Jersey Clipper moooves in
09:55, 18 June 2003
by Sarah Beaugeard

Message to Colin from Skipper Simon Rowell onboard Jersey Clipper “saw another yacht this afternoon, we all convinced ourselves it wasn't Bristol, so I called them up for a chat, wondering which other madmen were out here sailing…."Yacht in position XYZ, this is Sailing Yacht Jersey Clipper approximately 3 miles north of you" …Bit of radio silence… "Jersey this is Bristol" they replied in a rather surprised tone!”

I was finding it hard to begin talking about Jersey Clippers epic charge overnight, so I thought I would let them do the talking! I am sure you will agree that this shows that we the armchair sailors weren’t the only ones to be surprised by the sudden catch up of Jersey Clipper, now only 4 miles from Bristol Clipper and sailing happily parallel to the Bristolians. Jersey have caught up and done amazingly well in the past 12 hours, gaining another thirteen miles on the sherry drinkers.

Not to be out done, Richard and his crew remain in defiant mood. Sailing in some very changeable conditions they are still determined to find the current first – and they are drawing near as both of the front runners report that they now have almost a knot of current in their favour.

The conditions are changing rapidly, with the winds varying from 20-30 knots yesterday afternoon causing the yachts to sail with Yankee 2 headsails and reefed mains, backing and decreasing overnight to an East North Easterly 6 knots. This means hard work for the crews. “Think we have done more headsail changes in the past 24hours than I two weeks training rolled into one” reported Round the Worlder Martine onboard Liverpool Clipper. It is exhausting stuff as the crews all rev themselves for their rounding of the cape that draws nearer. Not only feeling tired this morning, I am sure that the crew of Liverpool are a little frustrated too. Having committed to the Southerly route yesterday, they are not gaining from the shortcut as planned. Instead they have been leapfrogged by London Clipper.

Rory Gillard and his London Crew have had a great 12hours and run to the North covering 186 miles towards the Agulhas current. This has made them jump three places on the leader board and gain 10 miles to the leader when the rest of the fleet lost out. Once more Rory is racing to knock his good friend Ross Daniel, Skipper of New York down a peg or two. Ross, holding on to his well established third place, along with Cape Town and Glasgow Clippers all continue to make more of a Southerly course towards the next waypoint at Port Elizabeth. Still making good headway the race is on mid fleet. Not one to enjoy following in the wake of the others, Justin Taylor and his crew onboard Hong Kong Clipper remain in 8th position, but have chosen to sail west towards the coast.

Whichever way they get there, the aim of the fleet now is to negotiate the coast line and the Agulhas current, using it to their best advantage, but also remaining wary of the weather around them and approaching fronts. As weather fronts continue to shoot by down South, the weather will continue to chop and change. Rather like a procession marching past these Low pressure systems bring squally weather, gusting winds and as we know they greatly affects the sea state too. Ex Clipper Skipper Tim Hedges reflected this morning that racing to Cape Town has many ups and downs; “with a North-westerly blowing, finding the current is like stepping on a magic carpet but if a strong southerly is blowing it soon turns into a black run mogul field with your eyes shut!”

As the next twelve hours passes, and the fleet draw closer to Port Elizabeth and the Agulhas current let’s hope that they all get sleigh rides and not mogul fields!

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