Race 6 - Day 2
Skipper Report
24 January

Aaaah, the thrills and spills of ocean racing - the past 24 hours have been a non-stop adrenaline-fuelled rollercoaster of howling gales and crashing waves... NOT!

Actually, Imagine your Korea has been happy to see the occasional 7 or 8 knot burst of speed under passing clouds and the sprinkles of rain they bring have been welcome too. Generally, we have struggled for wind, but have managed to keep trickling along, vaguely towards our immediate goal of the Doldrums Corridor. Whilst it doesn't have the drama and physicality often associated with ocean racing, keeping this heavy boat moving in light winds requires considerable skills. Finesse and focus rather than muscle and grit.

We have had two other Clipper Race yachts (Hello Unicef and Seattle!), within sight for much of the day, and I had a nice radio chat with my old skipper-buddies Wendo (Zhuhai) and Rich (WTC Logistics) this morning when they also crept back into view. Close company like this keeps everyone's concentration on squeezing the last few drops of potential from our floating home. In these light tropical conditions, localised systems have much more effect on our progress than the bigger weather picture. Often two boats, just two or three miles apart are under the influence of different clouds, with one sailing happily away from the other, this is either maddening or gladdening, depending on which boat you are on. It also means lots Windseekers, Yankees and Staysails up and down, constant trimming and tacking on windshifts.

Meanwhile, Imogen is getting very excited as Imagine your Korea prepares for a double celebration tomorrow: 25 January is both Burns' Night (Scotland) and the Lunar New Year celebrated in Korea (and much of Asia). Bobbing through the Coral Sea is an unusual situation to be celebrating either - we haven't seen a single haggis, never mind caught one for our Burns' Night supper, and none of us brought our elders to bow to and receive luck money from for New Year. Fear not though: Imagine your Korea is determined to make a party out of it... who wants to join us?

Cheers, Rob