Ocean Globe Race: Jan 22 - L'Esprit d'équipe is smoking - Brian Hancock Daily Blog #110

Triana leaving for Leg 3 - Auckland to Punta del Este - Ocean Globe Race - January 2023 © OGR2023/Terry Kavanagh

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 22 edition - #110 in the series:

L'Esprit d’équipe, you have to love this team, they are smoking along, in French sort of way, and I am not generalising because many French people smoke, but they are smoking at close to 9 knots. "Good stuff," as my Dad would say after I cleaned up my bedroom when I was a teenager. They have hooked into that westerly breeze and found a land that is paved with gold.

So have Triana and Neptune. As I might have mentioned before, you have to get south; that's where the big ride starts and it looks like they are going to get the hula hoop. Remember those? Right now, according to the YB Tracker they are winding it up (nautical term) with Neptune leading the Flyer Class and Triana leading the Adventure class. They have booked a ticket on the express train and riding it Cape Horn style. It's fun to watch as they kick as*. I need to be careful here because FacePlant blocks people when I use the word ass so if you don't see my updates, you will know that I have been sent to the basement. But anyway, I digress.

The fleet is still settling into a long leg from Auckland to Punte del Este and believe me, when they get there they are going to enjoy some of the best beef in the world, or a salad; their choice.

Coming up there is some tricky business. That's what my lawyer said to me once. Tricky business in that there is going to be a wind shift to the north. Now that might be fun if you are trying to head south, but when you are on a hard and fast track to Cape Horn (and I have a funny story about that coming up later after my birthday which is coming up and if you are buying me a Ferrari, I like yellow. Don took the last red one...:) Anyway (ADHD). My point is, and for what it's worth, they are going to get pummeled (another nautical term).

It has been a week since Leg 3 started and I am sure that most of the fleet have settled into the rhythm of life at sea, and that's a good thing. The thing about sailing around the world is this; you have to find a rhythm with the ocean. You have to enjoy the beauty of the waves. You have to enjoy the occasional visit from and wandering albatross and take a slap in the face from cold Southern Ocean water as part of the pleasure, kind of like when I when in a Thai whore house where they like to whip skinny South Africans, but I digress. Life is an adventure. Along the way, you have to find a rhythm.

It's Sunday where I am. I am finding my own rhythm. I am going shopping for food for the week. Have fun and love to all those racing this great race.

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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