Elisa's Journey - Life at 45 Degrees – Leg 2 to South Africa Begins

Waking up in Rio yesterday was a flat calm morning. I hoped we would have enough wind for the Leg 2 race start at 3:00. Well, the winds picked up nicely, setting the stage for an exciting start, boats neck and neck across the line. There were some interesting wind shifts off Sugarloaf Mountain just to keep us on our toes. Before we knew it, the views of mountains and Copacabana Beach were in the distance, and we were back to life at sea.

After a very busy stopover, it was a relief to return to the “eat, sleep, sail routine”. Leg 1 was a series of flat spinnaker runs and challenges of keeping the boat moving in light winds. So far, Leg 2 is like night and day in comparison. Within a few hours, we were sailing as close to the wind as possible, surfing our way up and down 2-3m swells!

Our watch system was changed to suit the more physically challenging condition – a rotation of 3 watches. One watch sails the boat constantly for 3 hours. Another stands by, ready to be woken for assistance as needed. The third watch sleeps for 3 hours, or at least has an attempt.

I enjoy the helming in these conditions very much – for the first time, there are some good sized waves to work with. Life down below, however, takes on a whole new meaning. For example, to write on this computer, I have to keep myself carefully braced – otherwise I will be on the floor in a matter of seconds. Walking around requires a grab bar or wall to balance yourself at all times. Again, landing on the floor is very likely. I feel like I have gone from a fit 31 year old to a 90 year old in a matter of hours.

Climbing into my top bunk takes several tries, timing it just right with the waves. I hold the grab bar, step on the bottom bunk, and pull myself up when the waves are working in my favour. Once up, I need to tie my lee-cloth within seconds. Its purpose is to hold me in the bunk when the waves roll the boat. Once safely up there, I need to adjust the pulley system of the bunk to keep it at the flattest angle, hoping we don’t tack while I am asleep! This needs to be done from in the bunk, as I can’t reach the pull cord from the floor.

These conditions are a far cry from my mother watch last month where I could balance on one leg for 20 seconds – that was my test to see if it would be a good day to spend in the galley. Today, I feel sorry for our Moms. All 3 of them feel queasy, and have the additional duty of mothering those who are ill, including cleaning up after them.

A few crew became seasick in the first 12 hours, and had a difficult night. Several were not able to stand their watches, another group felt nausea, but were quite functional, and the rest of us were OK, but not 100%. For me, I just find it hard to eat, but make sure I get small bits in to keep up energy. I sleep more than usual as well. So far I’m feeling good about things, and hope those among the seasick recover soon. Often it is just the first few days to adjust.

As for the race, we had a good run with Australia the last 24 hours, keeping them in sight most of the time. We had to stay on the same tack to avoid a surveying area earlier today, which increased our distance from them, but still in good position in terms of our path to Cape Town. After one of the most exciting starts, it’s great to be at sea again and sailing in some challenging conditions. By the end of the year, I’m sure this will feel like a calm day!

Cape Breton Clipper leaves Rio bound for Cape Town

Here's a clip of the race start ceremony and the Cape Breton Clipper crew leaving the harbour in Rio, heading toward Cape Town, South Africa. That's Cape Breton fiddlers Dawn & Margie Beaton you hear playing in the last part of the video to see of the crew! Good luck on Leg 2!

Cape Breton Tunes in Rio

Here's a video clip of the corporate sail for the Cape Breton trade mission, plus some tunes from Dawn & Margie Beaton playing at the Clipper Race Pavilion in Rio de Janeiro:

Last minute heartache as Cape Breton Island secures 4th place in Race 2 of Clipper 09-10

Cape Breton Island completed Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro in fourth place, crossing the finish line at 07:05:10 local time, just 12 minutes ahead of Cork. It mirrors their fourth place in Race 1 of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and leaves them in joint fourth place overall with 14 points on the championship board. But the battle over the last few miles proved frustrating for them as light winds snatched away a seemingly certain podium place after 28 days at sea. Line honours for Race 2 went to Team Finland with Spirit of Australia and Jamaica Lightning Bolt taking second and third respectively.

Cape Breton Island skipper, Jan Ridd, says, “It’s been emotional! To have raced so far and finish within sight of another boat is truly amazing. We are all very disappointed to have lost out to Spirit of Australia, and Jamaica Lightning Bolt in the last six hours. It has been a very long and frustrating day struggling to find any wind to sail with while watching other boats move ahead of us and Cork closing in from behind. But we are really glad to be here in Rio and are looking forward to some well earned rest before next week’s race start to Cape Town.”

Team Finland’s skipper Eero Lehtinen, says, “Race 2 was a very balanced and professional performance. The whole team has worked without a word of complaint, in the extreme heat, under pressure from competition, in the long hours with no wind and no boat speed, during the endless sail changes and trimming. “

In a race which has been marked by light winds, Team Finland took an early lead out of La Rochelle but soon lost it by sailing into a wind hole as the fleet rounded Cape Finisterre. As weather forecasts indicated light winds across the 90 nautical mile long gate south of the Canary Islands, Team Finland made the decision to bail out and focus on a ten point win into Rio. They were followed by several of the race entries, including Cape Breton Island, who proceeded to remain in the top five boats for the remainder of the race. Spirit of Australia held their nerve and the decision to go for the scoring gate paid off, beating Hull & Humber across the line and securing the team three valuable points. The decisions made by Spirit of Australia and Team Finland over the scoring gate proved to be the defining moment in both teams’ races, as Team Finland moved into the lead and held it to the finish line.

Periods of light winds have dogged the fleet for the first trans-Atlantic crossing of Clipper 09-10. With virtually no wind at the start in La Rochelle, around the Canary Islands and for half the boats through the Doldrums, the normally reliable trade winds have also been lighter than expected. As the fleet neared its final destination of Rio de Janeiro, once again light conditions brought the leading boats to a near halt.

Over the final days of racing a three way battle took place behind Team Finland for the final two podium positions and at one point it looked as though a Finnish victory may not be guaranteed. Spirit of Australia led the charge closely followed by Cape Breton Island and Jamaica Lightning Bolt whose positions swapped on a regular basis as the teams focused on the Cabo Frio finish line. Until the final 100 miles it looked as though the Canadian entry was going to pip Jamaica Lightning Bolt to the post. However, a decision to take a more inshore route proved fatal. Cape Breton Island lost the wind and slowed, allowing Pete Stirling and his team to take third place.

At midday GMT on Monday 20 October, the Clipper 09-10 Race Committee announced a shortened course for Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro. The amended Sailing Instructions gave the teams 24 hours notice of the shortened course and the final positions were taken at midday GMT on Tuesday 20 October. Those teams that have crossed the finish line will be awarded the relevant finishing position, while the others will be awarded the position based on their distance to finish at that time.

This is a standard procedure used in both ocean racing and around the cans events and is called into play by race organizers who must ensure they meet the goals of the teams, the spectators and the overall event.

The decision is not one that was taken lightly. In all around the world yacht races, the first priority is the safety of the crews and their boats and this is most certainly the case with the Clipper Race. Race 3 is due to start on Tuesday 27 October and it is important from the point of view of good seamanship that the teams get the opportunity to prepare themselves and their boats correctly for the next stage of the race, which will take them towards the Southern Ocean on the way to Cape Town, South Africa.

Once finished, the teams will make their way by fastest means, through a combination of using their engines and sailing, to the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro, which will host the fleet for the duration of the stopover.

First priority on arriving in port will be to clean the yacht and begin the routine maintenance required to keep the boats in peak performance condition, as well as catching up on much needed sleep and food other than the tinned and dried variety on offer at sea. The victuallers must also ensure their yacht is fully stocked for the next 3,385-mile race to Cape Town.

Cape Breton Island Clipper in tight race to finish line

Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece is in a four-way race with Spirit of Australia, Jamaica Lightning Bolt and Cork for second place in the La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro leg of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race.

However, the area off the coast of Brazil has turned into a parking lot for the leading pack today. As the teams try to eek out every bit of power from the rapidly diminishing wind, frustration is palpable amongst the skippers.

Cape Breton Island has emerged from Stealth Mode, a 24-hour option to be removed from the tracking view of the rest of the fleet. Their cloaking card has worked, sneaking ahead of Jamaica Lightning Bolt into third place. The team's skipper, Jan Ridd, is relieved, having spent the past 24-hours struggling in the same light winds as the front runners. Today, however, things seem to be looking up for Canada’s entry.

"Well we have eventually found a decent breeze," explains Jan. "We're currently sailing towards the finish at a half decent rate, which is nice after spending Stealth Mode struggling to keep the kite filled."
 
Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece, the only Canadian entry in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race, currently sits in third position behind leaders, Team Finland, and only 8 nautical miles behind second place, Spirit of Australia.

The boxing kangaroo will fall prey to the eagle of Cape Breton Island if skipper Ridd has his way. He says, "Well done to Brendan [Hall, Skipper of Spirit of Australia] for producing some consistently amazing six-hour runs irrespective of wind conditions. We have not thrown in the towel yet but definitely have been working hard to match him and his crew. A few days ago we had better boat speed and were pulling away, then they engaged overdrive and consistently put in runs of over 60 nm! We are still going well and have been trying all sorts of sheeting angles to try and match their speed and have come up with some new and effective ideas.”

The lead yachts are in the last 100 nautical miles of this leg of the race and are expected to reach the finish line today.

Elisa's Journey - Drag Race to Rio

We had a successful upwind sailing period after our equator crossing, working hard to secure second place in the fleet.

Just when we thought we escaped the light winds of “The Doldrums”, Cape Breton Clipper managed to get stuck in a wind hole – that didn’t appear on the weather charts! After several hours of working our way back into the winds, it was disheartening to see the reports. A lot of ground was lost, and we were now sitting in fourth place instead of second. Spirit of Australia was ahead by 20 miles, and Jamaica had just closed in.

The pressure was on in our fight for a podium finish. Last night, our course converged with Jamaica, and we popped out just ahead of them! Back in the game, it has been a drag race between us and Jamaica for the past 12 hours. Our courses diverged, and we are no longer in sight of each other. We’ll have to wait for the fleet update to see if we pulled ahead to third place. Of course, the distance to Rio doesn’t always mean as much as the course chosen to get there…

The mood on board is more serious than usual as we close in on the last few hundred miles of Leg 1. Every move we make counts at this point, and we’re trying to maximize the skills learned in the last few weeks. Of course we’re still enjoying the benefits of life on the water – sunrises, shooting stars, dolphins, and plenty of sunshine – but our focus on the race is at an all time high.

I’m noticing my competitive side emerging more than ever as we get closer to the finish, particularly when Jamaica was in plain sight! Although I’ll strive to do my personal best, it’s how we work together as a team that will make it count. And perhaps some good winds to boost us along!

It’s hard to believe we’ve been at sea for 24 days – I had to ask someone what day we left La Rochelle. You can easily lose track of time out here, especially when you wake up and go to sleep four times per day. As my full focus is placed on racing at the moment, I’m looking forward to reflecting on the experience as we arrive in Brazil. It still seems surreal that South America is just west of us! Stay tuned – the next couple days should hold some interesting race developments!

Cape Breton Island Clipper crosses the Equator and moves into second place

The effects of the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone), or Doldrums, are now plain for all to see with two well defined groups – one that has managed to slip through to the other side with little or no difficulty and is now powering towards Rio de Janeiro; the other still trying to free itself from the area.

Jan Ridd, skipper of Cape Breton Island, reports his team crossed the Equator at 0045 UTC today. “We celebrated in style with lots of fancy dress. The sight of Luke (Dampier, a gap year student from the UK) in a micro skirt will stay with me for far too long. Hande (Bayik, a product brand manager from Turkey) also entertained us with some belly dancing in authentic costume and we had a fun, relaxed hour. Maybe a little too relaxed because towards the end we noticed the lights of another yacht, which we presume was a Clipper yacht. The yacht crossed our bow clearly hard on the wind, crossing less than a mile ahead.”

Could it have been Spirit of Australia? Skipper Brendan Hall says, “After a few thousand miles of solitude, out horizon was broken today by the sight of Jamaica Lighting Bolt’s sails. Shortly afterward, we could also see Cape Breton Island. I expect we will be seeing each other a lot over the next 1,500nm into Rio and, if our close finish with Hull & Humber in La Rochelle is anything to go by, the finish is going to be very exciting indeed.”

Tom Gruitt, a photographer for Hyde Sails and Cape Breton Island crew member, explains how the team managed to avoid the light winds usually associated with the Doldrums. "Our skipper, Jan Ridd, prepared us for the doldrums, saying that huge gains and losses could be made and that sailing just a few miles a day could see anyone gain the lead.

"In my line of work I get to talk to a lot of people from cruisers to professional round the world sailors, they have all said basically the same thing, the doldrums are tough and really test your patience. Imagine our surprise as Jan popped his head through the hatch saying he reckoned he had found a way through without sailing into a light wind area! He explained that we needed to catch the next weather system to get us across, so to the hour we got there, completed a really slick spinnaker drop and hoisted the Windseeker. An hour or so later the wind built and we hoisted the staysail and the Yankee 2.

"The relief on Jan's face was visible. Still sailing upwind, the breeze built on the nose to 27 knots...nothing like what any of the books have mentioned! About five boats have got through and the other half of the fleet are stuck. We all feel pretty lucky to have sailed through the Doldrums without dropping below 5 knots of boat speed, this will be story for all of us to tell back at the yacht club bar for a long time to come!"

Cape Breton Island – Nova Scotia’s Masterpiece, the only Canadian entry in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race, currently sits in second position behind leaders, Team Finland, and 12 nautical miles ahead of Jamaica Lightning Bolt and Spirit of Australia.

Elisa's Journey - Cape Breton Island Crosses the Equator!

A first for everybody on board – crossing the Equator under sail! My watch was on duty at the time, and we voted to have our two Leggers, Morgan and David H, share the helm while crossing the line. It took a bit of coordination, but they managed to keep the boat going on a relatively straight course.

Several of our male crew members decided to also cross the gender line, appearing on deck with skirts and leotards. Within minutes, we went from our usual watch routine to a full blown party. We put one of our most responsible crew, David R, on the helm and turned up some music, starting with Bobby’s Clipper Song. The Cape Breton rhythms seem to be growing on the crew, with lots of toe tapping going on.

Hande, our crew from Turkey, came up with a skirt that jingles as she dances. I’ve been given the honour of taking the skirt around the world and wearing it at our next equator crossing. It is much shorter than I would have worn at age 19, but anything goes at the Equator! The deal is for me to return it to her in Turkey one day, where I will receive my very own short jingle skirt.

Luke showed up in a pink leotard and fairy skirt – complete with swim goggles. Phil wore a towel that somehow managed to stay intact with two clothes pegs holding it in place. Morgan somehow squeezed a tiny pink sweater over his biceps without ripping the seams.

All the while, the Cape Breton Island Clipper still managed to pull out some miles from Australia!
Her port light could be seen off our starboard side, estimating a distance within five miles. I wondered what kind of celebration they were having…

After all the excitement, I ended up sleeping an hour into my next watch! Apparently people tried to wake me up, but to no avail. Perhaps I’m not as young as I used to be – out cold after 2 hours of partying! I’ll have to work on that before our big arrival in Cape Breton next June.

Elisa's Journey - Countdown to the Equator

The Cape Breton Island crew spent the past few days sailing the best route towards the Equator. At this time of the year, there is a 200 mile stretch north of the Equator known as “The Doldrums”. It is know for light winds combined with the occasional squall. By a stroke of luck, against the navigation textbooks, we managed to coast right through this area without missing a beat – consistent winds the whole way!

Thoughts of taking a swim while becalmed in the Doldrums have been replaced by a fast paced countdown to the Equator – just under 100 miles to go before reaching the southern hemisphere! I look forward to the day I can look up at night and see the familiar Southern Cross, a reminder of my sailing experiences in Australia and the South Pacific.

Cape Breton Clipper moves up to 4th place

The Cape Breton Clipper has moved up to 4th place as the fleet approaches the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa and begins to shift west to cross the Atlantic. You can follow the race by clicking here.

Elisa's Journey - Sails on the Horizon

After days of light and variable winds, we have a steady 15 knots of breeze at last. The wind shadows of the Canary Islands are miles behind as we make progress towards Rio. A spinnaker the size of a tennis court spells Cape Breton Island large as life.

While helming under a starry sky last night, I saw a light appear on the horizon. It seemed high enough to be a mast light, so we anticipated it may be one of our fellow Clippers! Our eagle charged on as dawn started to break, and the shadow of a spinnaker came into sight!

Our morning report confirmed Jamaica Clipper popped out the other side of the Canaries and converged on our course.

The race has gone up a notch. This is the first of our competitors we’ve seen in over a week. No longer are we following virtual positions on a computer printout – we have a boat to chase right in front of us, and can see if we are pulling ahead or losing ground. Since the weather is fairly consistent, we simply have to sail better and helm a good course to overtake them – well the theory is simple anyway! In practice, we have been following them for 9 hours now, and every 0.1 knot of speed counts. It requires a great deal of patience. We push ahead striving to leave Jamaica in our wake.

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In between bouts of trimming the sails and helming, our watch decided it would be a good idea to learn Portuguese for Brazil. In the first evening lesson, we learned to count to six and order twenty beer and “beefee” (i.e. steak). That was enough for the first night.

The next night was an advanced Portuguese lesson where we learned how to ask questions such as “How are you?” and “What?”. We then realized we wouldn’t be able to understand the answers, and wondered if it was all worthwhile. We’ll persevere tomorrow evening just in case!

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A personal highlight on board Cape Breton Island is approaching – my 31st birthday! After celebrating my 30th on the first day of Clipper training last year, I am thrilled to be where I am today, sailing across the Atlantic ocean on a racing yacht. As I am slowly creeping up in years, I never really paid much attention to my birthday in recent years. Strangely enough, I find myself counting down the days, just like when I was ten years old! Friends and family have prepared cards and letters for the occasion, which have been patiently stowed in my bag since July – I can’t wait to open them!