A Brief Summary of Race 1: Southampton to Maderia

We departed Southampton on Sunday July 31, 2011 with much fanfare, there were 100's of spectator craft & HM aircraft carrier Illustrious "Lusty" to see us off.

We were first across the line and the first to hoist our spinnaker on a down wind run through the Solent. We crossed the Solent, the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay and then into the north Atlantic on our way to Madeira.

We weren’t always in front, with the lead changing several times throughout this first part of the race. The conditions changed constantly; one minute we would be becalmed, the next minute the wind was up and we were doing some 15 knots beating into the wind.

At one stage we had to drop our kedge anchor to stop ourselves drifting back. We were in 140 metres of water with anchor chains, sheets & halyards being used to give us the length we needed. The anchor also broke free and there was much grunting & cursing as we tried to make good our anchor at the bottom of the ocean.

We saw dolphins & whales. Crossing the shipping lanes at night with driving rain is no easy feat, our lookouts had a constant vigil and several times we were in radio contact with the big ships as they courteously altered course so as not to run us down.

The rough conditions brought the normal amount of seasickness, me included, particularly when in the galley doing ‘mothering’ duties.

Some ships log entries*:

5/8/11 Very fast, very healed over, very scary.

6/8/11 Going nowhere.

7/8/11 Lovely clear night, sailing well, pleasant conditions.

8/8/11 First wrap of spinnaker all hands on deck.

9/8/11 Great dinner, great news – we’re in the lead by some 60 nautical miles & travelling fast. First sighting of land since departure.

9/8/11 Arrived in Madeira 13.35 an inspired win by Gold Coast .

The sun was shining as we arrived and there was a small fleet to greet us on arrival. The Madeira Islands are volcanic and steep with much vegetation on three sides of the islands. It was first settled in the 1400’s by the Portuguese.
We were happy to be on land again, having travelled some 1400 nautical miles.

First few days in Rio

Email from BAMO - Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:31:28 -0000 (GMT)

"We won you little beauty.

I have been in a hotel for the last two nights working on the yacht during the day. Today is our last deep clean day so we are then free to explore the city. It looks a great place with many parks, walkers & joggers everywhere.

You can see the statue of Christ the Redeemer from the yacht and I plan to visit it shortly.

I will visit an internet cafe for the first time on my time off & send or at least try to send some photos and more words.

I’m feeling good - all systems working well. I reckon I have lost 3 or 4 kilos but feeling good. All my sore muscles are recovering. I lost a sandal and my orthotic over the side when we were changing a sail up the front in a storm - Chrissy could you please ask Mr chard to make me a new set and bring them to Cape Town.

Talk soon,

love BAMO

Click here to see brief clip of Gold Coast's arrival in Rio
plus a short interview with Richie, the skipper.

"

Gold Coast Australia secure Race 2 victory - 31 August 2011

Email from BAMO

"Hello it’s me in Rio - yes we are here in Rio. We arrived at 4am this morning with the news that the next yacht is some 100 nautical miles behind. We are tied up at the marina but can't leave until cleared by customs after 9am this morning. It looks like a beautiful city with a fantastic natural harbour. I will find out over the next few days.

All is well - I feel great but look forward to having some time in a hotel with shower, toilet etc.

BAMO."

Excerpts from the Clipper website:

Gold Coast Australia secure Race 2 victory - 31 August 2011

Gold Coast Australia has won Race 2 of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race from Madeira to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, crossing the finish line in Guanabara Bay after 19 days racing across the Atlantic Ocean.
In a highly tactical contest between the teams racing the ten 68-foot yachts, the crew of Gold Coast Australia emerged victorious. The pivotal moment in their first transatlantic race was their decision to take a route directly through the middle of the Cape Verde Islands, off the coast of Africa, utilising the funnel-like effect of the islands on the wind to catapult them through the centre of the archipelago and out the other side into a position of strength.

Third to the Scoring Gate behind Singapore and Welcome to Yorkshire respectively, Gold Coast Australia has been locked in a three-way contest with the British and Asian entries for the last 3,000 miles, gaining the ascendency as Singapore suffered steering failure. The Australian team capitalised on their position, stretching their lead and were first to cross the Equator into the Southern Hemisphere, beating the rest of the fleet to the beginning of the Ocean Sprint, where they were the fastest team to cover the distance between five and ten degrees south and earned a bonus point for doing so.

Paying tribute to his crew, who will pick up their second yellow winners’ pennant at the Race 2 prize-giving ceremony in Rio de Janeiro next week, skipper, Richard Hewson, said, “I’m very proud, the crew have performed really well, they’ve been fantastic. We’ve played all our tactics as we said we would.”

The Tasmania-based yachtsman continues, “There were a few parts of the course where we just went from one side to the other just trying to cover the rest of the fleet in the first half of the race but we timed crossing the Doldrums really perfectly – only had about four hours of the Doldrums experience – and then we were off again. We’ve had some brilliant downwind sailing and then coming in here this morning, it was just phenomenal. We got to enjoy it for a bit longer than we were expecting as the wind died just outside the harbour but to be here now…words can’t describe it. I can’t wait to explore Rio and I actually can’t wait to start the next race! Bring it on!”

For Gold Coast Australia’s Brazilian crew member, Annelise Nelson, who was born in Rio de Janeiro, winning this race has even more resonance. The management consultant now lives and works in London but still calls Rio home.

Against the backdrop of the iconic landmarks of Sugar Loaf Mountain and Corcovado, topped by the imposing statue of Christ the Redeemer, round the world crew member Annelise said, “It’s been really emotional sailing in here. I was helming as we crossed the finish line and it was fabulous to see all the familiar sights. It’s been a great race and to come in first was just perfect.”

The result means Gold Coast Australia will consolidate their overall lead in the race, having scored two wins in the first two stages and two bonus points: one at the Scoring Gate and one for the Ocean Sprint.

There are fifteen races in total in Clipper 11-12 with a Formula 1-style scoring system. The yellow, red and blue pennants for first second and third places in each of the races are highly prized by the people taking part and the teams proudly fly the pennants in each of the ports of call.Welcome to Yorkshire and Singapore are expected to arrive later today, with the remainder of the ten internationally-sponsored teams due in Marina da Gloria by 5 September. The crews will spend time preparing the yachts for the next race, across the South Atlantic to South Africa, as well as enjoying some well-earned downtime exploring the delights of the Brazilian city, including Copacobana and Ipanema beaches, the historic central city and the cauldron of the Maracaña Stadium where the people of Rio indulge their passion for Brazil’s national game, football.

Race 3 from Rio de Janeiro to Cape Town starts on Saturday 10 September at 1400 local time (1700UTC).