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.