ARC Race: 'Us women competed on a level playing field' Life in St Lucia is so far removed from those first, blurred, 36 hours, when I lay, half delirious, wearing my Spinlock lifejacket as Zen launched herself over waves into the wind. I did have to have a chat with myself, but I hauled myself out of bed and got on with it. But everyone did, and at last night's ARC welcome party, as the rum punches disappeared in alarming numbers, the stories emerged. Some boats broke their booms, others their masts - Scarlet Oyster who won our racing division managed to snap their spinnaker pole in half and mend it using poles from one of their bunks. Suddenly Zen's ripped sails, broken bilge pump and temperamental water maker seemed trifling. Sailing is an extremely physical sport and, as a result, it is very male dominated. At a rough estimate I'd say there women are outnumbered by about 10 to one here in St Lucia. Pauline, Jo and I feel a certain amount of pride to be able to compete on a level playing field - and match up, too. We did well - the final results won't be known until next week but we're currently lying in around eighth place out of 30 racing boats. I'm revelling in the freedom that living so simply has given me. It's nice to have regular showers again but I have noticed less impulse to clean my teeth five times a day, as I did at home. I brought no make up, jewellery or perfume with me (in fact, at 11kg my bag was the lightest it has ever been for hold luggage!) and I really don't miss it. So we head home at the weekend, to be plunged fully into Christmas, December and wintery normal life. It'll be quite a comedown. Would I do this again? Yes, probably, but I'm happy if I don't - this has been a truly once in a lifetime experience and I'm so grateful to Zen's owners, John and Sue Bainbridge, for giving me this opportunity. Meanwhile, I now can't wait to get back onto Jibe in Lymington and practise my new skills.