Clipper 2002/2003 Race - An interesting 12 hours
10:50, 30 July 2003
by Tim Hedges

What an interesting start. Light, fluky winds and a strong tidal stream favoured some and penalised others, and provided rather a surprise to the race team tidying up at the Centro Nautico. Some time after the boats had crossed the line, Colin, Sarah and Justin were clearing up the usual loose ends when some one asked why the boats were coming back. Sure enough several teams were actually drifting backwards, giving the impression that they were returning to their berths. Even the boats that had tried to creep inshore to escape the worst of the current had lost the wind and found themselves in the glue.

An awkward start like this can sometimes give a huge boost to the boats that do manage to escape; yet 12 hours later the fleet remain in a tight group as they sail up the Brazilian coast. Duty skipper this week is Rupert Parkhouse on Glasgow whose report this morning nicely sums up events after the start.

"Well what fun... currently writing this at 1850 local time, and it's very dark. Quite an interesting start really as I am sure you could see from the boats movements after the gun. The fireworks were great, if a bit distracting for the crew who stopped trimming to stare at the pretty display. We found ourselves 3rd over the line even though everyone was late due to undersestimating the flood stream. The line was very hard to time because of the fluky/gusty winds. After this we went out into the bay a bit only to find that in the shifty conditions and 1-2kts of foul tide progress was impossible. London did well initially from a nice lift and they raced up close inshore then slowed quite a lot. At this point, Jersey, HK ourselves and were further out with Bristol further out still. Liverpool and NY were in the middle ground. Anyway, we decided to tack inshore to the eastern edge of the bay i.e. along the town front to try and get out the tide. At the same time CT, NY and Liverpool were doing the same thing. As we headed over I looked at my watch and noted that one and a half hours after the start we had progressed around one mile from the line overall...

So then the 4 of us, ourselves, Liverpool, Cape Town & New York short tacked up the shore, with London still a bit further ahead. Hong Kong, Jersey and Bristol stayed out in the bay at this time. We made it to the corner in around 4-5 tacks and got around the corner again in 3rd, with Liverpool and London in front and Cape Town & New York behind the other 3 were still way back. Wind got kinder around the corner and we were soon reaching along the shore past the town beaches... thinking we had left the others behind a bit...

Then a rain cloud/squall came over, wind headed us and then died. We spent the next 2 hrs holed up alongside Liverpool and London, off the Punta Itapua. During this time Bristol, Jersey and HK caught up the 3-4 miles that they were behind. We bobbed about for a while then the wind filled in from offshore, picking up Cape Town first, then New York, then someone else (not sure who) then us, then the inshore boats at that time. Currently all boats very similarly positioned in a little pack reaching with whites and slowly working our way out a bit."

Rupert ends with a comment that I am sure echoes the thoughts on all the boats. "Had a great time in Salvador - say thanks to all the team at CENAB from Glasgow, a great start and all in all an excellent stopover."

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