Clipper crew spend Christmas at sea

WHILE the majority of us were tucking into our turkey and ham dinner and opening presents, the crew on board the Londonderry Clipper yacht were soaking up the sun’s rays in Gold Coast Australia and celebrating Christmas on the waves as they set sail for Singapore on the fifth leg of their round the world voyage.

Mayor, Alderman Maurice Devenney, extended warm festive wishes to the crew, and said: “Merry Christmas to all the teams and crews from Derry~Londonderry and we look forward to welcoming you to the city in July 2012. We hope you have a safe onward journey, particularly as you spend your Christmas Festivities at sea.”

Michelle McCann, the Greencastle based teacher at Thornhill College, said she missed her children and grandchildren this Christmas but was anxiously waiting to see them next year.

“I love Christmas. It’s all about the children. I would usually spend Christmas day with my children and their kids. The whole Santa Claus thing – I just love it – the excitement!

“Although last year I spent Christmas with my son who lives in Singapore and I’ll be seeing him again in January when we get to Singapore. Being at sea on Christmas Day will be a bit strange, I’ll miss my family and the warmth and the closeness you always have at Christmas – I’ll miss that the most.”

Michelle has fond memories of Christmas in Londonderry and thinks it’s a great place to spend the festive season.

“There’s always a lovely atmosphere in Derry at Christmas time. Everywhere you go there are choirs performing and there is a great festive cheer in the city. In the shopping centres there are choirs of kids singing. It’s beautiful. And there’s lovely services in the Cathedral and other venues.

“There’s a lovely atmosphere all around the area and in Donegal as well and I will definitely miss that,” she said,

Michelle, sent a special message to her pupils and co-workers at Thornhill College, and said she is missing them all and looking forward to seeing them next year

“A special message to my school, Thornhill College: Happy Christmas everybody and enjoy the school show, it’ll be fantastic, it always is! Mad but just great!

“And to my family of course, to my daughter Maeve and the kids and to my son Barry and Jennifer and to my other son John and the kids and to all my extended family and everybody.

“It’s so strange to be so far away at Christmas and even to be saying Happy Christmas in this climate! It’s not cold, it’s sunny and it doesn’t feel like the Christmas atmosphere at all the way I’m used to it,” she concluded.

Crew member Lizzie Haigh from Halifax, said: “Christmas at home is very traditional. Normally we go to my parents or my brothers and I have three nephews, so lots of presents around the Christmas tree, we go back to our old village that we used to live in and visit friends there, always watch the Queen’s speech, James Bond, the Sound of Music, all those vital films!

“And it’s just very traditional and very relaxed. I think I’ll definitely miss my family and opening the presents with everyone.

“I love buying people’s presents and I love their reactions when they get them so I’ll miss being there to see them open their presents. And not getting all my presents!

“Merry Christmas to everyone and a very happy new year – I’m sure they will have a lovely time and hopefully they’ll be thinking of us. We’ll definitely still have our turkey so don’t worry about that. And we’re plotting our Secret Santa right now,” she added.

You can follow the Clipper story at www.derrycity.gov.uk/clipper, www.fb.com/derrylondonderryclipper and also follow their Christmas journey on the race viewer at www.clipperroundtheworld.com.

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