Welcome To The Doldrums

Volvo Ocean Race leader illbruck was the first yacht to reach the Doldrums this morning. They were immediately greeted with sporadic squalls and the flurry of associated sail changes synonymous with the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone.

“We didn’t need the navigators to tell us this morning that we had finally reached the doldrums, they announced themselves with a decent downpour and squall which set off a frenzy of peeling (changing) from one sail to another which has continued all day,” explained illbruck crewman Jamie Gale earlier.

As the first to enter, illbruck is also the odds on favourite to be the first to leave and pull away in the fresh southeast trade winds.

But between now and the exit (which could be hours or days), the crews have to live and work in intense humidity, heavy downpours and squall after squall. “It is amazing how before you have tidied up from one (spinnaker) peel the breeze has totally changed and you have to start running sheets for the next change. On deck the boys have been running our silk weight shirts and Gore Tex shorts. It is too hot for wet weather gear and it is just easier to be drenched all watch,” continued Jamie.

Illbruck’s lead over ASSA ABLOY has again been cut to 11 miles as they fight the constant changes in wind strength and direction brought on by the clouds. This can be as dramatic as a full lap of the compass and an extra 20 knots of breeze. “Typically the breeze between the clouds has been about 13-14 knots, but that can build to as much as 30-35 knots in as long as it takes to yell “get it off”. If you guess right then you make a big gain, but if you get it wrong then suddenly you are sailing at right-angles to course at 20-something knots,” added Gale.

Volvo Ocean Race Position Report Leg One Day 16, 10.00 GMT:

PSYacht LatitudeLongitudeDTFCMGSMGTFHRDTLDTL-CETAPS
1ILBK07 22.20N029 03.33W436821205.8243000.025-Oct-018
2NEWS07 35.68N029 10.52W437920707.52641101.825-Oct-017
3AART07 33.40N029 01.80W437921106.72491101.025-Oct-016
4TYCO07 44.44N029 16.00W438620206.02541800.525-Oct-015
5AONE07 52.20N028 57.32W439921008.52533102.725-Oct-014
6ATOO09 08.00N028 42.28W447520809.726710704.025-Oct-013
7TSEB08 33.80N025 30.20W451818105.4143150-00.826-Oct-012
8DJCE10 14.64N026 48.60W457519908.922520703.426-Oct-011