Rio de Janeiro – South Africa
The race will take you south towards the roaring forties and the Southern Ocean
Waving farewell to the carnival atmosphere of Rio you will slip back into the onboard routine of pushing your boat as fast as you can towards another continent. The South Atlantic will bring different challenges to those experienced during the first transatlantic crossing. For one thing, it is going to be a lot colder. This leg of the race will take you south towards the roaring forties and into the fringes of the Southern Ocean, the forbidding waters surrounding the frozen mass of Antarctica.
Tactics will again come into play as the fleet must decide which route is best to negotiate the South Atlantic high pressure system. Will you decide to sail straight through the middle and risk becoming becalmed, or skirt around the outside and keep the wind for longer?
As the Clipper 09-10 fleet approaches the coast of South Africa you should be able to enjoy some of the fastest sailing on this race. The waves have been building all the way across the Atlantic and, with a good following wind, you should be able to start to push boat speeds above 20 knots for the first time. During Clipper 07-08 one team coined the phrase, 'Yee-ha! sailing', which perfectly describes the exhilaration you'll be experiencing.