3:02 PM Fri 4 Dec 2009 GMT
Tuesday, 1st December 2009.
Sometimes you just have to go where the wind takes you. After a great race start the last couple of days have been an exercise in frustration and a demonstration of how quickly conditions can change both in the Southern Ocean and in yacht racing more generally. For 48 hours we were beating northwards losing ground to the more northerly placed boats, but preferring this option to being pushed still further south. Finally the winds came round allowing us to resume a more easterly course, pushing on towards the scoring gate and Geraldton, only to lose all winds early yesterday morning. As I came on watch at first light we had zero knots of boat speed and were struggling to make progress. Had our personal wind hole found us again?
As we struggled to make headway we tried all approaches available to us before resorting to the tried and tested traditional methods. And the ancients were right. Our offering to the gods of wind and sea were accepted and the wind filled in and built giving us good speeds again. What was the offering? A jammy dodger. A pink wafer biscuit was discussed but was rejected as insufficiently valuable, instead we sacrificed one of our most highly valued snacks and to good results. We've saved a chocolate biscuit as an offering of thanks for later!
As it turns out, most of the fleet were caught in the same light winds and so the damage to our race position was minimised. Despite this we've lost ground to the fleet as our southerly position failed to deliver the benefits that had accrued over the previous days. But what a race it's turning out to be? It could go any way at the moment and we're all keeping an eye on what the other boats are up to. We're remaining committed to our more southerly route anticipating that we'll reap rewards later, which will only be fair given the biting cold and strong seas that we've been experiencing recently! Whether we will or not though depends very much on how the weather patterns develop. We were caught out by the last depression tracking north rather than east as anticipated and there's nothing to say that won't happen again. However, equally, unexpected gains might also be made. Watch this space, it's all very open at the moment!
Meanwhile, life on board continues. The boat is now decked out with advent calendars - thanks Katharine - and we're making the most of the following winds, finally enjoying the feeling of a flat boat and a smooth ride and it should be said that the sailing is great. The race is one thing but the actual sailing is what this is all about and we've already had a memorable set of experiences as we dip our toes in the Southern Ocean. So far all very enjoyable but a sufficient taste to fill us with respect for this ocean and those that sail here. One surprise has been the abundance of birdlife. From the soaring grace of the Albatrosses to the diminutive Prions which seem to be too small and fragile to survive in this harsh environment, to the various Petrels wheeling around the boat, particularly our friends the Cape Petrels which have been constant companions since the South Atlantic.
Back to the sailing. Medium weight spinnaker up, force six rather than the force seven winds of earlier, tracking eastwards along our rhumb line. Time for some decisions as night approached yesterday, should we continue with the medium weight, peel to the heavy weight or even play safe and go for poled out headsails? Probably the heavy weight, as the sea state was okay and poled out headsails would be too slow for where we are in the race right now, but the medium weight might be a little unstable. And so it turned out! Winds built, sea state rose and we changed from medium weight spinnaker to poled out headsails as winds gusted to 49 knots. Not without some drama too, but nothing broken and no damage done, just some good stories for when we all meet up in the bars of Geraldton. The wind gods clearly liked our jammy dodger... Although at times during the night we were wondering whether the pink wafer might just have been sufficient for our needs!
And for the rest of the day? With the scoring gate just 180 miles to go and four boats all vying for the first three places, and the rest of the fleet poised if we falter, all eyes are on the next 18-24 hours as we dive for the line. Wind conditions look good although it looks like we might be in for slightly lighter winds than our northerly cousins, albeit on a better angle. Who will win out is hard to tell but Cape Breton Island is giving her all and we're hoping that the eagle will be flying high this time tomorrow! It must make great viewing on the race viewer! Whilst we're focused on the looming scoring gate it's easy to overlook the fact that there's still 3000 miles to go in this race and that after 1000 miles there are only a handful of miles separating the leading boats. This could well be a close one!
Cape Breton Island standing by.
by Adrian Healy
|
Sydney, NSW
Kitesurfing - Twintips
Foiling - Wind Wings
