SOS Ocean Racing - Under 2000 nautical miles to go!

by SOS Media on 2 Jun 2010 SOS Ocean Racing has now been travelling for almost 30 days and is estimated to return back in the Whitsunday in around 40 days. With winds gusting to round 15 knots and cruising around 8 to 9 knots with the A3 spinnaker Ian has only 340 nautical miles to reach the bottom of Tasmania.

With under 2000 nautical mile to the finish line, Ian is averaging 170nm each day unlike the 200nm he was at the start, he is hoping that because of his damaged mainsail (reefed down to 3rd reef) once he rounds Tassie he maybe able to work on it some more.

Over night the winds shifted from a NW to a SW, making Ian gybe to the south, though he expects the wind may shift back. His 40ft Welbourn is currently cruising around 7 knots, 180nm SSW of Cape Nelson.

Ian reported that it has been getting very cold, ‘Each night is chillier! I have everything closed up and sleep under a very big doona, I just find it hard to get up every half hour to check the sails'.

He has not seen any fishing boats lately, but expects to see more once he gets closer to the coast.
As wildlife goes the only thing he has been seeing are birds.

He commented on a spectacle last night, ‘As I left the cabin to gybe the boat I noticed that the sky was crystal clear, with only stars in the sky! It was an amazing view, I could see my whole rudder through the water'.

SOS Ocean Racing is about raising awareness of what damage plastic bags does to the environment, in particular the marine environment. With over 100,000 marine animals and 1 million sea birds dying from plastic suffocation or entanglement every year, it is time to get rid of the 'Convenient' plastic bag and use other options.

For more details visit the campaign website at www.sosoceanracing.com