If all goes well we should be at the dock this evening at the Newport Shipyard about 1900 pm local time- not a moment too soon because it is bloody cold out here.
The trip has been eventful, and not exactly wonderful, blue water sailing. I can say that the sea state since we went past Madera has been simply awful. Head on no matter where we were going or what the wind was doing, and the breeze managed to be forward of the beam about 80% of the time.
With that said, it has been a great trip as well. Good team building time for our new group. An eye opening trip for brother Brad Read and sail designer Steve Calder, who are crossing the Atlantic for the first time. Despite having the “what the hell am I doing here” look on their faces from time to time, both have been fantastic helpers and great part of the team. And I think they are both already starting to forget the bad times and only remember the good, although they are certainly not forgetting the cold right now. Did mention it is cold?
One certain way to know it is cold is if you look in the bunks and the sleeping bags are zipped to the top and just a small parts of each person’s head is poking out. That is where we are at right now. In fact, navigator Tom Addis was so tucked into his sleeping bag I actually gave the bunk a shake to make sure he was in it- to make sure he was still on board.
Now it is back to work tomorrow breaking down the boat, debriefing the crossing and trying to continue to learn from the past, leaning toward the future. Next up for il mostro is the New York Yacht Club Spring Regatta and the Newport-Bermuda Race. Neither will be competitive for us because there are no other Volvo 70’s and we have to race with handicap rules against all the other boats who are optimized for handicap style racing, but we will stay in the VOR rule configuration and try to continue to look to the future and what the ultimate goal is.
So finally il mostro is coming home, back to where it all started. She has sailed nearly 55,000 miles since we left Newport after a summer of training in August of 2008- seems like a thousand years ago. I was pretty emotional that day we left Newport as I knew the adventure of a lifetime was just beginning and I really didn’t know where that adventure was going to take us. Turns out it was the adventure of a lifetime. But I would have never said that there would be a sequel to that first act. PUMA Ocean Racing Part Two begins with il mostro coming home. Not as a ending but as a new beginning.
So its bye for now, and great to be back reporting on the trials and tribulations of il mostro. See you in Newport.
Sorry we haven’t been very good writers this trip. I must say that it is weird just writing about our delivery across the ocean. But an exciting delivery it has turned into- ridiculous actually. What we had hoped would be a nice little jaunt across the pond has turned into a full blown hate mission thanks to Mother Nature.
Doing a delivery, albeit a delivery with a bunch of things to test for the new boat, is a completely different mentality, one that I am not necessarily accustomed to. We have three missions.
1. To deliver the boat and crew safely to Newport RI.
2. We have about ten “tests” that we are running on equipment and tools.
3. To get the crew to begin to know each other better, and what better way than to put them on a 70 foot boat with no place to go for two weeks.
It’s actually funny when people ask me if we go through external “team building” exercises as a group. We are a living and breathing team building exercise! Why to we need to do anything other than sail this boat? Isn’t that team building? I digress…
Back to our sail. We are simply getting inundated with low pressure systems. One after the next. Great sailing out about 800 miles from the Med then things got bad and looks to be pretty lousy for the rest of the trip. At last count we could have to bob and weave around seven lows as they head at us from west to east across the Atlantic. No doubt this isn’t the time of year to be going this way, but this is seriously bad luck. We are playing with some of the systems and avoiding others all together. Some big breeze in most. Upwards of 50 knots on the bad side of some. Nothing to play with on a good day, especially the sea state they kick up. Never mind when you are out here by yourself doing a delivery!
So, we may be at this for a while. Which is fine because the mentality is different. We are testing and training and not necessarily trying to get from point A to point B the quickest. Got to keep reminding ourselves of that.
Here we are again, as if the prior 55,000 miles on this boat wasn’t enough. il mostro 2010 is back at it. Testing some stuff, settling in some new crew, bringing the boat back to Newport, Rhode Island where this amazing adventure started what seems like about a month ago…yet we did actually start this program just over three years ago.
It has been stated over and over again that PUMA wanted to get back into the Volvo again, and with our new partners, Berg Propulsion the intent became a reality. We had Hakan Svenson, the CEO of Berg, with us in Alicante prior to leaving for this transatlantic voyage. He went sailing for a couple light air testing sessions in Alicante, but for the most part just took it all in. It is important for Hakan to get acquainted with the program and the specific members of the team. And for the team to figure out who Hakan is, what he does and how he does it. I think it was mission accomplished as we had a few glasses of wine, told some stories, had some laughs and he got to meet all the members of the team thus far.
We actually ended up leaving Alicante about a day and a half early. We had a weather window that developed to get us out of the Mediterranean Sea without thrashing ourselves at Gibraltar. We got out in the nick of time and since then have had a day of glamour sailing with the wind aft of the beam and the boat averaging about 18 knots. Not very wet on deck and all getting acclimated to our surroundings again.
So after three days now we are settled in and re-training our pallets to freeze dried food and looking ahead tactically to see how we can get through all the storms lining up in the lovely North Atlantic. But until we have to commit one way or the other to this line up of low pressures we have great sailing and no complaints. Maybe one complaint. We just remembered first hand how bad freeze dried macaroni and cheese really is…have to start remembering these things!!!
Last year on this same date, PUMA was heading to Cape Town and has corssed the equator for the first time. Kenny, Casey and Michi were all introduced to King Neptune. Here’s the blog that came off the boat…
I’m glad that’s over with – crossing the Equator that is.
It should have been dubbed “and now for a break in the action…The infamous equator crossing.” King Neptune visits the first timers and gives out a little punishment for “past sins” whatever that may mean. Personally the entire thing has a bit of college hazing to it. Or a bachelor’s party gone bad without the alcohol.
Why am I so intent then on writing about a ritual that doesn’t exactly make much sense to me? Because I was an interested party like it or not. Casey Smith, Michi Mueller and I were the first timers aboard il mostro. There had been months of speculation on the deeds that would be performed- all in a humorous sort of way, all with a twinkle in the eye of the person expressing the inappropriate deeds.
It is a struggle even turning on this computer right now. My body was run down and the only thing that I am having success in concentrating on is harbor cruising on my power boat and golf.
I can report that a two year around the world sailing campaign is not good for one’s golf game!!!
I’m back in Newport and lying low in general. Regattas are going on all around us and there is nothing I would rather not do than sail right now. Casey went out on the Rambler last weekend and reported that it was interesting. Craig Satterthwaite did the Transpac. I think everyone else is laying low too- well deserved I might add.
il mostro made it back to Stockholm where it is resting as well. A nice power sail back- very low stress. The boat is put away for a bit waiting for the next stage, whatever that may be.
Personally, I used a few frequent flier miles and my family and I went to Moscow for a couple days then flew home to Boston. I caught myself staring out the window of the plane many times looking down at the vast ocean, thinking how nice it was flying at 500 knots sipping a nice glass of red wine versus what we had done for the previous months. I looked hard for our snapped off dagger board from the delivery to Alicante and of course our broken rudder from the leg to Galway. I didn’t see either. Nor did I see the fog bank that nearly had us plowing into a whale or the waves that had us surfing to 40 knots. The memories just kept pouring in. I couldn’t stop looking out the window. I do have to admit, I almost missed it then I called for the stewardess and asked for another glass of red wine and snapped out of my dream. Delta flight 31 from Moscow was the right place to be at that moment.
For the time being the PUMA Ocean Racing team is in rest and relax mode. Some time soon though we will start back up and either get the band back together for another run or disperse and look into the crystal ball at our futures. Choices to be made, but for now, the main choice is whether to bump and run with a nine iron or flop shot with a 60 degree wedge. The nine iron is usually the safer bet.
I really don’t know what to say other than- It’s over. This unbelievable adventure of a life time is over. I can’t believe it. To be honest, I am a bit dazed right now.
No work list for the boat. No crew briefing planned. No sail upgrade list. I am guessing the primary goal of the next few days is to get plenty of the local Vodka supply down our gullets in celebration of this extraordinary feat.
We just sailed around the world. I have never uttered or written that sentence before. I never thought it would be something that was on my personal agenda. In fact I remember personally promising a few times that I would never do this race. We did it, along with an amazing team that I am indebted to for the rest of my life. A group of individuals that came together as a sailing team and shore team, and most importantly- a cohesive team- and not a moment too soon I might add. We finished very strongly, even if we were nipped by a quick Telefonica Black this morning for then final leg win. Good for them, and good for us by continuing our streak of first and seconds to six straight. Pretty nice way to finish up and nice proof that we had something good with our team and our beautiful boat.
“il mostro” took us around the world safely, quickly and in style. There has never been a boat like it and likely never will. It showed off the true PUMA colors. Fun, exciting and sport changing. I am indebted to PUMA for giving us this chance and I hope everyone at PUMA has enjoyed the ride right along with us. PUMA took a chance with us and with the sport of sailing. Hopefully we have been good ambassadors for them in our sport and in the sporting world in general. As PUMA Chairman and CEO Jochen Zeitz says, “the Volvo is the ‘Rock and Roll’ of sailing”. Clearly PUMA is into Rock and Roll.
We are of course hugely indebted to all of our team’s friends, fans and relatives. You can now go back to trying to have a good night’s sleep without waking every three hours for the next sched. I am sure that we were not the easiest team to follow as we certainly had our ups and downs, but for sure we knew how to keep it interesting! Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. To Volvo and all the folks that keep this race going. This is a chance of a life time. It is the absolute best event in sailing and will only get better. It wouldn’t happen without all the hard working people behind the scenes and the volunteers at each of the stops. You all make this really fun for us. In fact, I couldn’t have imagined that the sport of sailing would have ever evolved into what this race offers. Amazing.
So, for now I am signing off. Every sailor and shore crew has earned a bit of time off and I plan on having a good sleep and trying to make heads or tails of what has happened over the past nine months. It went by so fast.
I for sure know that my life will never be the same. Kathy and Tory and I have experienced the world- Volvo style- and we are all the better for it.
I now know that I have heard it all. This race has been extended!!!!! The race organizers didn’t think the previous 37,000 miles were long enough so this leg has been extended. Oh my god.
What makes it a bit of a bummer is the fact that we are leading and the wind is getting lighter and the two light air rocket ships (Telefonica Black and Blue) are right behind us. Oh well, never easy.
We have sailed a solid leg to date. Need to keep it up. Will report after the finish. A 30 mile triangle to do now and it is full on.
Just came down for a snack and a layer of clothes and to catch a breath.
We are racing again. I have to admit that this leg is a tough one to really get fired up about. That is until the starting gun goes of course. Then it is full on, no matter what is at stake.
Of course I would be remiss without saying that the send off in Stockholm was as fantastic as the stay itself. There is clearly an air of finality surrounding this race right now. The leg awards banquet in Stockholm and the final exit to the race course really started to feel like the end is near. This adventure is nearly over, but we still have one leg to do first. Although we simply have to finish this leg in order to get our second overall, you would never know it on the boat. The boys want to end in style.
There is clearly a lack of pressure aboard. That showed with a mistake when we sailed up to the coast of Estonia. Another country that I don’t think I would be ever mentioning in a sailboat racing blog. Estonia. Wild. Anyway, we approached with about a half mile lead that we had gained off the starting line and held all the way across until reaching land. We had a decision to make, and decided to get into the coast and cut through a large rock pile to the beach in order to get to the expected right shift. Problem was, once we committed to go inside the rock pile the wind started to die slowly. No way out but to continue and we sailed in to lighter air while most the other boats gained about a mile and a half on us outside our line, and our friendly rocks.
So, we are now battling back and have crossed to yet another country. Finland. Tick another country box. Actually, it would be fun some day to retrace our path and see how many countries we have sailed in close proximity too. My guess is that it is a lot more that we would imagine. Estonia, Vietnam, China, Taiwan- countries that aren’t exactly considered as being hosts to some of the worlds highest profile racing events. No slight on any sailing in any of those countries. Not in the least. Just don’t have Vietnam Race Week on my calendar yet, and as soon as this goes out I am guessing that I will have a e-mail with the time and date of that event in my in box.
Anyway, a long beat to Russia. This race wouldn’t be complete without one more long beat. Nice flat water though. Very civilized sailing with no water on deck at all. The finish line can’t come soon enough. There is some serious celebrating that needs to take place.
We just have to finish this leg to get second overall. This leg, the pressure is off. We just have to get points for finishing so that we get second overall, and be really, really proud of that. If we come in to St Petersburg in seventh place, we’ll get two points for finishing the leg. If Telefonica Blue win the leg, they’ll get eight points. That’s a differential of six points. But we already have a 6.5 point lead on them. We get to go sailing, have fun, enjoy being with our buddies for the last time and go try to win a boat race.
Of course we would like to win the leg. If we were playing checkers here on the dock it would be a blood match. With all of these sailors on these boats, it’s all about the competition. Whether second overall is at stake or not anymore – which it isn’t, for all practical purposes – we still wanna go win the leg. That’s what we do; it’s what we’re trained to do.
It’s shocking that this is the last leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. It seems like only two weeks ago we were in Alicante, Spain, with this enormous thing ahead of us, and it was really difficult to comprehend. Here we are now at the end, almost 37,000 miles later. I can’t believe it, it’s actually stunning. I don’t think it’ll hit us until well after the finish. We’re excited to get this over with but it will be emotional. You start looking around at your team mates thinking ‘this is the last time the team will be together…’ As we’re constituted right now, this is the last send off we will have as a group. Stockholm has been spectacular, the PUMA team have had a great stopover here, but we’re ready to get this done.
The drag race is on. I hope and pray that the wind holds out. We have all kinds of conflicting weather data, but reality is that there is a 16 knot westerly pushing us toward the finish and we are very happy it is here.
Today (really there is no night so I guess today is all day) has been a bit of a mix up. Early this morning we were jibing around the southern tip of Sweden and we got ourselves a bit close to shore and the Ericsson twins made a gain on us. In fact, E4 passed us there. We got offshore about a half mile behind E4 and a mile ahead of E3. The wind picked up a bit into the mid twenties and E4 started to show her stuff. We hung on and have been within a mile all day.
Then the wind completely and fairly unexpectedly crapped on both of us. Reaching along at 15 knots and bang, on the wind in five knots. Where did that come from? E3 watched the whole thing from a couple miles behind and literally sailed around us both. This is not a good trend for il mostro
But, in the weirdness, we got some leverage to the west of the Ericsson boys and the wind filled back in from the old direction and we just got around the bow of both of them reaching to the finish. Very exciting and all on right now. These two boats aren’t slow so we have our hands full. Hopefully just let the old girl hunt a bit and all will be well.
Sorry, this is all I have time for. There is plenty happening on deck. Later
