For the last few days, it’s a bit of a case of hang on to your tits for the sailors competing in the Golden Globe Race. An unusual weather event is taking place and it’s pummeling the fleet with gale force winds and large, uneven seas. Where there are usually warm and moderate tradewinds; champagne sailing as it’s known among sailors, there has instead been an intense low pressure system right slap bang in the middle of most of the fleet.
The two leaders, France’s Damien Guillou aboard his Rustler 36, Solarem and Ireland’s Pat Lawless aboard his Saltram Saga 36, Silvermines Hydro are to the south and while they are feeling the effects of the system, it’s not as bad and as the low pressure is moving toward the north west, away from them and they will be the first to be sprung free.
There is some good news, if you can call it that. This is a baptism by fire for the sailors and a way to really test their boats. The water is warm and so is the air. If you are going to find a weak spot in the rig or hull, this is a pretty good time to do so. The other option is in the Southern Ocean where some low pressure systems can make this one look like a baby sister and the air is cold. So is the water. The other bit of good news is that boats are scattered in the vicinity of the Cape Verde Islands which can offer relief and help if necessary.
Update: The middle of the fleet got hit with a proper wallop with some of the competitors reporting 50 knots of sustained wind and large lumpy seas. American skipper Gunnar Christensen sailing the Hans Christian 34 cutter Pampoen was one of the worst hit, but says that he learned a lot from the storm and it has better prepared him for what he might expect in the Southern Ocean. He, like most of the boats suffered some damage but none of it a game changer which speaks volumes about how well the boats have been prepared for this voyage.
Right now it’s a case of the rich getting richer as the two front skippers, Damien Guillou and Pat Lawless continue to bang upwind in the southeast trades making it a very long port tack, but they are around 800 miles ahead of the main pack who are still dealing with the leftovers from the storm and the doldrums which are always a challenge.
The low pressure has since been upgraded to a Tropical Storm and has been given the name Gonzalo. It continues to move away from the GGR fleet looking for some other sailors to bother. – Brian Hancock.
