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BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - LIFE AT A 30 DEGREE ANGLE Southampton (UK), Thursday December 5th 1996 The fleet of the BT Global Challenge has safely rounded Cape Horn, with the last two yachts - Courtaulds International and Time and Tide - crossing the notorious spot at 56 degrees 58 mins south and 67 degrees 15 minutes west yesterday at 13.06 hrs GMT and 12.33 hrs GMT respectively. Like most of the thirteen other yachts to go round the Horn, Courtaulds International crew could not see the headland - they were a hundred miles south of the Cape - but they photographed the display of their GPS satellite navigator as they became official Cape Horners. Stiff westerly gales have forced some of the fleet to go further south than planned. However, the forecast for the next three days predicts that a low developing to the south of their route will cause the wind to veer to the northwest and decrease a little in strength before swinging back to the southwest as the low moves away eastwards. At 07.50 hrs GMT this morning, the yachts were sailing between 58 and 59 degrees latitude, with a friendly competition being held to see which yacht would be the first to venture into the Screaming Sixties (ie. the seas below 60 degrees latitude). Those nearest were Nuclear Electric and Pause to Remember, although all the yachts are in close proximity of each other, contained within a box of 180 miles by 90 miles. Save the Children continued to lead the fleet, with Global Teamwork close behind her, only 7 miles further back. Concert and Toshiba Wave Warrior are battling for 5th and 6th place respectively, with only a mile separating them. All the yachts have reported that the rough seas are making life on board a little awkward, as they try to go about their daily routine. Group 4 reports that they have spent a day and night living at an angle of 30 degrees, with massive waves rocking the boat and throwing the contents around everywhere. A toilet seat, boat hook and the entire box section of their galley table went flying, upending sauces, jams, pickles and even a left-over bottle of brandy... Life on Heath Insured II sounds equally challenging. Their report for December 5th states "we're beginning to get used to doing everything at a steep angle, even simple things like cleaning teeth become interesting because if you crash off a wave at the wrong moment your toothbrush could end up in your ear..." Similar sentiments are echoed by Courtaulds International : "everything is at 20 degrees, we are beating to windward on a starboard tack so now we live at a 20 degree angle, only the sea is far from flat and the waves cause everything to fall around the galley, or threaten to throw sleeping crew members from their bunks". Being at an angle makes using the watermaker difficult, so at present Courtaulds International crew are saving their water for drinking and cooking, and using baby wipes to "wash" themselves. Besides the difficulty of living at an angle, the cold and damp make other tasks tricky. The crew on Commercial Union are trying to repair their heavy spinnaker, but sail repairs are taking longer than usual as they wait for their kite to dry out enough for the Dacron patches to be able to stick to it. A bonus for the fleet is the fact that being so far south at this time of year means they see around 20 hours of daylight, and have very short nights - something that friends and family in other parts of the world can only imagine. For updated information on the BT Global Challenge : Internet site : http://www.btchallenge.com Fax database : 0990 321123 (+44 990 321123 from outside UK) Recorded telephone information line : 0891 505550 Public enquiry line : 01703 212124 (+44 1703 212124 from outside UK) Ceefax page 388 |
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Copyright British Telecommunications plc 1996.
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