Dee Caffari's Global Ocean Race Blog

Two very different styles of sailing are within spitting distance of each other experiencing the very same conditions. What might be an advantage for some has been a severe punishment for others.

Tropical storm Alberto has been savage to both the double handed Global Ocean Race fleet and also the fully crewed Volvo Ocean Race Fleet. Both races are heading across the Atlantic for the European mainland and both fleets left the US coastline this weekend. The crossing of the gulf stream is important for progress for all the boats but when put together with a tropical storm conditions can be worse than they have experienced in the Southern Ocean.

Thunder and lightning was everywhere and an erratic course for tropical storm Alberto made the weather tricky to predict. In essence the Global Ocean Race fleet are sprinting across the Atlantic to the final finish line. All the teams will want to give it their all but as we have all seen you cannot rest on your laurels until that line is crossed and anything can happen. So the bottom line is making the right tactical decision and playing the right strategy while keeping your boat going until the finish. There is still a long way to go for these shorthanded crews.

One thing is for sure, the celebrations that occur once you have survived the Southern Ocean last for a long time. So we can reassure Phillippa and Nick that there will still be plenty of opportunity to celebrate when they arrive in Punta Del Este in a couple of days’ time. They continue to be fully tested even in these final miles as they close the coast. Difficult weather is keeping this team on board Phesheya Racing busy and as a result when they get to the finish line they will more than deserve the drink, fresh food, shower, clean clothes and uninterrupted sleep in a bed!

In the mean time we can not only congratulate Conrad Coleman on his second victory on Cessna Citation alongside Adrian Kuttel but also congratulate him on winning Seahorse Sailor of the Month. His courageous actions at the end of the previous leg have been discussed at great length all over the world. Holding second place overall with a worthy leg result is Marco Nannini on board Financial Crisis with Hugo Ramon. Determined to make sure he gets to the Global Ocean Race finish line in Les Sables D’Olonne he has taken the safe over sorry tactic. Making decisions to ensure he can minimise damage to the boat and help his chances of getting through this event to the end. It has resulted in him still being in the race and a serious contender too.

I am delighted to see that Nico Budel is on his way on board Sec Hayai to Punta Del Este so he can rejoin the next leg that starts on April Fool’s Day when the fleet set sail to Charleston USA, before the final leg across the Atlantic to Les Sables D’Olonne in France. His race came to an end when the fleet left Cape Town last year and he was dismasted off the Cape of Good Hope.

With the fleet back up to four the race will be on. First the teams will need some rest and relaxation, then some time to prepare the weather and navigation and complete the jobs list on the boat for the next leg, then, we will be watching them closely as they ascend the Atlantic.

We saw in leg one of the Volvo Ocean Race how difficult it is for race officials, sponsors and supporters when the fleet drops down to just three boats. Today in the depths of the Southern Ocean we have that situation again. In the Global Ocean Race only three boats remain racing towards Punta Del Este. The decision to stop racing or to return to a safe haven is one of the most difficult decisions a skipper can make. Buckley Systems and Campagne de France were both racing and leading from the front. Both these teams have thousands of miles of experience, they have previous round the world races under their belt and are not known for taking the easy option, so to make the difficult decision to stop racing is an indication of how bad things had got.

I felt terrible to hear the news of two boats retiring from this leg of the race, but relieved that both crews had made a seamanship decision. Injury or illness is every shorthanded sailor’s nightmare and dealing with that in uncomfortable upwind conditions is not ideal, combined with the fact that there is a huge expanse of ocean to cross before another safe haven is available makes seamanship decisions crucial. Another consideration is when you have invested years of personal hard graft to hand build your vessel with assistance from suppliers and supporters. When this vessel is at risk in the conditions, it is a difficult decision to make to stop racing. At all times when racing you are responsible for both the vessel and the people on board and I am pleased both parties are safe.

Each day, weather information is downloaded, routing is planned, a sail plan is decided upon and food and drink provided. The teams have no let up. On top of these things, the teams also look after the boats, repair the broken parts, charge the batteries and look after each other and try and find time to sleep and rest. All the time this is going on the teams are also making crucial decisions on seamanship and safety. We must remember this as we follow the leg across the Pacific Ocean and congratulate the remaining three boats racing and keep our fingers crossed that the fleet can return to six boats in Punta del Este for the final legs.

Sail fast but above all sail safe!

All good things come to an end and unfortunately for our Global Ocean Teams this includes their rest and relaxation time in New Zealand. The harsh reality is that they are counting down the time in single days now until they return to the race track. The Southern Ocean is calling for leg three to commence.

The teams are about to embark on the Pacific Ocean. This is the big one but it is also rewarded with the infamous landmark of Cape Horn. The main difference with this Ocean leg is that there are very few options along the way. The previous leg had the teams cross the Indian Ocean and this expanse of water is littered with islands along the way which can give options. Now, they will have none. Once they leave the relative safety of the Cook Strait, they enter the Pacific with nothing between them and Cape Horn.

It is a long way but the good news is the weather can be more enjoyable. The waves will seem slightly longer and wider spaced allowing the boats to have more comfortable surfing conditions. The bad weather doesn’t seem as frequent as it is in the Indian Ocean but it is almost guaranteed that there will be a big blow before you leave the deep South and head back into the relative safety of the Atlantic Ocean. It is almost as if the Southern Ocean wants to say goodbye and leave you with a lasting reminder of how hostile it can be. The sailors will finish this leg exhausted but also exhilarated and possibly even a little bit sad as saying goodbye to the South is difficult as it is such a magical place to experience.

To all the teams, enjoy your final days ashore, enjoy the Kiwi hospitality and prepare well for the ultimate downwind sailing experiences possible.

It is great to see the smiling faces of these teams as they are given a warm Wellington welcome. They have worked hard and sailed a long way through some pretty hostile conditions to get there and the people of Wellington know only too well what these guys have gone through as they are practised at welcoming sailors to their shores.

It is without doubt an impressive victory by the young guns of Sam and Conrad and it must be a doubly special feeling for Conrad being a Kiwi and victorious into his home waters. Each boat that arrives deserves the congratulations from us all and this leg can only help fuel confidence and adrenalin for the next leg. Leg three starts at the end of the month and takes us across the Pacific Ocean and round the notorious Cape Horn. Right now though, it is about rest and recuperation for our crews. They need to eat well and sleep well and work on the jobs list to ensure they and their boats are in the best possible condition for the next leg.

There are no bolt holes or Islands providing sanctuary on the way. The Pacific Ocean is the most remote although the weather is normally less harsh than the Indian Ocean, however, I can guarantee at least one big blow before the Horn just to remind our sailors that Mother Nature is in control out there no matter how confident they feel!

It really is a beautiful time of year to be in New Zealand. My last visit was at this exact time with the launch of my Open 60 Aviva in January 2008. We sailed daily checking everything was okay before we left the safety blanket of our building task force at Hakes Marine, in Wellington. I wish these guys well and can reassure the Global Ocean Race fleet that if they need any boat building work done these guys are the best. Hakes Marine has seen me successfully cover many thousands of miles with very few problems.

I congratulate the fleet on a great Leg 2, I wish them rest and also great preparation for leg 3!

As I sail in shorts and t-shirt in the warm waters of the Gulf of Oman and we prepare for the festivities of Christmas we can only watch on line of the progress of our intrepid sailors battling the Southern Ocean.

Their thoughts are focused on safety, sailing fast and keeping warm. The amount of food they consume has increased as they dig deep to work hard and keep pushing themselves and their boats hard in order to get to New Zealand.

The young guns on board Cessna Citation are not letting off challenging the seasoned, experience of BSL and Campagne de France. They are working hard and pushing hard and sailing an excellent race. They have surprised and impressed a number of followers of this race and I am sure Conrad Coleman is driven by the thought he could arrive first in to his home country, but I am also sure that the Fields have different plans for that!

Those apprehensive of the South are doing a great job of keeping going and even in the depths of the Southern Ocean, Spanish sailor, Hugo Ramon, has been awarded a prestigious sailing award during a satellite call with Real Club Nautico de Palma Mallorca. So his spirits will have been lifted despite the chilly temperatures and ferocious waves they have experienced.

Being below Australia is a huge milestone and psychologically it makes you feel better because rescue is closer and New Zealand is just around the corner. The teams need to beware though because the Southern Ocean tests everyone to the limit and passing Tasmania and crossing the Tasman Sea can be a challenge. Even when they think the hard part is done never under estimate Cook Strait. This last test will use the last ounces of energy the crew can find to get to the fabulous hospitality of Wellington. After all the nickname ‘Windy Wellington’ came about for a reason!

They have turned the magical corner and have met the first wave of the Southern Ocean. The temperatures will be dropping and the warm hospitality the teams enjoyed in Cape Town will be but a distant memory. The delay to the start would have been difficult for the teams to manage despite listening to the howling wind and smiling from behind the glass. Mentally they would have been waiting to depart and get down there to the mythical land of the South.

Light winds gave the teams a great send off and I can only imagine the emotion felt by the home team of Phesheya Racing waving goodbye to family and friends and their home. News within hours of the Dutch team on board Sec Hayai dismasting will have had an effect on every boat in the race. No one likes to hear of bad news to fellow competitors and for those feeling slightly apprehensive about heading into the Southern Ocean, a place unknown for so many of these sailors, it would have been terrible. Confidence will have been knocked and they would have all taken a good long hard look at their own masts. On the plus side, the Budel family are safe and unhurt and still relatively safe to Cape Town so the return trip was still possible. The even better news is that they are looking at options to allow them back into the race for legs four and five, starting in Punta Del Este. That is great news and they will be welcomed back to the fleet.

Meanwhile, teams are dressing to the new temperatures, getting used to looking at the weather coming to them that travels fast from behind and also adjusting to the size of the waves that chase them down. New Zealand is in the distance and there is open hostile Ocean between them and the finish line. Cessna Citation has taken a bold step and tacked away from the fleet. So early on in the race, this may be a risk they regret, after all shortest distance nearly always wins and no one wants to spend longer down there than necessary. Their saving grace may be the ice gates and the effect their position has to the weather encountered. Time will tell.

It is amazing how quickly time passes when you are having fun. However the clock is ticking and pretty soon the crews of the Global Ocean Race will be returning from their wine tasting, sightseeing and general relaxing with the fine South African hospitality to face the rigours of the Southern Ocean in leg 2 of this race around the world.

This final week before the start date of the 27^th November will be about final checks to the boats, packing of the food and filling the kit bag with warm layers. The route from Cape Town to Wellington will be tough. The Indian Ocean will not hold back, the wind strength will increase, the waves will grow and the temperatures will drop. Safety will keep the fleet above certain latitudes to reduce the risk of ice but the overall risk is high. There are a number of islands in the Indian Ocean and these all have sharp changes in the seabed. These changes in depth can really kick up the ocean waves and the teams will need to vigilant. Everything feels a little bit harder down there and getting wet, cold and miserable seems to last a little bit longer.

It is not all doom and gloom though. As the fleet heads south from Cape Town and rounds the first of the three great capes, the Albatross will welcome them with their huge wingspan. Regardless of the weather these impressive birds will soar inches from the crashing waves with beautiful elegance and I hope they will inspire the teams and keep their spirits lifted as it is a privilege for all of us that experience the Southern Ocean.

It will be an interesting second leg. Confidence is high after leg 1, everyone has learnt a little bit more about their boat and themselves. There are some of the crews that have never experienced the South and they will hold back a little in awe and fear and those that have gone before will radiate confidence. The new crew combinations within the fleet will take some time to adjust to each other and get comfortable with the routine of living in close quarters with someone new. It is a heightened emotional place to be which makes it quite tough on relationships but every sailor in the race wants the same thing; to arrive smiling into Wellington having experienced half the Southern Ocean.

Wow, good luck to them. Make your final checks well and sleep, eat and rest while you can, then most importantly remember to enjoy it when you do go! It is great, exciting and inspiring which is why we all yearn to go back to the South!

 The countdown is reduced to just hours now as the battle at the front of the fleet continues to the finish line. It is by no means over until the first boat crosses that line as light and often fickle winds can make some staggering changes as the race comes into Cape Town. Table Mountain is not only an iconic backdrop to sail towards but it can have an astounding influence on the weather; the notorious blanket of cloud that rolls from the mountain and that huge wind shadow that can be formed leaving boats floundering in no wind within sight of the finish.

The beers enjoyed by BSL and Campagne de France while they reflect on each others’ race will not be drunk without a thought for the four remaining yachts on the race course. These teams have had completely different weather to deal with and have all taken a different option. The blocking high pressure in the South Atlantic has been moving to the East and they crews await some new weather to fill in either from a front spinning off an active Southern Ocean low or from activity coming from the Brazilian coast. Patience is being tested and that is tough to deal with as you see the front runners finish, as you know they are enjoying showers, fresh food and a cold beer or two.

Cessna Citation believe they are cutting the corner to protect their position in relation to the others and the finish line however with a slow moving high pressure this could be a high risk strategy. Phesheya-Racing have taken a racing line much more traditional in this neck of the woods and are heading south in search of stronger winds and avoiding any risk of getting caught up with the high pressure. They are currently enjoying reaching conditions and could see themselves looking pretty in a few days’ time. The next few days will reveal what the weather is in store and how the fleet have positioned themselves in relation to the new weather and their route into Cape Town.

Stay tuned and congratulations to both the Fields and Miranda and Halvard on an excellent Leg 1 Race.

Excitement all round for the fleet. The front runners have experienced some big winds and a manoeuvre for the first time in weeks. They had been happily sat on a port tack since the Cape Verde Islands and now after sailing through an active front they are set on a starboard tack with winds blowing from the South.

This wind may be on the north western side of a big depression but it is coming from the cold polar regions so thermal layers may have been found in the last few days to avoid the chill. They are now set perfectly for a final week of hard sailing to reach their destination. There is little between the two leaders who are attempting to reinact the Rugby World Cup on the water. Les Bleus of Campagne de France meeting the All Blacks of BSL, we shall see if it is the same result as the rugby when they arrive in Cape Town.

On the tails of these two leading boats is a complex weather pattern. It looks like a huge high pressure will block the remaining fleet of boats. Progress for these four boats will be slighter tougher and need some patience and lateral thinking. The South Atlantic is often the toughest time in a round the world race. The weather is often difficult to predict and variable conditions can be quite brutal to both teams and boat.