Race against the Elements

Storming along!

In an earlier blog I referred to the fog as an ominous symbol of the calm before the storm, an omen tha appears to have come true.With seas of 8 metres reported, winds in excess of 40 knots and a spectacular electrical storm it's no wonder there have been breakdowns in the radio schedules and sat phone calls we were expecting.

This morning sees Limit and V5 well clear of New Zealand hoping to get a slingshot affect off the back of the low in order to get as far north as possible before all turns calm again. Looking ahead it could be a leisurely cruise toward Noumea once this weather system moves east, providing the crews of both boats with a well deserved recovery period before making land in New Caledonia.

Revs has retired with mast track problems and has turned south for shelter. There performance so far had been outstanding and it must be disappointing to turn back when so much progress had been made. Originating from the Bay of Islands they don't have as far to go as some of the other boats to get home.

Antaeus has turned back and retired from the race after progressing north of the New Zealand coastline and is now heading for Opua in the Bay of Islands to clear customs before returning to Auckland.

Bullrush too has retired after losing her rig overnight. The crew is fine and she is now heading back to Auckland under motor.

Lion New Zealand, built to deal with Southern Ocean conditions and as the largest boat in the fleet appears to be continuing toward the top of the country and is possibly best equipped to deal with the conditions. Communications have been seriously disrupted by the electrical storm and their exact position has yet to be confirmed.

Bare Essentials spent the night sheltered behind the Karikari Peninsula and Bird on a Wing has tucked in at Mangonui. Mustang Sally remains in Opua this morning as they repair damage to their steering system. The rest of the fleet appear to be making slow progress north. It may just be a matter waiting out the weather and regathering energy before having another crack at clearing the coast. As experienced ocean racers, all the skippers will have dealt with similar conditions before and will make well informed decisions to deal with their individual situations. 

With the delays caused by the storm and the forecast light winds that follow I doubt we will see any records broken for this seasons race.

Tags: Auckland_to_Noumea Yacht_Race Swell Wind Shelter