇把随时准备着听号令收放球帆，小刀在高舷那一侧，搭档在低舷那边。刚刚换班的凌晨12点左右，两个人都没有带头灯上甲板，黑漆漆的夜里什么也看不见，突然咯噔咯噔两三声响后，船侧翻了，那位站在低舷位置的队友夜里迷糊，把本该扣在高处的安全绳扣扣在了低处，这下子飞了出去。这一颠罗小刀下意识中跳到了Grander上面，一伸手拉住了队友救生衣的脖领处，一把把人家拉住在了高舷Winch（绞盘）附近，队友的身子半悬出了船外。可能大家都没经历过这样的惊险，队友着急地告诉她：“快撒手吧，你要赶快Grand In，把落水的帆收回来吧。”完全没有意识到如果小刀一撒手，自己很有可能就落水了。
站在Grander上面的小刀拼尽全力攥了好多秒，终于把队友拉了上来挂在Winch（绞盘）上面让他自己抱着绞盘固定住了，然后帮他把扣在低处的安全绳换到高处，直到主帆被人松开帆船不再受力，小刀跳下Grander一个人疯狂地摇着摇把收帆，摇了15分钟左右吧，人都快脱力了，前甲板冲过来一起帮忙，收主帆球帆之后再升帆恢复动力，甲板上值班的每个人都在自己的岗位上收拾着着突如其来的残局，终于又20分钟的疯狂输出，船继续前进了。

解除险境，那抱着Winch的队友也终于爬回了甲板就位。完成整理工作后已经精疲力尽的小刀下去歇会儿，呆坐着大概10多分钟接过队友递过来的水喝了一口，回过神来的小刀问舱里的船员们：船舱没事吧？舱下的队友有的说“我刚才躺在了发动机室的门上”，有的说“看！我刚才保护住了开水”得到肯定的答复以后，小刀稍微坐了会儿，完成导航日志后返回甲板上继续值班。
第二天，等到他们值班组再上甲板轮值的时候，组长问小刀：“你怎么样呀？昨天做的很好！昨天看你很冷静，之前遇到过这样的情况么？”小刀缓了缓说：“我觉得头皮有点疼，现在觉得有点害怕了。”隔了一晚上小刀才反应过来自己被“吓得炸了毛了”。回到岸上对于侧翻情况又做了很多次的复盘，心想“下次！下次一定要防患于未然。”

和青岛号船长的灵魂对话
17-18届的克利伯环球帆船赛给小刀种下了随着克利伯一起环球的愿望，于是继续申请继续作为克利伯19-20青岛号大使船员参赛，这一届，她被分配上了第八赛段，百慕大-纽约-伦敦德里-伦敦。因为青岛号在到达百慕大之前颇为波折，船只损伤、修船、等候台风，然后独自跨越太平洋到达旧金山追赶大部队，人员也不断在变动，前半程的优势逐渐被后半程的担心所取代，大家都担心还能赢吗？在青岛号穿越大西洋发生两次失误后整个团队氛围变得有点低迷。
风洞和帆爆让船上气氛变得更“丧”，连一直以“赢”为唯一目的、坚定不移的Chris船长也有点垂头丧气的。小刀听着他和队友说他的忧虑然后认真地对他说：“如果你想哭就哭，想吃什么想喝什么，我们给你弄，然后你好好睡一觉，但如果明天醒过来咱们还是大西洋上最好的水手，别管名次了，不到结束谁又知道结果呢？帆爆了我们在舱下给你们修，你不用担心。”

船长有点懵了，完全没想到自己会被一个刚上船不久的赛段船员灵魂对话，什么都没说离开了。第二天白天，船长带着全队唱歌，然后开启了新的作战计划，目标明确：不管什么情况，青岛号全速前进。
接下来，小刀和船上首席修帆师成立的“B&L修一切公司”开足马力，常常得蜷缩在船舱里十几个小时，缝纫机哒哒响着，一次一次地为甲板上可劲儿“造”、不停换帆的队友们提供了充足的保障。青岛号士气高涨，每个人都抱着必胜的决心，直到拿下克利伯环球帆船赛2019-2020赛季总冠军。青岛号的队友说”她是福将“，但小刀说幸运的是这些人能修复人心。

侠义精神的背后
关于小刀的侠义精神是如何养成的，她说，她的父母对她的期望除了琴棋书画还要斧钺钩叉，去更多的地方，理解更多的文化，多体验多享受过程，“你可以去喜欢作任何事情，但不要沉迷于它，更不要沉迷于荣耀。凡事努力去做就好。”所以小刀从小到大所有的荣誉、奖杯、奖状全都送人了。从百慕大到纽约赛程冠军的那面小旗子，刚拿到手就送给了特意到纽约来探班支援岸队工作的弟弟。小刀说得很干脆：“得了奖就过了，以后以后还有。”答谢弟弟支持青岛号岸上维修工作，同时鼓励他拿到属于自己的旗子。

在小刀眼里，帆船和别的运动截然不同，因为在这运动的高压下，人性中所有的美和恶都会被放大到极致，会让人把最本实那一面流露出来，也更容易让人燃起来。17年那一届，有个平素喜欢耍点小滑头偷点小懒工的老外船员，在船队拼尽全力与风浪抗衡的时候，跟着小刀去前甲板收帆换帆，小刀原本没太在意，愿意帮就帮吧，一会儿看到他伸出来的手上被帆绳勒得泡都破了满手血吓了一跳，让他松手处理一下，队友说，不行，现在先换帆，换好了再说。小刀说，帆船上没有英雄，再怂的人也会被点燃，每个人都尽力去作自己该做的事儿就成了。这在其他运动中是很少见的。
也许也是因此，青岛号获得赛程总冠军的那一刻，还在航行中的全体船员欢呼起来，在船上的克利伯官方媒体船员立刻对水手们进行采访，罗小刀作为青岛号大使船员，首先被“问问获胜感受”，结果她说：“我先想想，先干活儿，晚点我再告诉你可以吗？”对方愣住了，继续问小刀身旁的值班长美国人Doeke可以采访你吗？结果Doeke抿着嘴笑，拍了拍小刀的肩膀说，No！然后接着笑，只是笑，拥抱每一个人然后笑着干活儿。

也许，这是水手，也是这侠义精神背后的原因。帆船上的水手们慢慢会变得更纯粹，也总是能够凝聚出特别真挚的革命友情，哪怕你叫不出对方的全名，但你会知道，队友是在船上可以托付性命的人。下了船，也是会默默关心默默支持你的人。小刀这次比赛完后因为疫情滞留伦敦就这样被其他的水手们关心着、照顾着，亲人一般。
如果你也想开始塑造自己的侠义之旅，也想选帆船，小刀的建议是你先去扎扎实实、量力而行，先从自己身边够得着的机会开始好好练，不用盲目追求多大的船或听起来多高大上的体验。一点一点循序渐进，积累自己的帆船经验和一个好口碑，才会有更多的帆船享受。
也许，小刀从少年时代开始的专业运动训练帮她在遇到帆船抓住热爱，从第一次偶遇起，就充满了戏剧性和侠肝义胆。她自己倒不这么看，她希望自己更安全，帆船是一个不能心存侥幸的运动，敬畏生死，接受自然，多学习经验，多看其他人的教训是所有英雄侠义的基础，这需要训练和更多的积累经验。就如同她当年在腾讯工作时给自己取花名为小刀的时候，寓意是像小刀一样自我裁取，不断提升。小刀说未来航海的时间还有很久，希望能够穿越不同的海域，去感受自己更感兴趣的航线，跨太平洋、环澳大利亚，南美-南极，环北极圈。也许未来，帆船的江湖上，关于小刀的侠义故事，还会有更多更多。

*关于克利伯环球帆船赛：克利伯环球帆船赛（Clipper Round The World Yacht Race，https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com）是全球最有影响力的环球航海赛事之一，首届赛事于1996年举办，每两年举办一次，比赛线路途经六大洲，全程共40000多海里，完成整个赛程需要近一年时间，每届参赛人数近700余名。赛事欢迎航海爱好者及无航海经验的人士报名参加，通过四周严格的赛前培训后，在专业船长和大副的带领下完成环球比赛。截止目前，全球已有6000余人、中国已有近130人通过参加克利伯环球帆船赛，完成了他们环球航海的人生梦想。

注：本文图片、视频来自于克利伯官网及罗小刀微信、罗小刀在出海和克利伯航海视频号，英文编辑Vii C，特此感谢。文章如需转载或引用，请注明出处，欢迎联系作者获得授权。

A Lucky Sailor Who Started Sailing by Chance,
Part Three, Season Two, Stories of Ordinary People Sailing the World
Introduction: After joining in Leg 3 from Cape Town, South Africa to Albany, Australia, Clipper 2015-16, the writer wrote a series of column articles for a Chinese magazine, Global Children Sailing to introduce stories about Clipper sailors. In 2022, with the Qingdao crew winning the Clipper 2019-20 Race Winner by Qingdao team, all the Chinese Clipper crew are excited that more people are getting increasingly curious about the sport and the crew. So Season Two of Stories of Ordinary People Sailing Around the World is launching in both Chinese and English to help more people understand their stories. Why is the ocean so attractive? What is the difference between you and them? Will you be one of those to challenge yourself and embrace the ocean as well? You are welcome to get to know them, to know sailing and to love the ocean.
Our next sailor is known by many names. Her real name is Xiaoyu LUO but is usually known by her former colleagues at Tencent as XiaoDao LUO (meaning “Knife”); a nickname she has given herself as is the normal practice there. She was also known by the international sailing community as “L”. She started sailing by chance in 2016, and began to use all her available time such as overtime, annual leave and time off in-lieu and annual leave to go sailing. She was the Qingdao Ambassador in the races of 2017-18 and 2019-20. There are already quite a few stories about L for her “dedication” in the “strength” of sailing.
First Experience: Mistaken Rowing for Sailing.
L had been a taekwondo member of the Hebei Provincial Martial Arts Team since her childhood. Even though she was not part of the professional team, she was very well-trained from her daily practice with the team. Seven years in taekwondo; a decade in wrestling, Thai boxing and jiujitsu has laid a solid foundation in agility and an ability to focus. Her friends always like to invite her to their sports activities. She is very well loved.
Her chance encounter with sailing began in 2016 when she was asked by her former boss to replace him at the last minute for the Xiamen New Year Sailing Regatta while working in Tencent. He could not join due to an emergency business meeting. You can be a “luggage” in a sailing team if you do not have a lot of sailing experience – to assist when help is needed especially sitting at the edge of boat for hiking. L didn’t know what sailing was at all at that time, but just thought that was to row a boat. She refused immediately and told the boss, “I may be physically strong in my body but I’m actually weak in my arms. I am afraid that I could not help you.’
The boss told her firmly, “You are not going to row a boat. All you need to do is just to sit there.”
So, L joined in that racing boat in Xiamen but found out that the crew team save for the skipper and first maid, were all luggage crew like her. From the fleet match to the rally, the first maid got seasick with the continuous sailing. All the work on the boat was left to the poor skipper himself who was quickly exhausted as no one else had any sailing experience with yacht sailing to help him. A witness to a hopeless situation. L went off to the bow hoping to keep a lookout, deal with the sheets (ropes) there and help with changing sails. She thought it did not matter whether she was capable enough or not, but at least could help a bit when there was someone to do. A 10-year boy in the boat, who was the only one who has done some dingy sailing even told her not to worry, he would teach her.
The child worked together with the skipper to give her instructions in the bow. Seeing this, other luggage crew were inspired to help out with whatever they could. Maybe the team spirit and everyone’s potential could be easily promoted when there was crisis, this very inexperienced crew team quickly got to know what they should do and even started to use the spinnaker. Working together, this crew team managed to be in fifth position in the race-not bad for a novice crew!
Then there was an emergency call for help from on the VHF radio and they were the closest to that boat. The skipper knew the organizer boat nearby would take care of that and did not give any instruction to help. All the luggage crew said they would not stand by and do nothing but would like to help. The child was very emotional and took the helm. The boat moved out and gradually got further and further from the main fleet. The wind died in the later part of the race, so all the boats had to sit and wait.
Their boat was not among the main fleet and was moved by the current and floated forward little by little without their awareness. After a while, the organizer announced the race was over because of the lack of wind and the prize would be given according to their current position. With their wish to save others and the current, their boat floated on to the third place. At the award ceremony that evening, only the skipper himself went up to the stage for the award, all the luggage crew were clapping with the audience. None of them thought they deserved the prize as sailors, but would remembered their first sailing experience.
Calm Handling of the Scary Moments At Sea, Haikou.
L’s boss thought she was a “blessed general” with her third prize at the first-ever sailing and generously allowed her to use his boat for sailing and often recommended her to participate in various competitions. In this way, L gained much sailing experience in Xiamen, Hainan and Qingdao where there are many sailing clubs. In 2017 when she went to Haikou for business and to a sailing club during work breaks. Beijing people are quite good talkers and L persuaded them that she was an experienced sailor so they let her set sail with the Laser by herself. They did not follow her as they normally did for new sailors.
L sailed out easily, admired by children on the shore. Suddenly a gust of wind blew her boat into the middle of the sea. She found that she could not get back. What should she do?
L looked at the watch and noticed that she would be late for her meeting with the business partner. She took out her mobile from the pocket of her life jacket, shared her location and apologized that she might be an hour late for the meeting and asked for some patience. Then she started to ponder on how to save herself while consoling herself she could just float to the other side of the world since it’s round. No biggie as you’ll always come back to the start point in full circle.
‘Keep calm, keep calm.’ L told herself and started to think about her sailing skills. Reaching for what she knew she shifted her weight to keep the boat upright. She kept moving across in the sea till she managed to get back. All the children on the bank were cheering for her: ‘ You are great, older sister.’ Dog-tired L took a breath and asked why the coach and lifeguard did not go rescuing her.
They told her, ‘ We saw your boat was steady, you did not capsize and did not call for help. You stopped for a while and then came back. You did well.’
Yes they were right. Maybe they did not know the way Beijing people talk and thought she was an experienced sailor before she set out. She got back and changed back into a business suit and arrived back for her meeting.
Saving Others Unconsciously in Midnight at Qingdao Team
During the Mid-Autumn Festival of 2017, L participated in the Uruguay to South Africa leg as Qingdao Ambassador Crew for Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2017-18. That evening, she has met a crisis unlike any other she had ever experienced. They were about reach the finishing line, she was on watch and responsible for the Coffee Grander together with another crew member. They stood on each side of the grander, ready for the in and out of spinnaker anytime. L was on the high side and the partner was on the low side. It was around 12 o’clock in the midnight when they just got on watch. Suddenly there was a cracking noise and boat was listing heavily. Both of them went on the deck without their head torches.
They could hardly see anything in the dark evening. The partner on the low side was not fully awake and clicked his safety clip to the jackstay on the low end by mistake instead of the high-end jackstay, so he flew out when the boat was leaning and jolting. L jumped on the grander unconsciously with that jolt and pulled him partner back by the neck of his life jacket. In this way, she pulled him in a position close to the winch of the high side when the partner was half out of the boat. Without thinking, L’s partner told her to let go of him and save the spinnaker which has fallen into the water. He did not realize that he might get into the water if L had not grabbed him.
L however, stood on the grander and used all her strength to pull him out of the water and got him to hold the winch at the high end of the jackstay. L jumped off the grander until the main sail was let go and the boat was no longer under pressure. She held the sail by herself, as hard as she could for about 15 minutes. She was so exhausted in that 15 minutes but finally someone came to help her. They worked together to get back the main sail and spinnaker, and then raised the sail to get the boat back on an even keel. Everyone was on the deck to deal with the sudden crisis. After another 20 minutes of hard working, the boat was able to continue.
Once the crisis was over, that partner holding on the winch finally managed to get himself back to his working position on the deck. Sorting out the sheets and stuff flying here and there, L was totally out of breath and moved down the deck to rest. She was sitting there for over 10 minutes and able to take water from another crew member. Taking a sip of water, she recovered and asked whether the cabin was OK. He said, ‘I was lying on the door of the engine room.’ Another one said, ‘Look, I managed to save the boiling water.’ After such feedback from the crew, L sat for a little while, wrote in the logbook as usual and then went back on deck for her watch.
The next day, when their watch was back to work on deck, the watch leader asked L, ‘ How are you going? You did an excellent job last night! You were very calm. Have you seen this type of incident before?’ L waited for a little while and then said slowly, ‘It was hair-raising. Now I am a bit scared.’ She now realized that she was so focused on the immediate crisis that she had not realized the danger they were in. Considering the incident later she thought: ‘Next time, we must take precautions in advance!’
The Spiritual Talk with Qingdao Skipper
The experience of Clipper 17-18 made L want to sail the world. She applied for the Qingdao Ambassador Crew 19-20 and was assigned to take the 8th leg, from Bermuda to New York, then London Derry in Northern Ireland and then onto London England. As there were accidents with the Qingdao team before they got to Bermuda, including the boat damage, repairs and waiting for the typhoon to pass, she sailed across the Pacific Ocean alone to San Francisco and a reunion with the main fleet. Given crew changes, there was concern if the boat would regain its leading position in the race. The whole team was very down after they made two mistakes when they started the Atlantic crossing.
The wind tunnel and sail damage deflated the team spirit, made all the more severe as the skipper Chris who determined to win. After listening to him sharing his worries with the crew members, L talked to him seriously: ‘If you want to cry, you cry. If you want to eat anything or drink anything, let us know and we will make it for you. Then have a good sleep. But tomorrow after you wake up, we are still the best sailors in the Atlantic Ocean. Forget about the race position, who knows the result until the last minute? If the sail is broken again, we will fix it for you.’
The skipper was a bit shocked. He had never imagined being given such a talking-to by a novice crew. He said nothing but went to his bunk. The next day, he asked the whole team to sing songs together and then started a new plan with very clear focus: no matter whatever happens, Qingdao team will try their best.
After that, the “B&L Fix Everything Co.” jointly run by L and Bernard, the first sail repair officer, the team worked together to repair the sails. They had to squeeze themselves in the narrow corridor of the cabin for over 10 hours to keep working on the sewing machine. The noise of the sewing machine became a full support for the sail changes all the time on deck for the team. The team spirit was back to normal and high, everyone was determined to win until they win the Race Winner of Clipper 19-20. The crew members said that L was a lucky person, but L said the luck went to the people who can fix the hearts of each other.
What’s behind the Braveness
It’s easy to be curious about L’s bravery. She attributes it to her parents’ wish for her not to only know music, play chess, read books, paint, but also to learn martial arts and use traditional Chinese weapons. She was encouraged to visit places, understand different cultures, experience more and to enjoy the process.
‘You can love doing anything, but do not get obsessed with one thing - especially the fame and the prize. Just try your best for the things you are doing.’ L practices this philosophy by giving away all her prizes, trophies and certificates, leaving no physical recognition but keeping only her memories. The pennant for winning the Bermuda to New York race, was given to her younger brother as soon as she got it. Her brother came to New York to visit her and worked for the Qingdao team. L said very straightforwardly, ‘You get the prize and then it’s over. You will win new ones in the future.’
She used the winners flag to thank her brother for coming to New York to support the maintenance work of Qingdao team. She also encouraged him to win his own flag in the future.
In L’s opinion, sailing is totally different with other sports. It is because all the beauty and evil of human nature could be fully revealed because of the high pressures brought about in sailing. It would let everyone to be himself/herself in the most nature and real way. It could also inspire people.
In Clipper 17-18, there was an expat crew member who liked to relax. He went together with L to the bow to take in the sail. L did not pay attention and thought it was OK to get someone to help. Then she was shocked to notice the blood on his hands when he was taking the sail. It was caused by the pulling of sheets, first as blisters, then as blood. L asked him to take out of the hands and went to handle it first.
He said, ‘No, not now. Now we need to change sail. I will take care of it after we finishing changing sail.’ L said there are no heroes in the sailing. The weak one would be inspired to do well and it would get there when everyone is making his/her efforts for whatever he/she is taking. This is very rare in other sports.
Probably, this is the same when the news that Qingdao had won the race was announced on the boat, the whole team was cheered. The Clipper media reporter on the boat took the opportunity to do an interview. As the Qingdao Ambassador Crew, L was asked first about her winning speech. L said, ‘Let me think it over. Can I tell you later after I finish working?’ The reporter was surprised and then asked Doeke, the American watcher leader besides L, whether he could be interviewed. Doeke laughed, patted L on the shoulder, and said: “No!” He kept laughing and laughing went back to work after hugging everyone.
Maybe, this is being a sailor, and this is the reason behind being brave. Crews develop very sincere friendships. You may not be able to recall the full name of your mates, but you certainly know that you can trust them with your life. After all, they are the only ones who will be there for you once you set sail.
After finishing the race, L was stuck in London during the pandemic where she was looked after by other sailors, like she was family.
If you would like to start your own brave journey and chose sailing, L would like to suggest you to keep practice step by step from the chances you would get hold of easily. You do not need to aim at how big the boat is that you wish to sail, or how broad is the experience you want to have, but just take your first step and keep practicing. When you are able to build up your sailing experience and your reputation, you will be more able to enjoy sailing.
Probably, the athletic training of her childhood helped L to love sailing on her first experience. She does not think that way but wishes she could be safer. Sailing is a sport in which one cannot take any chances and one must respect life and death, respect mother nature and learn from the lessons of others. All these are the foundation of heroes. It is like the name she gave to herself as Knife while working at Tencent, which means to keep cutting and sharpening by herself for self-development. L said that there would be long time to sail in the future and she wishes to sail across different parts of the oceans, to experience more interesting routes, to get across the Pacific, around Australia, from South America to South Pole and to get around the North Pole.
Maybe in the future sailing world, you might catch a whiff of L’s stories of chivalrous deeds.
About Clipper Round The World Yacht Race (https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com): The Clipper Race is one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other. It was started in 1996 as a biannual event. It's a 40,000 nautical mile race around the world acrossing six continents in nearly one year. There are around 700 people to join in each edition. The race is open to sailing lovers and non-experienced ones. Every candidate will have to pass a four-week strict training and then join in each team with a fully qualified skipper and first mate to safely guide the crew. By now, nearly 6000 people all over the world and around 130 Chinese people have enjoyed the Clipper race and their dreams of crossing the ocean and circumnavigation.
Note: The photos and videos in this article are coming from Clipper Website & Weichat & Vlog of Xiaodao LUO & Clipper Sailing. Vii C helps with editing the English version. Thanks. If you would like to use or quote the article, please make reference, or contact the author for authorization.