Adrian’s Ocean Adventure: From School Days to the High Seas

Old habits of perseverance, teamwork, and curiosity don’t fade – and Adrian Chapman (S87-91) is proving exactly that as he takes on one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges: The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

For those unfamiliar, the Clipper Race is a global sailing event like no other – a full circumnavigation of the planet, crewed not by professional sailors, but by adventurous individuals from all walks of life. You can read more about it here.

Adrian is racing on Yacht Qingdao, and he’s signed up for not one, but two legs of the journey:

• Leg 2: from Punta del Este, Uruguay to Cape Town, South Africa
• Leg 7: from Seattle through the Panama Canal to Washington, D.C.

Each leg brings its own extremes – unpredictable weather, relentless waves, and long, sleep-deprived nights – but also unforgettable experiences and a deep sense of camaraderie.

In a recent diary-style update from the South Atlantic, Adrian gave a glimpse into life on board:

“At 3pm today (local) we’ll have completed five days and be about a third of the way to Cape Town — a bit of a milestone.

The wind is picking up. Before dark we should have 30 knots. Now’s the time to judge when to drop the Code 2 sail and put up the Code 3, or maybe even the Code 4 (aka Yankee 1). This must obviously be done before we shred the Code 2!

I was in my bunk when there was a broach and wondered what on earth was going on.

We’ve been on port tack since before the start, and both my bunks are on the port side and top bunks, so it’s quite a challenge getting in and out. I’ve set the angle as high as I dare — just enough to squeeze in. The lea cloth is doing its job!

Life’s getting easier, though there’s no social time. We’re on watch, on standby, or sleeping. With just 15 on board, there are some I barely get to speak to.

The Musto ocean gear is earning its keep.

We’ve seen dolphins everywhere, a few whales breaching, flying fish and squid on deck in the mornings. We think we’ve spotted some albatross too, though no one’s entirely sure what they look like!

The stars are spectacular without any light pollution, though the Southern Cross isn’t quite as grand as we’d hoped.”

He finished his message with a thought that captures the essence of the challenge beautifully:

“I’m very privileged to be able to take part in the Clipper Ocean Race. It really is all about endurance. With all the locations the fleet visit, it’s great to see the work that UNICEF does for children around the world.”

You can follow Adrian’s progress – and that of Yacht Qingdao on the Clipper Race Tracker, which updates every few hours with the fleet’s position, speed, and conditions. It’s a brilliant way to see just how far they’ve come (and how much ocean still lies ahead).

The image of the crew on deck is courtesy of the Clipper Team, Adrian is on the far left, and the onboard photo of him above winching was taken by fellow crew member Kaidi Sun.

We wish Adrian fair winds and following seas as he continues his remarkable adventure – a true test of endurance, teamwork, and spirit that reflects the very best of what our school community stands for.