Ocean Globe Race: Jan 23 - Losing the plot - Brian Hancock Daily Blog #111

Southern Ocean sailing © Triana Team / Margault Demasles

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 23 edition - #111 in the series:

The fleet is slip sliding away. (thank you Paul Simon for that line. I wish that I had thought of it, but you were born before me so you got to it first.) Anyway, I digress. The OGR fleet is getting into the meat of things (or salad if that’s what you prefer), but if they are not careful there might be some fish and chips ahead. That pesky High Pressure is a little like the Wizard of OZ. It just keeps showing up when you least want it to.

Let me explain. High-Pressure zones are tricky little things. They are a bit like your favourite aunt on a Friday night after a few chardonnays. They come and they go but this little HP (as in High Pressure - get with the program) seems to want to bugger up (technical term) the way that the OGR fleet is slip-sliding toward Cape Horn.

Yup, a small one has made itself available to mess things up again. I see Neptune taking a deep dive south. I am just guessing here but they may have been bitten by the High and once bitten, you never forget. Not to digress but for what it's worth, I have been stuck in a High Pressure for a week and it makes sane men go weak at the knees. And to that guy from Cape Town who sent me a message that all I wrote was drivel, perhaps he was right. But try and write 115 daily updates and at some point you will end up driveling.

But anyway, it looks like Neptune has sort of lost the plot. They are digging deeper and going for it. That beautiful yacht skippered by Tanneguy Raffray is about to find out soon that a small high is in their future and they are going right into the middle of it. Translated 9 is hitting the rhumb (not rum) line and are first in line honors and first in Flyer Class.

White Shadow have been following their shadow for a while but now they seem to be back into the groove of things. They are doing over 9 knots (average) and are making tracks down the track. Same with Sterna with the great Jeremy Bagshaw in command. They, at last check, are doing a steady 8 knots. The whole fleet, including Explorer are now into the Roaring Forties and getting their money’s worth and are booking out, just like a kid who stole a pack of gum from the local convenience store and was being chased by the store owner (that was me by the way…:)

Shout out (again) and I can’t do this often enough to Tracy Edwards and her lovely maidens aboard Maiden for the excellent charity work that they do. As my great friend Jimmy Buffett (RIP) wrote; Bubbles Up.

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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