So we are off into our race from Bermuda to New York.
The new crew have all fitted into the team really well. We started well in the race and have been in a leading pack with WTC Logistics and Seattle. It was all going smoothly and the weather forecast had looked promising. A route through the wind holes had presented itself but we knew the front would catch the back... Our plan was to take an easterly pressure up into an avenue that might see us clear and out to the north in perhaps a southerly breeze.
It was a great plan. Once again the forecasts are very different from what is present on the ocean. Whilst it paid out provisionally, all the boats piled up next to each other and the front caught the back. We then started to make our way northwards on an almost westerly breeze, which was odd and not what we had expected. We had thought an easterly would prevail and were ready. A swift gybe took us to the new pressure and we had thought that was that. We took our place at the front of the pack and made our way northwards.
Happily we continued until the wind hole forecast came true and it appears that all of us have stopped. Many boats have changed position having just a small amount of breeze when others limped back and forth!
We are now doing about 2 knots and are looking forward to a little extra speed in the coming days.
Chris, Al & the Qingdao crew