Good Friday for some
08:40, 18 April 2003
by Tim Hedges

After a successful if somewhat slow start the boats are now all making respectable progress in more or less the right direction. Recently the wind has veered further towards the south east, and it has already started to get hotter. This race will soon become characterised by calm seas, light squally winds and almost oppressive heat. Sea sickness will not be a problem, but sunburn and heatstroke can be real issues. This time though it is not only the new legers who will have to be careful. As the boats have been ‘up north’ since mid way through the race to Japan even the hardened round the world crew will have to reacclimatize to the tropics.

The fleet remain close, with much shuffling of relative positions. Hong Kong have made the biggest gain climbing three places to lead the fleet, Skipper Justin Taylor and his crew obviously wanting to impress their hosts in what really became their “home” port. Glasgow has also done well moving up one into second, less than a mile behind Hong Kong. The boats have to pass to the east of an imaginary mark, or “waypoint”, which is slightly to the east of their current course. As Glasgow are somewhat to the east of Hong Kong this could well give them an advantage. The further south they both sail, the closer Glasgow will be relative to the mark.

Their gain has been at Liverpool’s expense. Having led the fleet from the start they have now dropped two places to third, whilst New York, sailing with New skipper Ross Daniel, have slipped down into equal fourth with Jersey. They need not be too despondent though as they are all less than 3 miles behind the leader. London, Bristol and Cape Town bring up the rear, but similarly to Glasgow, both Bristol and Cape Town have a potential windward advantage as they head to the first waypoint.

Over the course of the year Clipper crews get used to having a new slant on familiar celebrations. Christmas on a beach at the equator, and greeting the New Year at sea with no hangover. Now we have Easter in the south China Sea. I don’t know what the bakers on board have been up to, but for Good Friday I can guarantee the crews will have hot buns. I just hope it doesn’t make them cross!

Source: Clipper 2002/2003 Round The World Race Official Site