Bermuda for The America's Cup, Part 3
La Mischief purchased a ‘spectator flag’ which we all contributed to, which meant we could watch the AC from the boat in the spectator area alongside the AC course. We went out on several occasions with them; it was amazing to see the AC race boats so close by and travelling so fast! The results of the preliminary round: 1st USA Team Oracle, 2nd NZ Team Emirates, 3rd, UK Team BAR, 4th Swedish Team Artemis, 5th Japanese Team Softbank, 6th France Team Groupana, which meant France were out of the cup.
On one of the race days we were out on La Mischief anchored close to a reef, however, the race was postponed due to lack of wind. We swam out to the reef and then motored round to a stunning anchorage on the west coast of the island for more swimming. Pink sand, blue skies, turquoise waters.
Ken and I had volunteered to help a friend of mine, Andrew Preece, whose TV company Sunset and Vine was filming the final round of the AC, for The BBC and BT Sport. This meant we would have accreditation into the AC Village, Broadcast Centre, Media Centre, press conferences and some of the AC Team’s facilities. We were to assist the camera men filming the presenters: Clare Balding (OBE, Sports presenter), Stevie Morrison (Olympic sailor), Matt Cornwell (grinder for Team BAR), Shirley Robertson (Olympic sailor), Tony Husband (BBC South Sports), Ian Walker (AC Sailor). Skippers Sir Ben Ainslie (BAR), Dean Barker (Softbank) and Nathan Outteridge (Artemis) and Peter Burling (Emirates) were amongst some of the interviewees. It was hard work carrying the equipment in such heat and we walked miles, but it was an amazing experience, a great insight into what happens behind the scenes in TV broadcasting and an opportunity too good to miss.
Clare Balding, Stevie Morrison, Matt Cornwell Tony Husband
Brother Peter was a little surprised to say the least when we pitched up at Softbank Team Japan, where he was working, complete with cameras and microphones! He did get us up close and personal to their race boat, or should I say flying machine, which was incredible. We filmed the boat leaving the pontoon, heading out for what turned out to be their last race unfortunately. They were knocked out by Team Artemis on the same day BAR were knocked out by Emirates.
On a rainy race day we were filming in the Goslings Bar that overlooked the course. Goslings is a well known rum blended on the island and Goslings have the copyright for the name ‘Dark ‘n Stormy’ (rum and ginger beer). It was a slight reminder of home as we used to drink this at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club! Malcolm Gosling invited all the TV crew to a party at their wine cellar/rum blending facility. None of the TV crew went as it was a good way from their hotel. We weren’t going to go as were shattered, but La Mischief persuaded us and came along too. It was fabulous – music, dancing, food and rum cocktails of varying description all night long, all on Goslings! Chatting to the Master Blender, we were invited on a ‘rum tasting sunset cruise’, the following Sunday, around Hamilton Harbour. The fact we did the same route daily on the ferry to ‘work’ didn’t spoil the evening as more rum cocktails were enjoyed!
One of our jobs, aside from holding the umbrellas over the presenters to keep the sun off (important roles!!) was ‘crowd control’! It’s surprising the number of people who think it hilarious to sneak up behind the presenters to try and get on TV! Another of my jobs was to stop Clare Balding being mobbed by the public when she needed to pay a visit to the ladies. Bear in mind I am 5ft, 1 and a bit inches!. Clare is amazing though. Unless in a hurry, or about to go live, she was always happy to chat, have selfies and sign her autograph for anyone that asked.
During our few days off before the final racing between Emirates Team NZ and Oracle Team USA, we went aboard Tourterelle to anchor off Mangrove Bay. We met Aura and La Mischief there and we dinghied across to collect Peter who also had a day off.
We all went snorkelling on Vixen’s wreck then back to La Mischief for drinks and to Tourterelle for a delicious curry. Really good night and Peter was made very welcome – not just because he was a great source of information re the America’s Cup! The following morning we took a walk around the nearby nature reserve and Ken and I took the bus back to Hamilton via the famous Swizzle Inn that served another type of rum cocktail called a ‘Swizzle’!!
Another evening we were invited to join the TV Team at their very posh and expensive Fairmont Hotel for drinks and then to a BBQ on the pink sandy Horseshoe beach to celebrate two of the team’s Birthdays. Tuesday 20 June we went out on La Mischief to watch the J’s racing. We anchored very close to the start line giving us an amazing view of these seven spectacular yachts as they battled for a good starting position. JH-1 (Lionheart replica) won the series.
We stopped off for a swim (with the turtles) at Paradise Lakes, a small anchorage off one of the 181 islands that Bermuda is made up of.
That evening some of the TV crew, including my old friend Andrew (the boss!) and brother Peter, came aboard Lady Rebel for a drink and a quick ‘tour’. Andrew then took us all for a ‘thankyou’ meal which was excellent and much appreciated, then some of us youngsters (ha ha) went onto a nightclub. I couldn’t dance, though was itching to, as my ankle had flared up and was massively swollen and painful, due to all the walking, from the injury weeks ago back in St Martin.
The following day we went on La Mischief to Ely’s Harbour. Dwayne, who La Mischief had met, has a house on one of the small islands. He’d invited us all to a BBQ. We collected Peter from a dock nearby and went swimming and snorkelling. Following the BBQ, Dwayne took us out in his boat at night to a shallow area. He put his underwater lights on and we had to remain very quiet (not easy after a few rums!). Numerous turtles of varying sizes came from nowhere, swimming right up to the boat. They were so inquisitive; it was an amazing sight. We then moved to another spot, had a night swim and he dropped us off at Tourterelle at 0230am! Getting up early the next morning was not easy, but Tourterelle had booked an appointment at 0900hrs to refuel at the Dockyard 30 minutes away. This was the only place to get duty free fuel and was by appointment only. We stopped off at Paradise Lakes on the way back to Hamilton for a good long sobering snorkel where we saw turtles, numerous fish, a small wreck and conch. Friday 23 June was back to work, preparing for the coming weekend’s ‘final’ racing between NZ and USA. The day concluded with a party on the AC Club’s rooftop – more free drink. Now in party mood, Ken and I met La Mischief, Aura and Tourterelle at Princess Hotel, for more partying.
The racing rules were the first boat to win 7 races won the tournament. By the end of Sunday the results were Emirates Team NZ 6, Oracle Team USA 1. By Monday it was all over, Emirates winning the 35th America’s Cup, with 26 year old skipper Peter Burling at the helm. We filmed the trophy presentation and said our goodbyes at 5.00pm. We had met some amazing people, talented sailors, wonderful presenters but more importantly a fantastic TV crew. They made us very welcome and were a great team to work with. I think we will be invited back to assist at the next America’s Cup!!
Emirates get to choose when, where and the boat design for the next challenge, which will be announced in September. It will more than likely be in Auckland, maybe in 4 years time. Peter has already spoken to Grant Dalton, CEO of Team NZ, about a position on the Team and was received favourably, so work for him looks promising, fingers crossed.
Tuesday 27 June. We went ashore first thing to collect Ken’s laptop that he’d left on our saloon table under an open hatch during a rainy night a couple of weeks previously and had sustained substantial water damage. Luckily the computer shop were able to save it. We provisioned at the local ‘expensive’ supermarket and weighed anchor at 1150 hrs, for our 1300 hrs appointment at the Dockyard for duty free fuel. Peter was at work at Softbank; their shed based next to the fuel dock, so he took our lines. We chatted whilst refuelling and said an emotional goodbye before heading off to St Georges at the North of the island for the night, where we were due to check out with customs the next day. We won’t be seeing Peter again for a good few years I expect; maybe at the next America’s Cup in 2021 perhaps! We dined ashore that evening with La Mischief and their guests Joe and Barbara; a great way to end our wonderful Bermuda experience! |
Peter, Jenny, Andrew
Ken and Steve at the bar.
