12:09 PM Fri 27 Nov 2009 GMT
So here we are Leg 3, Race 4; the exciting one; the super fast 4800nm adrenalin fuelled battle versus the great Southern Ocean down in the Roaring Forties. As I write we are currently sitting in second position one mile behind Spirit of Australia and 26 miles ahead of Team Finland.
The race so far has been eventful!
Race start day was one of mixed emotions. We were leaving behind Cape Town - a place that we have all fallen in love with and vow to return to. We also left behind crew from both Legs One and Two who will all be sorely missed! We had also just seen the sobering and incredible footage from Hull & Humber's man overboard, so there is a degree of trepidation amongst the crew that has not been there previously. However once the parade of sail was completed we all got down to the serious business of winning this leg to Australia - be under no illusions, we are after it in a big way!
So when crossing over towards the start, it was dreadful to see that we had no wind, again. Over the radio we could hear Joff Baily (Clipper Race Director) talking about 20kts of breeze at the start but all we could see was six or seven knots max. However like a line in the sand the white tops start to come into view and suddenly we are in for an interesting start. Cork and Hull & Humber collided and we had a great battle with Qingdao and California, resulting in us leaving Table Bay in a great position.
Then, as in previous races the wind stops; at this point we have barely reached the point that we started the day. Our frustrating battle against no wind begins - we have Yankee 1 headsail up, then lightweight spinnaker, then Wind seeker. We had a beautiful afternoon in shorts and t-shirts in front of Table Mountain going nowhere. Team Finland finds some breeze from somewhere and is suddenly a mile or two ahead, having been within touching distance just a short time before. California is just 300/400 yards behind us, when suddenly the wind starts to build five, ten, 15, 20, 30 knots all in the space of a few minutes. It's like someone somewhere hit that wind button and on it came. Still dressed for the beach we see every piece of canvas on the boat (with the exception of the Mid/Heavy kites). As we accelerate, Ian, Luke and I battle on the foredeck to get some sensible sails up and get a good drenching for our trouble, we dive on them to stop the Yankee 1 headsail from going over the side and get the fourth bath of the day.
At this point, for me at least, the true nature of the task ahead hits me. I am soaked through to the bone, in a pair of shorts and t-shirt, freezing cold, barefoot, trying to reach a cringle to get a reef in the main. I suddenly feel, for the first time on this race, fear. I am not one for big displays of bravado, certainly if my nickname of 'Big Gay Phil' (another story another day) is anything to go by, however, there are very few things that actually scare me. But at this moment, this race, this ocean and the consequences of it all going wrong fill me with fear personally. Fuelling this is the realisation that we have a new crew, smaller than those we have raced with previously and here we are thrown in at the deep end, no pleasant learning curve as on previous legs.
I needn't have worried; as per usual we have another fine crew of individuals who are already working fantastically together. We have had a tough few days and there have been a number of casualties to the weather and sea state, even amongst the guys that have been here since Hull. The boat however is in good shape, we have broken a couple of lines through wear and chaff but we are racing hard! Cape Breton Island is being pushed to her limits, as once again we start putting the miles beneath the keel. As we approach the Roaring Forties all we feel is excitement at the prospect of the wind going behind us, getting a pole up and going for a surf all the way to Geraldton!
Cape Breton Island standing by.
by Phil Robertson
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6000, WA
Kitesurfing - Kites
Foiling - Prone/Surf Foilboards