What new skills have you been acquiring since joining the team?
Ross: Insomnia! Cooking in a hostile environment. Living in a state of lasting uncleanliness. Also, preparedness. My cameras need to be set up and ready to go, and everything needs to be where I can find it, because things happen quickly out here, and there's no time to spare. My shooting time is already so limited as it is that I have to maximize every chance I get. And preparedness is the most important part of that.

Fructoso: I have learned all that I know about the videos, pictures, etc. I am a sailor, and the other things are new for me.

Hooper: I have learnt to sleep pretty well on a VO70, which is no easy task. Cooking freeze-dry food.

What is the biggest challenge?
Ross: Time management. I have a ton to do onboard, and my priorities are always split. I could go heavy on the content generation, but that would take away from my duties to the team, like snack and bar distribution, coffee making, bailing, etc. I could go heavy on the team duties, but that would take away content and from my responsibility to the sponsors and to the race. There's a fine line somewhere in the middle, and it's extremely important I find it‚ and stay there. I'm here to capture the 10 other guys on the boat, but I'm also here to help them. The sponsors know that, and they also know that the better we're doing, the better the content gets. Ten happy guys is a lot more interesting than 10 angry guys.

Fructoso: Today is a big example. The biggest challenge: write an e-mail with 23 knots of speed, with very warm weather, etc....And I can't imagine this with cold weather.

Hooper: I think the biggest challenge for me is sea sickness, and I guess getting used to life onboard, which I think I am slowly getting more and more used to. Sea sickness is hopefully becoming a bit more manageable, but in the end it's really just a pain in the arse.

Are there certain aspects of your duties (photography, video, writing, sailing, cooking) that you're more confident in than others?
Ross: Obviously photography and sailing are my strengths. I was a professional sailing photographer before this race, and I've been a life-long sailor. I started learning video a few years ago, and while there's a certain quality my background brings to the work I'm doing, I know I have a long way to go. The writing is fun, and the cooking is easy: just add water! The secret to cooking so far is in the complements‚ plenty of sauces, like BBQ, Chalula, chili sauce, and ketchup.

Fructoso: Sailing, for sure.

Hooper: My background is predominantly in video production, so I guess this I feel most confident in. I really enjoy photography, but I think I have the most to learn and improve here. Writing I actually quite enjoy. It can be a chance to use imagination a bit and try to get across mine and the crew's experience onboard the boat. Cooking, I'm not a big fan of, especially in our galley, but I think I'm getting used to it, and putting a bit more love into. Sailing‚ well I'm not allowed to, so that's a good thing, when you look at the skills of the guys I'm onboard with.