Sal’s Ocean Globe Race Analysis: A cold front is approaching...
The great sailing conditions continue for the boats in the Ocean Globe Race.
The continued North Westerly wind has given the fleet ideal and relatively easy sailing with fast daily runs by everybody. Over 200 miles per day by most of the fleet is eating up the miles towards Auckland.
Pen Duick VI is still forging ahead but struggling to hold off Translated9 on handicap, they remain neck and neck. Maiden is hanging on to 3rd in Line Honours, IRC over all, and in Flyer Class. Reports from onboard Maiden show that moral is high and they are enjoying the race and so they should, sailing in such a spectacular part of the World.
The lack of weather information continuing to be problematic. The crew of Maiden will be watching the weather carefully for signs of a change, and a change is coming. A cold front is approaching.
A cold front is the boundary between the relatively warm air in the N W breeze which has blown over much warmer sea, and the cold air from the South which has come from Antarctica. Over the next day the cloud base will get lower and they are also likely to be in fog. It is going to get increasingly squally and rainy. Maiden’s crew will recognise these classic signs and be ready to react as the front goes through, with a sudden backing of the wind round to the South West.
It should then be clearer skies after the front so, a good chance to get sun sights which will have been lacking lately. It will be squally and most noticeably of all, very much colder.
Hopefully the crew have kept an extra layer or 2 of clothes in reserve!
-Sal
