First Clipper expected in Hawaii tomorrow

by Clipper event media on 18 Mar 2008 The Clipper fleet, including the two dismasted entries, westernaustralia2011.com and Durban 2010 and Beyond, is making good progress towards Honolulu, Hawaii, where the yachts are due to arrive this week.

The first, Hull & Humber, winner of the shortened Race 7 from Qingdao to Hawaii, is expected in the Ala Wai yacht harbour on Tuesday 18 March (local time) where, following immigration formalities, she will be hosted by the Magic Island Petroleum Fuel Dock, one of three organisations preparing to welcome the crews to Hawaii.

Uniquely Singapore, Liverpool 08, New York and Qingdao are in the group expected on Wednesday and will be berthed between Waikiki Yacht Club, Hawaii Yacht Club and the Fuel Dock, with Durban 2010 and Beyond, Jamaica and Nova
Scotia expected on Thursday.

Uniquely Singapore, Liverpool 08 and Qingdao have all transferred fuel to the South African yacht, as Janet Flynn, one of the crew of Durban 2010 and Beyond, describes in their crew blog today: 'First of the day was Liverpool 08 who sent lots of fuel and plenty of good wishes. Next to stop by were Uniquely Singapore, who as well as the fuel and good wishes also sent over some very welcome treats. In exchange for fuel we sent over water, milk powder and a few other goodies to Qingdao.

'Last but not least to stop by was The Black Pearl - Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper - who sent over a rather fabulous looking cake covered in hundreds and thousands, a DVD (Pirates of The Caribbean, naturally) and, to make the set complete, a party pack with party poppers and other assorted treats. With Lucy's birthday coming up tomorrow, these will definitely help with the celebrations. although we don't seem to be able to find the bottle of Benromach which we're sure must have been in there! However all our troubles were put into perspective when we discovered that Glasgow had been without tea bags for five days! So naturally, to return the favour, we sent over a box of our finest to relieve their thirst.'

Very much in the spirit of camaraderie that the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is renowned for, New York and Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper turned back yesterday in case more fuel was required. Neither had to carry out a transfer and New York is now making best speed towards port, while the Scottish boat is accompanying Durban 2010 and Beyond as they motor towards Honolulu.

Precise arrival times are made harder to predict as the fleet is making its way to the Ala Wai under a mixture of sail and engine and the conditions, headwinds creating choppy seas, have also slowed their progress.

westernaustralia2011.com, meanwhile, is back 'on the road' after a 30-hour stopover in Midway Island where they took on more provisions and enough fuel to fill their installed tanks (approximately 1,700 litres) along with two 50-gallon drums as a further contingency. They are still managing to sail under jury rig but now have sufficient fuel to motor if required during the remaining 1,000 nautical miles of their journey to Honolulu. The Race Team expects them to take approximately six days to complete the rest of their voyage, arriving in the Ala Wai over the Easter weekend.

Preparation of the new masts and rigging are going to plan in order to get both westernaustralia2011.com and Durban 2010 and Beyond racing again as soon as possible.

The Race Office has been established in the Transpac office in the Ala Wai harbour, near Hawaii Yacht Club.

The yachts' current positions can be viewed on the Race Viewer on www.clipperroundtheworld.com, where updated estimated arrival times will also be posted.

For more information visit www.clipperroundtheworld.com