Ocean Globe Race: Jan 18 - Heading East - Brian Hancock Daily Blog #107

Outlaw - Leg 3 - Ocean Globe Race - January 17, 2024 © OGR2023/Outlaw

The Ocean Globe Race is a no technology crewed race around the world sailing the the traditional four leg Whitbread Round the World Race course. The Ocean Globe Race celebrates 50 years of Whitbread Round the World race, boats and sailors. Brian Hancock, a noted Round the World sailor and writer is providing a daily blog for the Ocean Globe Race. Here's the January 10 edition - #107 in the series:

The fleet is sliding down the edge of a ridge of high pressure; which is good, by the way. The wind is from behind and life is easy like on a Sunday morning, except it's a Wednesday morning, but as my friend Don would say, "Life Hey."

The boats don't get live weather information, but they figure things out for themselves and most of the boats have started to turn to the east. It's time to get under this weather system and make tracks toward Cape Horn which is still a long way away, but at some point they needed to point their bows in that direction and stick their foot on the gas pedal.

Let's mention Outlaw. They are skirting the edge but still doing a really good 6.9 knots. As I have said before, weather is a tricky thing. That high-pressure system is like an ex-girlfriend; they can shift either way. If Lady High decides to shift to the left (I just liked the way that sounded so forgive me) as in it moves to the west it could eat Outlaw for breakfast (with pancakes and syrup). It's a dicey move but chess is chess and you make your moves and keep your fingers crossed. I think that they are going to be okay.

High pressure means less wind especially if you get into the middle of it. Or if, since they are massive weather systems, they get into the middle of you. That can make a mess of things like my son cooking breakfast on a holiday morning. He once toasted a whole loaf of bread for just three of us. How much toast can one person eat?

It's a deep dive but they are going to have to ride some wicked witches. I am looking at Windy (sorry to my uncle who loves his curry) but as predicted (sort of) there are serious low pressure systems being spun off from a high pressure that lives in Antarctica. He/she acts a bit like "Where the Wild Things Are". (the great book by the awesome author Maurice Sendak RIP) Now, I digress, again, this keeps happening. I loved that book so much I read it to my children each night and the thing was, I would finish it and they would say, "can we read that again?" Most parents can relate. I was hoping for a glass of wine but it took at least three readings before they would settle down and climb into their bunk beds. All I wanted was a damn glass of wine and a good show on TV.

I named my cactus in my lovely wife's garden, 'Where the Wild Things Are.' They lie dormant all winter and look like a flop of bad bacon on a bit of dried toast, but when the sun hits in the spring, they start to rise, and it's a beautiful thing to see; especially if you are on land and that's not quite the same as being at sea. When the fleet gets far enough south they are going ride the Wild Thing, and that's what they signed up for.

About the author: Brian Hancock (RSA) is a sailmaker, racing yacht sailor and writer. He has sailed more than 250,000nm; competed in many transoceanic events including three Whitbread Round the World Races - 1981 Alaska Eagle (U.S.A.); 1985 Drum (United Kingdom); and 1989, Fazisi (Soviet Union); he is a writer on sailing topics. For The Ocean Globe Race Ocean Globe Race Brian is writing a day by day account based on his previous experiences in the Whitbread Round the World Race and other events, often related to the current position of the lead competitors on the Ocean Globe Race course.

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