Volvo Ocean Race - Leg 4 Day 8

Crash helmets on in the Southern Ocean on board the VO70 Ericsson © Magnus Woxén

‘The best of times, the worst of times’

If you are sailing at the front of the fleet, as Pirates of the Caribbean (Paul Cayard) is, then you could be having the best of times. “It is still easy sailing, 20-25 knots of wind and 20-22 knots of boat speed,” wrote Paul Cayard today. But as the Pirates approach the longitude of San Francisco, Cayard is reminded of home. “I always think about home when I get to this point on this leg and we approach the 122 longitude line, the longitude of San Francisco. I think a little more about my family on this day. I miss them more on this day.

If you are sailing at the back of the fleet, as ABN AMRO TWO (Sebastien Josse) is, having lost many miles to the rest of the fleet trying to get pass an ice gate, then it is probably the worst of times, although their consolation prize is hitting the mythical 40 knots of boat speed barrier. Navigator Simon Fisher describes what it was like.

“At some point last night, no doubt careering down a wave with the driver unable to see where he was going, we topped out at 40.6 knots. Guided by only a few numbers on the back face of the mast, it is like some sort of crazy roller coaster, only there are no tracks and you are in control.

“As you accelerate down a wave, the spray starts coming at you hard. You hear it beating against your visor and you put your head down to avoid the worst of it. When you look up, you cannot see the numbers, just a blur of lights. You hope for the next wave of spray to clear your visor and that you’re on track as you come to the bottom of the wave. By now you are ducking down, knowing the bottom of the wave is imminent and you are praying you are not going to land too hard.

“Before you crash into the bottom, you catch a glimpse of your course, you’re OK, on track, speed 30 something, then bang! The wave comes charging back at you, you grip the wheel hoping you don’t get washed off again. Then it’s over, you dust yourself off and set off to repeat the whole cycle again.”

The difference in the conditions between the leading pack and the chasing pack is because the boats that came through the second ice waypoint at the back of the fleet did not have to gybe to starboard as they were being picked up by the north-westerly breeze on the leading edge of the cold front and riding it hard. The leaders are now trying to line up in the correct place along the cold front and ride it all the way to Cape Horn. According to Paul Cayard, there should be more wind to the northwest, so the boats behind them should start to compress on the leaders.

Position Report: (16:00 GMT)

ABN1 - ABN AMRO ONE
ABN2 - ABN AMRO TWO
BRA1 - Brasil 1
ERIC - Ericsson Racing Team
MOVI - movistar
POTC - Pirates of the Caribbean

DTF: distance to finish
SMG: Speed made good
DTL: distance to leader
DTLC: distance to leader change; the difference between the distance from the boat to the leader taken at the time of the last six hour poll, and the distance from the boat to the leader at the previous poll
SGPTS: points scored at scoring gates on this leg to date
PLPTS: projected leg points
PTLPTS: projected total leg points including actual points from scoring gates
PTP: projected overall points including actual points from scoring gates
OVERALL: projected position in race overall if yacht maintains current position