Well, that's the festive season over for a few days! The rain that held off for the Christmas day celebrations, arrived early on the the 26th just in time to dampen our spirits and cause the cancellation of a trip to watch the start of the Hobart.
| ROLEX / Carlo Borlenghi |
Yuuzoo
Yuuzoo heading South into the freshening South Easterly.
Here's a YouTube video of Yuuzoo in last years race...Yuuzoo heading South into the freshening South Easterly.
And now on the morning of the 27th the expected Southerly is firmly in accompanied with overnight rain and markedly lower temperatures. Wild Oats was first to mark Zulu and when last reported there was leading the fleet into Bass Strait. Here are a couple of reports, the first courtesy of the CYCA site and the second by Di Pearson reporting for Rolex.
"The Mark Richards skippered 100 footer, Wild Oats XI, shrugged off a cheeky challenge from Grant Wharington’s Melbourne 98 footer, Wild Thing, to stamp its mark early on the Rolex Sydney Hobart line honours battle.
Despite forecasts that this will be one of the toughest Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races in years, the 87 strong fleet started in remarkably mild conditions on a flat Sydney Harbour at 1pm today in an 11 knot west-nor-westerly breeze.
Both start lines reported clean starts as nearly 1000 competitors began the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Aussie yachting classic under overcast skies in a light wind that produced a colourful spinnaker procession out of the Harbour before the fleet turned at the seaward mark to point south towards Hobart.
On the eastern side of the front start line, reserved for the largest boats, Grant Wharington staged a nail-biting and brilliant start with just seconds to spare at the helm of Wild Thing. The 100 footers, Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI and Sean Langman and Anthony Bell’s Investec Loyal squared off on the western side, while Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki timed things perfectly about a third of the way down the tightly congested line.
As Wild Oats XI and Investec Loyal sprinted down the western harbour shore, Wild Thing steamed along the eastern shore in better pressure past Vaucluse and Watsons Bay.
Wild Oats XI won the sprint to the sea mark, 13 minutes 48 seconds into the race despite trailing her jib briefly in the water as she changed to her light Code Zero sail minutes after the start. Once she turned seaward, Wild Oats’ Code Zero made way for a giant spinnaker as the four-time line honours winner gybed to find the shortest route to the seaward mark.
Two boat lengths behind Wild Oats XI, Wild Thing and Investec Loyal converged on the harbour mark, Wild Thing squeezing her rival out as she slipped inside.
Investec Loyal immediately headed towards South Head and Wild Thing held her course toward the north, looking for the pressure advantage they needed to have any chance of mowing down the leader in these flat conditions.
The gamble didn’t paid off for Wharington, who also had an incident with a media boat just inside South Head, and by the time Wild Oats XI was at the sea mark, the point at which the impressive fleet converged and gave chase and turned the sea into boiling whitewater, the thoroughbred had opened a handy break on her line honours rivals.
The last boat to leisurely leave Sydney Harbour was the Italian entry Onelife, one of two entries in the Cruising Division.
Sometime this evening the fleet will encounter a southerly change of 15 to 20 knots accompanied by scattered thunderstorms."
From CYCA.com.au
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And...By Di Pearson, Rolex Sydney Hobart media team
"Bob Oatley’s super maxi Wild Oats XI has led the 86-boat Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet into the notorious Bass Strait this morning, with Sean Langman’s Investec Loyal and Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing in hot pursuit.
Langman and Wharington’s yachts are level pegging, but the two are sailing either side of the rhumbline, some 20 nautical miles behind the leader, Investec Loyal to the east and Victorian yacht Wild Thing to the west. The lead boats are sailing in a squally sou-westerly in the 30 knot range.
Sean Langman’s Investec Loyal
Another battle is taking place just 10nm astern of them, as Matt Allen’s Jones 70 Ichi Ban (NSW) and Peter Millard/John Honan’s 98 footer Lahana (NSW) are within a mile of each other to the east of the rhumbline.
In other news, the NSW yacht She has reported a head injury to crew member Colin Apps, who was reportedly seasick and fell, bumping his head and sustaining a head injury.
She will liaise with the police launch Vanguard, which was following the fleet. Vanguard is towing an 8 metre rib, which will be used to transfer Apps off the boat. The boat will take Apps to Ulladulla where an ambulance will be waiting.
Further news will be available as it comes to hand."
The fleet can be tracked on Yacht Tracker at: www.rolexsydneyhobart.com
By Di Pearson, Rolex Sydney Hobart media team
And now back to Drina en-route to Puerto Montt, Chile. I've been a bit tied up with family stuff for the last few days so the last report of Drina's progress posted here was 17 December UTC. A lot has happened since then and though I've posted updates for the e-mail list that stream doesn't always get posted here. So to bring this blog up to-date I've included all the position reports since to 17 Dec UTC below in date received order. So, to the extent any one-sided conversation can, it should read like a narrative. I have redacted some content to protect both the guilty and innocent alike. I have also provided comment by way of explanation where I thought it was needed. My comments in italics.
Here's a picture of Erich's beautiful double ender, designed by the renowned K. Aage Nielsen of Boston and built by one of the finest Danish shipyards, A. Walsted of Thuro, that I mentioned in a previous post.
And now to Michael's adventure once more...
"Dear Kerro,
I note that yesterdays eamil for some reason was not sent, hope it goes out tonigt. So just a small update for now.
We had great excitement today as we saw and spoke to them. It was the Papua bound for NZ with Ukraine Master.
Last night was frustrating light South wind till midnight when it went to SW and still light, it is now W about 15 knots so we are wing and wing and gliding along around 6 knots. Alex is preparing dinner. Some kind of chicken dish, nice aromas coming from the galley. Been overcast all day., only one Albatross today. Alex spent sometime trying to find a whale without success.
Here's the techical stuff; Position at 0400 21.12.2010 UTC 44°30' S 129° 07'W, 2384 miles to go, speed 6, course 90° true, noon to noon was 137 miles.
rgs michael
Seems they passed a ship in the day or perhaps night
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Hi all,
No mail from Drina for a week then a pile, so here they are with the usual redaction of technical/personal stuff.
0315UTC 2010-12-22 posn 44°50'S 125°58'W speed 5 kn course 87°T
"Dear Kerro,
I sent my first emails out last night, I have had to be sneaky to find out how it works. while the Technical Officer was busy watching a movie I had a go. And it seems success!!! Now have to work out how the position reporting and the GRIB file stuff works...
I am at a loss to what is happening re the fans etc, no idea I was so famous. How did folks from Germany find out I was on way to Patagonia? How did 'Ernst find out? he is the one who I met in Samoa and inspired me to this madness to go to Patogonia in the first place? How many are following us now?
If you see Jimmy tell him I have figured the transit to Puerto Montt out as equal to 9 Hobart's. So if we take around 9 boats in the 50 ft range doing it this year and add up their crews, breakages, injuries, costs, food consumed, nights at seas, squalls encountered etc. we have a idea what it is all about.
Today's report is 1800UTC on the 21st, Morning here, overcast wind going light down to 8 knots from the west, but expect it too pick up in 8 hours time again, we have a low behind us, Bar is 1024
Posn 44°39S and 127°02W with 2294 miles to go our course is 94°T speed 5.5 knots
Hold on the sun has just come out. Will send more news later.
rgs Michael
Postscript; Dear Kerro,
Just adding to this email, it is 0315UTC 2010-12-22 position 44°50'S 125°58'W speed 5 kn course 87°T
wind is from North abot 8 knots, clearing skies, cooking fish for dinner, been a slow day noon to noon was 150 miles. 4-5 m swell from the SW with little sea from W.
rgs m"
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"Dear Kerro,
Yes it was a Ship that passed 5 miles away bound for NZ called PAPUA< with Ukraine, Polish, Phillipino crew.
thanks for latest weaather, find the Chile part fasinating for P Montt area. We seem to be missing the worst of the gales at present but it is a long way to go yet...
I note the ice edge is 1020 mile south of us, I wonder if that means the ice edge or limit of ice bergs?
I sure would not like to run into an ice berg. But would be neat to see one?
rgs Michael"
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Just in from the guys on Drina, seems like they are really enjoying it now...
"Dear Paul,
Just a short one, we are in a gale 35 45 knot from NW. Three reefs in main with little
headsail rolled out. On coure 90°T with wind on quarter running like hell in steep seas hitting
9 knots, poor viibity, drizzle, bar 1014 dropping, but hey! its progress even if it is scary.
From GRIB it should ease by nightfall, time local is 0600hrs or 1400 UTC 22.12.10 more later.
rgs Michael"
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And here's another one again out of order... Wonder if Michael's been playing with the computer again?
"Dear Kerro,
We have had dinner of lamb shanks with roast vegetables and have been watching the sun go down whilst enjoying a rare xxxx beer. Not as good as yesterdays sunset which was a real beauty. It is just past 2000 hours local time and we have another hour of twilight to go. It is almost full Sun now which is nice. Sun comes up around 0330 am so we only really have 7 hours of night now. Yesterday was good sailing and we rolled out 162 miles in a westerly breeze runing wing and wing. About midnight it went around to the South and lightned off, so have been reaching since then and only achieved 129 noon to noon. It is very light wind now of around 8 knots and we only have boat speed of around 5 knots.
We are on the great circle course which is taking us south, which I hope will get us under the high we are in. Bar was 1030 at midday and has droped to 1028 as of now, If we get below it hope to pick up strong westerly winds. We only have 2500 miles to go now.
We're still eating the tuna for the last three days and enjoying it.
The technical officer has been doing the midday position. We have settled in to our watches properly now and I have a afternoon siesta, practicing for the Spanish way of life in Chile.
Chile seems to be getting closer everyday now. We still have about 6 or seven days till we are on the next chart which will show Chile at the end??
So our technical information is 2500 miles to go at 0525 on the 20 th Dec UTC. Position is 44°06'S and 131°57W and wind is from South at about 8 knots. Bit of cloud cover with a short sea from the South and a very low Westerly swell.
Not many birds today., just a few Albatross early in the morning when there was more wind.
Thanks for the weather and latest news on cricket etc.
Good night"
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"Dear Kerro,
Sorry no email on follow up off small email in morning yesterday, but technical officer busy on the computer so could not get near the terminal last night.
It is now just after 6 am local time, and after yesterdays wild ride things are considerably better.
The skies did clear yesterday afternoon for a while, but by 1800hrs we were in fog with drizzle and the wind dropped off for a short while which tempted me to let the third reef out and as the wind shifted a little to NW went to reaching with full headsail.
This lasted a hour or so while we had dinner and then back up to the 30 knot range, so last night ended up with 2 reefs and half headsail running with the the wind on our quarter and found it very uncomfortable with the left over sea running and we were rounding up on the auto a bit. It is now much better with two reefs and full headsail in around the 20 - 25 kn range on our quarter from the NW. But is very, very cold, heater on and overcast with a drizzle. Seas abated a lot, expect this weather will be with us for 3 days or so.
So here's the technical bit, position at 1425 UTC on 2010-12-23 is 44°27'S and 120°04'S and 2007 miles to go. Course 80°T Wind W x NW 20/25 knots T. Noon to Noon 160 miles.
Yes we are going to have another party today, cracking the 2000 miles to go and a new chart starts 120°West which shows our destination at last on it and has a better scale.
With regard to engine, only running it when the wind drops out, it is now three days since we ran it, water generator and wind generator are keeping up with all our needs, the water generator is making an outstanding contribution, saw a lot of 12 amps from it yesterday. Mind you that was a pretty wild ride. We have used around 250 litres of fuel which was mostly in the light conditions on leaving NZ We still have one fuel bladder on the aft deck holding 170 litres.
Thanks for the Chile weather, the Port Montt to San Pedro is the relevent one, later when we get close.
I have been informed from a friend Peter Smith on Kiwi Roa who is at present in Falklands that Max sea is accurate for my landfall. Sorry Kerro, never did get a proper chart. The tide range there is 20 ft plus with up to 10 knots in the channel, so have to get tides right, there is a manned lighthouse in the approch which gives info and a good anchorage by the lighthouse to wait for the right time. It is about 60 miles from there to Porto Montt.
Our food is holding up well, so still have 4 beef roasts, 4 lamb racks, Chicken breasts, lamb shanks, sausages, carrots, boroccli, potatoes, onions, apples and oranges in plentyfull qtys.
Two sleeps to Christmas and hope father xmas comes as we have a chimney now by way off the diesel heater flue at the mast.
rgs Michael.
Postscript. It is now late 1600hrs local afternooon and we have just finished dinner off Lamb Shanks. The sky cleared a bit so had it in the cockpit for a change. Today has been good, shook out the reefs midmorning and went to wing and wing, been a good day with seas abating and winds in the 22 knot true range.
And later... Christmas eve!
Time is 0330 UTC 2010-12-24th, position 44°22'S and 117°54' W on a course over the ground of 83°T speed 7.5 knots Bar is 1010 steady. Air temp 14.1°C water temp 6°C.
Wind west at 25 knot true, full main and winged headsai, Christmas carrols fill the cabin, decorations go up tomorrow weather permitting. Todays noon to noon was 170 miles and we have 1916 to go.
cheers Michael"
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"Dear Kerro
It is Our Xmas eve and we have had dinner and it is 2045 local time. We have two reefs in main and a little headsail poled out wing and wing running in about 25 to 30 knots with a nasty following sea, but progress is good 166 miles noon to noon. Christmas lights are up in the cabin., so the crew is happy.
The sky is clear one moment and then overcast again on and off.
Technical stuff, 2010-12-24 Friday 0345 UTC position 44°21'S and 113°50'W, speed SOG 8.4 knots and course 99°True,
barometer 1010MPa temperature 15.1°C, 1743 miles too go, so close now?
We have not run the engine for five days now, the water generator is putting out heaps at these speeds.
Looks like tonight will be a bumpy one., I am hopefull we will be having this wind for another five days.
All the best Michael"
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"Dear Kerro,
It is Xmas morning here and wish you had a good one yesterday.
Wind got up after dark last night and we are running hard in 30/35 knots with a nasty following sea, bit off rounding up occasionly, the Auto working overtime and only just copes.
The technical stuff is, Position at 2010-12-25 1450 hrs UTC, 44° 37'S and 112°05'W, course 100° True, speed 7.5 plus, 1667 miles to go. Barometer 1005MPa dropping and from grid files expect this to last another 20 hours or so.
Xmas decorations went up yesterday.
Look forward to easing weather as the motion is vbad, but it is good progress.
rgs Michael
It's now 2100 local time and the winds abated a little , around the 30 knot more , but a big swell running, wind shifted to SW.
Technical info at 2010-12-26 0400 hrs UTC Position 44°21'S and 109°43'W, course 65 True, speed 8.8 kn, Noon to Noon was 178 miles, to go 1569
Was a wild ride today, few seas climbed into the cockpit. As I type wind getting up again and it is raining a bit and overcast, so it will be another night off tossing etc
rgs Michael"
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"Dear Kerro,
Do thank, if you can, all the team who sent their best wishes for Christmas.
Yes the Aust/NZ weather report is no good now, especially as we are past 110 West. I am trying for one week to get the Chile weather map on my weatherfax without success yet. So relying on your MetArea 15 stuff and GRIB files.
It is 4 am here and sun is coming up, have just gybed the main as wind has lightened and swung to SW by W.
Speed only 6 now, Date is 2010-12-26 UTC 1100 hours position 44° 04'S and 108°41'W, 1525 miles to go and new course is 87 True (Great circle is 97 True) It is vcold and overcast.
rgs Michael"
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Paul Kerrigan
Strewth: Jan 2010
Bathurst Harbour
Check Drina's latest position, click the link below.
http://shiptrak.org/?callsign=vj5319&filter=90
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