Into the Roaring Forties

...and out again as the Volvo Ocean Race fleet makes the big gybe east

Images courtesy of Expedition and Predictwind

The Volvo Ocean Race has had its first taste of the Southern Ocean proper (or technically not the Southern Ocean, but the Roaring Forties) yesterday when the frontrunners crossed 40°S. The strategy for the last few days has been to sail south in order to get into the strongest winds as far away as possible from the St Helena high. This involved the lead boats heading almost due south up until yesterday morning when they finally made their 'big gybe' east in the direct of the Cape Town finish line.

Since our last update the most impressive performance has been that of Dongfeng Race Team. This is a one design fleet and such things in theory should not be possible, but last Sunday, Charles Caudrelier's team was 126 miles from the leader, and since then through smart tactics and making a better job of the conditions than the competition, on Thursday the Franco-Chinese team has technically regained the lead in terms of DTF - a truly outstanding performance. And so at the latest sched this morning, the front four are back to having just 37 miles separating them with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing back in the lead with Dongfeng up to second.

The three remaining teams have all chosen to gybe east further north. While the front four made this manoeuvre at around 41°S, fifth placed Team Alvimedica, gybed at around 39°S followed by MAPFRE yesterday afternoon and Team SCA mid-evening at 38 and 37°S respectively...

In addition to putting as wide a berth as possible between them and the high, the front runners have also been making use of the stronger winds around a front associated with a Southern Ocean depression directly to their south. This has since crossed them leaving the frontrunners in 20 knot westerly winds, while those closer to the southern side of the high, seeing lighter winds that are now in the northwest.

Looking forwards there appears to be at least two more significant rolls of the dice between now and the finish (currently 1638 miles away for the race leader) with a ridge forming ahead of the boats tomorrow and the St Helena forecast to settle right over the race track by around Wednesday.

From Matt Knighton on board Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing:

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing pushed further east towards Cape Town along the “Roaring Forties” as the race for first place intensified with four teams sailing only mere miles from one another in wet conditions that make a carwash look tame.

On deck, the guys have been facing white-walled waves that crash over the cockpit as they surf down ocean swells four meters high. As the ride down one wave ends, the bow of Azzam will plow into the next sending freezing seawater crashing up the deck with a power strong enough to knock you over.

Trimming from the stern of Azzam so as to avoid the deluge, Adil described the conditions.

“It’s as if you were in a dishwasher and someone turned it on. There’s water everywhere you look and the waves keep coming. You can’t even stand up when the big ones hit you; they’re so heavy it’s like fighting a firehose.”

The best part: this is only an introduction to Southern Ocean sailing.

Ask most the guys if this adventure is what they signed up for -- they just give you a look as if to say, “I’ve been here before. These conditions are nothing compared to what we will be facing later.”

Sitting at the Nav Station below deck, our breath turns to vapor in the cold temperatures. It wasn’t too long ago we were looking at position reports of our competition behind us.

Now, again, we looking for new frontal systems that may help us break from the pack. The angles we sail now will have a direct impact on the standings during the final push to Cape Town.

His hands soaked in cold saltwater, Ian laughs thinking of the circumstances, “There’s a point where position reports become less relevant than weather reports.”