Ocean Globe Race – The Final Leg Is About to Begin
I knew this leg would be long and tough, as we would once again face the doldrums, and the winds would be more often against us compared to the Southern Ocean legs.
The first week was a straight upwind sail, which was a bit uncomfortable, but once the wind shifted, we made good progress with the downwind, and our route choice turned out to be very good. Some of the big boats were behind us, and we were leading the race. At that moment, we were in fourth place, which made all of us very proud. However, there was still a long way to go, and anything could happen.
It didn’t take long before we got stuck in calm waters, spending 18 hours there. Those were the longest hours standing still. It was incredibly frustrating as most of the boats behind us managed to pass us on both sides. I was very disappointed since the weather reports didn’t indicate this at all. Well, that’s racing. Luckily, the tuna we caught for dinner lifted our spirits.
The speed of the other boats gradually slowed as well, but they were still making some progress. We managed to move a little with a few fronts passing through. Then, we were stuck again. The temperature inside was already over 30°C, and it was very uncomfortable. Fortunately, everything on our boat was working. Some of the race boats were having issues with their masts, generators, and water makers, so we were happy that Galiana was in good shape.
Every evening, I joined the buddy chat to collect positions and wind data. I chuckled a bit when I had to report that Galiana with Secure's position was exactly the same as the previous evening. We had arrived at the doldrums. Those ahead of us had good winds and were already far ahead in the trade winds.
In the calm of the doldrums, we serviced the boat and tried to inch forward with every puff of wind. These were crucial miles for the race whoever could escape the calm the fastest would have a big advantage.
We slowly got out of the doldrums when a few large fronts passed over us, and we also caught the trade winds. At that point, we had headwinds straight towards the Azores, and from there, according to all statistics, we should have downwinds to Cowes if the forecasts held true. The weather fax reception was really poor, so we didn’t have any reliable weather information.
Even though most of this leg had been upwind, we managed to sail with the gennaker for a few days, which lifted everyone's mood. We all enjoyed the fast pace. Exciting times were ahead as we tried to catch a low-pressure system near the Azores, whose westerly winds would allow us to sail straight downwind to Cowes along with the other boats.
Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the low-pressure system and got stuck in the calm near the Azores. The boats ahead of us caught the downwind and sailed straight to Cowes. It was disappointing, but there was nothing we could do about it. We had to focus on the weather faxes, which we finally managed to receive. Unfortunately, the outlook was bad a large high-pressure system covered the entire North Atlantic, meaning headwinds all the way to Cowes.
The journey from the Azores to Cowes felt impossibly long. During the few days of downwind sailing, the boat was full of happy sailors hoisting the spinnaker, but the downwinds didn’t last long. Instead, strong headwinds seemed endless. Still, we progressed mile by mile towards Cowes and the finish line.
After a few tacks, we were quite close to the English Channel. The strong headwinds had turned into light headwinds. The English Channel is known for its strong currents, and we certainly felt them. Due to the light winds, we couldn’t make any forward progress, and when the current turned against us, we started moving backward and had to drop anchor until the tide turned again. There was a lot of frustration on board, as many sailors’ families and friends were waiting for us in Cowes. In the end, there was nothing to do but laugh at the situation.
With the help of the favorable current and light winds, we gradually moved closer and closer to the final finish line. Luckily, the wind also shifted to our favor. Finally, we spotted the familiar Needles rocks, and I knew we were close. In the final stretch, we made dozens of gybes, trying to reach the finish before the current turned against us again and we made it just in time! I had the honor of steering Galiana with Secure across the finish line, which was an incredible privilege. It felt indescribably amazing to hear everyone cheering from the dock and the big horn sounding as we crossed the finish line. The moment was made even more special when I saw my mom and dad on the dock, who had surprised me by traveling to England to greet me. I was happy and proud.
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