Volvo Ocean Race - Team Alvimedica out of the Doldrums
by Amory Ross, Team Alvimedica on 25 Oct 2014
Alvimedica finally breaks free from the clutches of the ITCZ and doldrums and resumes fast sailing towards South America and the waypoint at the island of Ferndando de Noronha, Brazil. Ryan Houston (L), Seb Marsset (M), and Nick Dana (R) on a wet watch after leaving the doldrums in rough upwind conditions. Amory Ross / Team Alvimedica
Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15, Onboard Team Alvimedica. I’d hate to come across as being impossible to please but after days of wanting out of the doldrums, days of struggling with routines, with sleep, with a lack of regularity and consistency to our schedules, and of course--predictability to the weather—we’re 'out' and still trying to find it!
It was an abrupt change to the sailing yesterday, so abrupt that it maybe caught some of us off guard. Almost immediately we went from an agreeable 11 knots of upwind sailing to a very confused and uncomfortable 18 knots. Then there was some misunderstanding on deck as to the forecast and the wind quickly built, unexpectedly, to 23 where it has stayed for much of the time since departing the ITCZ. Since waving goodbye to the big clouds and tormenting lulls we’ve pretty much been bashing upwind with one reef in the main and 30-degrees of heel. It feels a bit like learning to walk again—moving around a boat that’s always on it’s side—especially inside where Tarzan-like swings from handle to handle are required before finding some firm footing to stand on.
No matter! We are out of the doldrums and back to sailing fast; discomfort is a small price to pay for that. Mapfre is still in sight and though the general feeling is one of disappointment with our poor luck over the last week, it really hasn’t affected the morale onboard. We’re happy we’ve got some competition to keep us locked in and we know there is a lot left to play for on the way to Fernando de Neronha, and of course the difficult but fun downwind to Cape Town.
*An unfortunate consequence of the rough weather is that the rapidly approaching Equator is getting very little attention. There is neither time nor condition to prepare for Neptune’s arrival but make no mistake—with 80 miles to go he knows we’re coming and he is still very excited to meet Mark, Charlie, and Alberto, however short of an introduction it may
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