Team SCA in the Volvo Ocean Race - Day 23 - Southern Ocean Fever

Much like the anticipation for the arrival of the first big snowfall, for weeks we have been “patiently” waiting to arrive to the Southern Ocean—to sail in the fast, heavy conditions with the Albatross. Now it’s a reality and it’s like a dream come true for all of us. Coupled with the excitement of gaining hour by hour on the leading boats, we’ve been like little kids playing in the snow. Today, we’ve been on cloud nine.

The waves out here are, as promised, relentless. Over and over again, cold waves crash over the bow, jumping over the cabin top, crashing into the cockpit, and bouncing off winches and sailors before heading back off the boat. Sometimes, when the foam splashes up it reaches five feet in the air. There’s water everywhere.

We’re sailing with one of our biggest sails, the A3. We’re sailing in good pressure, keeping the boat averaging speeds of 19 knots. We’re surfing over and down waves. It’s simply amazing to be outside, sailing amongst the Albatross and other sea birds.

Outside it’s hard not to smile. Liz, Carolijn, Abby, and Sam are all smiles as we “send it” east (Send it: hand off the E-brake, pedal to the metal, full throttle sailing—fast, fast, fast). The veterans are happy to be back here and their “Southern Ocean fever” is incredibly contagious.

We’re all hooting and hollering when the helms woman hits performance numbers, surfs down a epic wave, or gets the boat going up at top speed. Every fifteen minutes, we’re egging Annie on for a new “wind” song. The “let’s catch ‘em” mentality is at 100% and building.

Down below it’s a life is very different from the Doldrums. It’s cold and wet—acceptable conditions for outside but sometimes a little more challenging to cope with inside. “I can’t get warm in my bunk,” Sally said. if you can’t get warm, it’s incredibly challenging to sleep.

Bailing water might actually be one of the more challenging activities on board at the moment. As you crouch down, sponging up the puddles of cold water, you’re constantly praying for the boat to not catch a super fast wave. One time, we did catch a super fast wave and I ended up doing a half summersault in the bilge—physics at its most humorous! The ultimate fear is losing the bucket of cold water—either on yourself or back in the “dry” bilge. Plus, before you can finish bailing out the puddles of cold water, more water has found it’s way in the boat from the open hatch or the soaked wet weather gear.

Nonetheless, we continue to bail out the water and take all necessary precautions because this is the best sailing we’ve seen. The wind, the waves, the relentless water are a part of the epic experience of sailing here. Like that first really good snow day, the Southern Ocean is pure—there’s no traffic and hardly any land, only birds and steady breeze. You feel like you’re the only ones in the world out here.