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9:34 AM Sat 14 Mar 2009 GMT
For the Portim?o Global Ocean Race fleet, freedom from the restriction of the ice gate at 45?S has been stalled by a low pressure system north of the boats, centred 1,200 miles off the coast of Chile. For the past two weeks, the seven offshore sailors have watched depressions spin eastwards beneath the mandatory, Pacific Ocean exclusion zone and now, having passed the eastern end of the boundary yesterday (13/03), the fleet are dealing with a rogue low pressure system tracking down onto the fleet from the north.
The direct result has been headwinds with the double-handed fleet's speed averages dropping to five knots and below on Friday afternoon while solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans, held a northern heading longest on Open 40, Roaring Forty, polling the highest speeds at seven knots. In third place on the British Class 40, Team Mowgli, Jeremy Salvesen explained the situation late yesterday: 'There is some irony and not a little frustration that having been forced to stay north of the ice gate at 45? for the last 2,500 miles, now that we have passed the eastern end of it, we are struggling to make any headway southwards at all!' In the latest, 0620 GMT position poll this morning (14/03), Salvesen and co-skipper, David Thomson, are trailing the double-handed leader by 130 miles, averaging just under eight knots, but progress south will improve as the breeze shifts from east to north-east later today, freeing the boats slightly. 'This will all change within the next 24 hours as a new, small, but fast moving low pressure system overtakes us from the north,' confirms Salvesen. 'This is going to bring strong headwinds and pretty confused seas for a couple of days with perhaps 30 - 40 knots of wind again. After that, however, it looks as if we should have reasonably favourable winds all the way down to Cape Horn, a little under 1,400 miles to our south.'
Despite the impressive, 94 mile lead built by Desafio Cabo de Hornos, Felipe Cubillos knows that things can change very rapidly. 'What happens is that all the boats are in a zone of transition that will be determined in the next few hours when the wind rolls round to the east,' he wrote yesterday (13/03). 'The English and the Germans were hit by the calm patch before us, but it is going to catch us soon. And as they entered the zone before us, they will also exit it before us and the tables will be turned.' However, the Chilean team continue to poll the highest speeds and Cubillos and his co-skipper, Jos? Mu?oz, are currently averaging a fraction under 11 knots, three knots faster than Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme in second place on Beluga Racer and the British duo on Team Mowgli.
'Jos? and I have both spent many years competing in regattas and I know that these situations happen,' admits the Chilean skipper. 'I'm also grateful that this wonderful sport has taught me patience and given me the ability to overcome adversity.' With the boats north of Desafio Cabo de Hornos likely to encounter the stronger breeze first, Cubillos is prepared for a potential leaderboard reshuffle. 'Meanwhile, we're heading east and if the Germans catch us like they did in the first week of this leg, appearing out of nowhere having been 50 miles behind, then everything starts again,' he explains. 'But the good news is that we have enormous supplies of determination and perseverance on board the boat..and they don't weigh anything!'
On board the German Class 40, Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme are relaxed about the current distance deficit. 'The lead that the Chileans have opened up is not too much of a concern so far,' reports Oehme. 'We really don't believe they can escape into a separate weather system and break away.' Indeed, the mood on Beluga Racer is almost festive: 'Before sunset last night, Boris and I both stood in the cockpit enjoying the final sunbeams of the day, sharing a single bottle of beer, enjoying the moment,' continues Oehme. The relationship between the two young, German sailors is very close and the bond is clearly strong. 'How would it be now to be completely alone here?' he wondered. 'Now, we have already been together for seven months with nearly each day on board the boat and still, I am glad that we're together. We have experienced storms and fought hard to keep the boat in one piece. We have crossed the finish line together, celebrated hard and then shared the exhaustion of pre-start preparation. We have shared the whole adventure and enjoyed each other's company, which is truly special.'
For Herrmann and Oehme, hard, competitive sailing has become a way of life, but the barren lump of rock south-east of Beluga Racer is already exerting an irresistible power: 'We're still about one week away from reaching Cape Horn,' calculates Oehme. 'How will it feel, sailing round this notorious landmark? Immense joy to finally sail into calmer, Atlantic waters? Or will parting from the impressive Southern Ocean outweigh the relief? Or will we simply stress-out with the large waves, too much wind and the proximity of land and jagged rocks?' In addition, the rounding will be a hectic in terms of communication for the media-savvy German team: 'There's also the telephone calls, video film and a Podcast to organise,' he continues. 'Will we be able to enjoy it at all? I often ask myself whether I really appreciate these type of moments properly: entering an historical place or experiencing a deeply significant point in time. Naturally, I'm aware that such a moment is exceptional, but how am I to behave?' Whatever his reaction is, Oehme is determined to enjoy the experience. 'These instances last for eternity and nobody should miss or squander them. Do I have to concentrate and focus on it? In truth, I want simply to enjoy Cape Horn and add it to my wealth of experience!'
With the five boats of the Volvo Ocean Race currently 360 miles due west of the Portim?o Global Ocean Race fleet, the normally empty sea area around Cape Horn is becoming congested and Oehme makes a profoundly relevant point about round the world racing: 'This mystic landmark shows extremely clearly how sailing has changed,' he explains. 'Little commercial shipping passes round the cape these days and most of the traffic is racing yachts, whether it's solo sailors in the Vend?e Globe, or like us as a two-man team in the Portim?o Global Ocean Race, or even like the Volvo Ocean Race with a complete crew. We all have ultra-modern yachts using electronic navigation and we know - every second - our precise position on the planet. We can dispatch emails, make telephone calls, even upload videos onto our website.' Although this sophisticated technology has enhanced life on board, Oehme believes that there are still intense physical demands on the modern sailor. 'However, an autoplilot cannot navigate the whole time and as soon as you step on deck in foul weather, the sweat runs into your eyes, your hands become clammy and the ancient saying, 'One hand for you and one hand for the boat' suddenly becomes relevant again.'
There is also a tangible link with the past stowed on board the German Class 40: 'Our sextant also symbolises the dramatic change. We have an extremely light, plastic sextant on board,' says Oehme. 'Boris took the last sight with it ages ago and I haven't been near it. We trust the GPS and electronic charts, only carrying paper charts for each finish line and for a few places that we might pull into in an emergency. How dangerous is racing? What are the precise risks? Which is more courageous: a race around the world or taking out a mortgage on a house?' While the Germans speculate over the complex choices and gambles linked to offshore sailing, the race proceeds: 'Perhaps only the sun knows the answer,' ponders Oehme, finishing the last dregs of beer. 'But it has dipped below the horizon, the final rays warming the underside of clouds in bright colours. It becomes cool, we continue to hunt the Chileans. And so, the night begins.'
As the fleet descend through the Southern Ocean towards Cape Horn at 56?S, the wind strength, the sea state and the risk of icebergs increase exponentially. 'We will be sealing our watertight bulkheads and wearing our survival suits,' confirmed Jeremy Salvesen on Team Mowgli last night. 'We'll also be studying our radar carefully and keeping a closer visual night watch on deck. Whilst it would of course be incredible to see icebergs, it is an experience we can do without - particularly at night!'
Leaderboard at 06:20 UTC Saturday, 14th March 2009
Double-handed class:
1. Cabo de Hornos - DTL 0.0nm Spd 10.8kts
2. Beluga Racer - DTL 94nm
3. Team Mowgli - DTL 130nm Spd 7.6kts
Single-handed class:
1. Roaring Forty - DTL 0.0nm Spd 7.5kts
www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com
by Oliver Dewar
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Lord Howe Island Windy Point, NSW
Kitesurfing - Twintips
Foiling - Components (Wings,Masts,etc)
