VOLVO OCEAN RACE - DAY 4

CAPE TOWN TO ABU DHABI - DAY 4

Its been exactly four days since the start of the 2nd Leg - Cape Town to Abu Dhabi - Volvo Ocean race. The teams has been clamoring for position and all of them have successfully covered approximately one fifth of the total distance of the 2nd Leg. All the yachts are positioned roughly 36 degrees S and 45 degrees E. Simplified, they are horizontally still in line with Cape Town but a lot more east, vertically below Madagascar. Initially all the teams gybed south, to almost half way between the  Southern African coast and the Ice exclusion zone before they ported north. The 40 knot winds in Table Bay more than pressured them to go this route.

Team Abu Dhabi ported north and broke away from the pack quite early but it appears that their strategic move  wasn't to their advantage. Team Brunel is currently  leading the race closely followed by  Team Dongfeng and Team Mapfre. Both the Emirates and the Girls are a good a distance behind the current race leader. If the 'Emirates' are 15 nm behind then the 'Girls' are at least twice that distance behind.

Its more than obvious that all the teams must have had a tough time braving the waves, the 40 knot winds  and the Agulhas current thus far, and just about able to keep their food down or perhaps not. The fast flowing Agulhas current is arguably the strongest of ocean currents for boats or yachts sailing northeast off the South African coast. The VOR has the reputation for being the world's most extreme sailing event, which is most likely based on the grueling extremes of the second leg,  since sailing against the current isn't easy. The sailors clothes would be constantly wet at the speeds at which they are sailing and getting face blasted with cold water every wave.

However, the teams would also all be sleep deprived since their body clocks are still trying to adjust to their new schedules. With the seas being as rough as it was, bailing must have been a full time job for most of the crew even with the bilge pumps would be on full  throttle. Repairs to torn sails or snapped jibs in a common occurrence under these conditions and certainly all the teams would be somewhat affected by it.

The yachts are expected to arrive in Abu Dhabi in and around the 14 th December 2014

The Distance to Abu dhabi is 5,185 nautical miles and at the current sailing speeds, it is expected that the yachts should take 24 days to reach their destination and arrive there by the 14th december 2014, however wind dependant, it could take them anything from 25 to 30 days. Considering, the fleet will sail from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean.

NB! Images may be subject to copyright

NB! Images may be subject to copyright

NB! Images may be subject to copyright

NB! Images may be subject to copyright

LEG 2 - VOLVO OCEAN RACE DEPARTURE

VOLVO OCEAN RACE LEG TWO

Today the Volvo Ocean Race Expo at the Waterfront Cape Town came to an end. At about 4.00 o' clock this afternoon the race started, as the starters pistol fired. This was a preliminary start giving the sailors two hours of sailing in the bay, yachts fully loaded and ready to depart. Team SCA was the first yacht out, followed by Abu Dhabi then Dongfeng, Mapfre, Brunel and Vestas Wind, each spaced by about 5 minutes. This start is just to check if everything worked fine.  The yachts were propelled by the engines rather than their sails and the sailors could be seen going through their paces The support teams were in the bay in their rubber ducks alongside their respective yachts.

Panoramic view of the bay  where the yachts are motoring.

See the clouds rolling as it is blown by the wind  over  Table mountain.  The  official start of the
Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 drawing  near and Abu Dhabi is heading for open waters.

Brunel 

Alvimedica heading for open waters as Mapfre returns from it.

Abu Dhabi returning from the open water as the Brunel heads towards it.

Abu Dhabi and Dongfeng passing one another in opposite directions.

Dongfeng on the verge of makeing a roundabout.

The clouds over Table Mountain is on the increase

The official start of the race was at six o' clock.  Meanwhile the sailors on their 7 yachts darted in and out of the bay, turning and reversing , making loops and entertaining the crowds for a good two hours. Essentially they were killing time, testing their  electronic equipment, testing the satellite navigational systems, checking their mechanical systems. etc. Occasionally the support teams rubber ducks would toss a clothing item onto the yacht, then it seemed as if they were darting off to fetch another.

There wasn't much wind today and by the time the race officially started it took a good 15 minutes before the 1st spinnaker was seen. About 5 minutes later a second spinnaker was seen but the other 5 yachts seemed to rely on the main sails. A good 30 minutes into the race and all the spinnaker were ballooning with wind but still not sufficient to get them past Robben Island. All the yachts made U-turns, sailed back towards the bay because tacking seemed virtually impossibly. Then they turn course and none of their sails were visible. Suddenly there was a 40 knot wind blowing and the yachts took off at high speed (see last picture below). We were looking at the sterns of the main stay and mast until they were out of site. I wish them a bon voyage.

Four of the yachts vying for position at the start of the race 

Suddenly 7 yachts are clumping together, Three helicopters circling overhead.

As quickly as they came together, they were spreading apart.

Brunel took the lead at the start of the race powered by 40 knots of wind.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE FLAGS

VOLVO OCEAN RACE FLAGS

Abu Dhabi was flying its flags today. Looking at the picture immediately below, there are three smaller tangled flags between the mast and the Abu Dhabi red and yellow flag. The  Grey flag, -at the  top- is for Overall Race Leader, The Blue flag hanging in the middle reads  1st Leg Winner and the pink flag hanging at the  bottom reads in-Port Race Winner. The successive flags gives a better inkling of the inscriptions on the flags.   By the looks of things Abu Dhabi Racing appears to have a bright future in the the successive legs. Collectively their sailors have more than 20 years of sailing experience.

The three flags are fully visible but the writing is indistinguishable.

Cameramen filming on deck while the Pink flag is getting tangled
 yet readable saying In-Port Winner.

The words "OVERALL LEADER " is just above visible in the tangled Grey Flag

The words " IN-PORT RACE WINNER" is much clearer & 1st LEG WINNER reads back to front

Abu Dhabi against the backdrop of Table mountain and Devil's peak.

Race day in the Bay, some two hours before the official start of the race.

Abu Dhabi and Dongfeng passing on another in opposite directions.

Small yachts race is clearly visible in the bay leading up to the main event.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2014-5 COUNTDOWN

VOLVO OCEAN RACE SECOND LEG

Tomorrow will be the final day in Cape Town for the 7 yacht teams before they leave for Abu Dhabi - the 2nd leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15.  As can be seen on the image below, the sailors will be celebrating new years eve in the beautiful city of Abu Dhabi then start with the In-port race on 2nd January and depart on the 3rd of January for Sanya in China; the 3rd leg of the Volvo ocean race 2014-15.

Abu Dhabi is the Stopover for the 3rd Leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15

The Abu Dhabi Team are having a strategy meeting and the Dongfeng Team are still busy with preparations. Power leads and air tools were humming with sailors are all scurrying along the floating quays loading water and their daily rations.

Final Words before departure.

The Volvo Ocean Race Cup is made of highly polished stainless steel completely engraved and weight a good 20kgs.

The Volvo Ocean Race Around the World cup.

Flags are blowing full height in attention to the Volvo Ocean Race sailors.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2014-15 EXPO

continued from  VOLVO OCEAN RACE.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2014-15 EXPO

CAPE TOWN STOPOVER

Just two more days to go before the start of the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race; Cape Town - Abu Dhabi. Yesterday the winds were blowing at about 20 knots inside Table Bay Harbour, luckily the yachts were safely moored safely alongside the floating quays well shielded from the howling winds by the Harbour Quays. Today the wind was once again calm and hopefully it will remain that way until the the 19th when the 2nd Leg, Cape Town - Abu Dhabi will commence.  It a blessing in disguise that the In-Port race was completed when it was, two days ago.

The results for the In-Port Race on the 15/11/2014 are as follows.

Abu Dhabi 1st
Team Brunel 2nd
Team SCA 3rd
DongFeng 4th
Team Vestas 5th
Team Alimedica 6th
MAPFRE  7th

Team Alvimedica busy with final preparations.

All hands were on deck as final preparations were made before departure. Mainsails, Jibs and Spinkers were checked and additional sails were loaded, hatches were checked and the coffee grinders and ropes were checked. Navigation equipment was checked. All 7 boats are fitted with Inmarsat satellite navigation systems.

The Abu Dhabi Team seems to be done with everything with 9 harnesses hanging waiting for the crew.

Team Brunel also still busy working on their yacht.

Team Dongfeng  just closed up the mainsail with its cover.

Team Vestas doing final checks.

Team Mapfre complete loading drinking water a few  minutes ago.

Team SCA has replaced 1st leg sailors and busy as bees.

Continued on NEXT BLOG.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE EXPO CAPE TOWN

VOLVO OCEAN RACE CAPE TOWN

 The Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 is the world's toughest sailing race and the greatest effort towards foreign relations ever which started on the 2nd October 2014 in Alicante. Six teams of yachtsmen and one team of yacht's-women competing for the Volvo Ocean Race - around the World Cup. Racing for a total distance of 38739  nautical miles,  from Alicante in Spain and ending in Gothenburg in Sweden. An experience each and every yachtsman and yachtswoman will cherish for the rest of the sailing days much like my part in the Cape2Rio Race replays in my mind as if it were only yesterday. Then there was the Cape Town to Punta del Este race and the Cape Town to St. Malo race that left behind unforgettable memories.

Alicante to Cape town was the 1st leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.

The Volvo Ocean Race Cup - photo courtesy of Volvo Ocean Race and Inmarsat.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE CAPE TOWN

The Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 Expo is taking place right now , and the sailing exhibition has been hosted here in the Waterfront, Cape Town since the 1st November and will continue for some time after the yachts depart on the 19th November 2014. Cape town is the second leg of the 'Volvo Ocean Race', and the stop-over for the yachts which sailed the first leg from Alicante in Spain. From Cape Town they will depart for Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Thereafter they're off to Sanya in China, then to Auckland in New Zealand,  Etaji in Brazil, Newport in the United States of America, then Lisbon in Portugal, Lorient in France,  The Hague in the Netherlands and finally Gothenburg in Sweden. The Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 will finish six months from now with the final in-Port race on the 27 June 2015. Total distance of the the race is 38739 nautical miles. See route map below.

The moorings for the 7 yachts can be seen in front of the boat in the water - floating quays.
The yachts were sailing offshore are competing in the in Port Race.

Volvo Ocean Race 2015-15 Route

Nearest to furthest: Abu Dhabi, Dongfeng, Brunel, Vestas, Alimedica, SCA and Mapfre Yachts moorings.

Today the 7 teams are out 'offshore sailing' competing in the In-Port race. Meanwhile their support teams are intermingling with the spectators and visitors. The Dongfeng Race Team  "The Chinese" entertained the crowds with martial arts and Tai Chi demonstrations. For updated information about the teams and the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 route, download the live streaming app from iTunes or Google Play and 'travel around the world'. But first, let's plot the positions of the yachts in the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15.

Volvo ocean race Alicante - Cape Town

Abu Dhabi Ocean racing, 1st
Dongfeng Race Team, 2nd
Team Brunel,  3rd
Team Vestas Wind, 4th
Team Alvimedica, 5th
Team SCA, 6th
Team MAPFRE, 7th

These 7 teams will be referred to by their nicknames in future blogs.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - "The Emirates"
Dongfeng - "The Chinese"
Team Brunel -"The Dutchies"
Team Vesta Wind - "The Danes"
Team Alvimedica - "The Youngsters" 
Team SCA -"The Girls"
Team MAPFRE, "The Spaniards"

Dongfeng which means "East Wind" represents the Chinese Truck manufacturer sponsoring  the Chinese team. It is the first time a Chinese team is has entered the Volvo Ocean Race even though several  of the Chinese crew have never crossed the ocean.

Dongfeng is the official sponsor of the Chinese team.

The Dongfeng Truck face above compares very favourably with the Volvo Truck and Bus faces which will be shown in successive blogs. In the next Blog we meet the racing teams About the Teams..

Three days before the start of the Volvo Ocean race 2014-15, notice there are no flags.

The day before the start of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15, notice the flags.