Marco Nannini alla Global Ocean Race - Ripping through fog with the radar on

The five, double-handed Class40s in the Global Ocean Race 2011-12 (GOR) are approaching the most remote part of the Indian Ocean. Currently 1,800 miles from the Cape of Good Hope, Africa, and 2,600 miles from Cape Leeuwin at the south-western tip of Australia after ten days of racing, the fleet are reaching east on port in the Roaring Forties with the Leg 2 Celox Sailing Scoring Gate at 69 degrees East as their next virtual target. In fourth and fifth place, Financial Crisis and Phesheya-Racing remain 90 miles north of the leading trio with Cessna Citation at the head of the fleet pushing up the speed averages to over 14 knots, hunted by Campagne de France with BSL in third dropping back behind the leading two boats overnight and into Friday.

As a deep low pressure system rolls eastwards 700 miles south of the fleet, the GOR Class40s are chasing a high pressure system across the high latitudes, locked into the northerly breeze spinning off the system’s trailing edge. The humidity is now becoming intense at 43 degrees South. “We’re completely cloaked in fog and can’t even see the sky,” reported Halvard Mabire from Campagne de France on Friday morning. “The temperature is bearable as the wind is coming from the north, but it’s exceptionally humid and damp and this soaks into everything, right into your bone marrow. It’s almost like it’s raining,” says Mabire.

With NNW breeze increasing to over 20 knots, conditions were becoming lively: “The sea state is building, so the boat is starting to slam and spray is flying back down the deck from the bow,” he continues. “It’s hard to tell if the overall dampness on board is from sea water going upwards, or airborne moisture coming down – all I know is that it gets into everything and nothing is dry anymore.” Miranda Merron confirms the conditions: “We spent the night enveloped in thick fog, radar on, even if there is probably not much out here other than a few Class40s,” she reports. “The boat is on rinse cycle on deck, water pouring into the cockpit,” Merron continues. “There were a few hours of sunshine earlier, but we’re being chased by a front, and the cloud has swallowed up the sun for the time being.”

With the constant damp becoming extreme, Mabire and Merron use the heat generated by the engine when charging the batteries: “We’ve put the Lombardini engine to good use and hang wet socks and gloves in the engine compartment,” explains Mabire. “This gives us a very happy ten minutes of warmth when we put them back on.” This comfort comes with risks: “It is, however, very important to remember to take any drying gear off the engine before we fire it up for the next charging cycle – getting a sock caught in the alternator belt just doesn’t bare thinking about!”