Clipper Race 13 - Bobbing Around the Grand Banks

Grand Banks, Atlantic Ocean - With the second-to-last leg of the Clipper Round the World Race on its third day, the crews are anything but happy about the weather. Typical Grand Banks fog has been augmented by little-to-no wind, and the teams are bobbing around, hoping a low will form to kick things up. In the meantime, it'll continue to be slow going in pea soup for the boats. Weather reports are predicting possible relief later today.

Though in last place for this leg, westernaustralia2011.com's southerly position may put them in wind first. According to the becalmed skipper, Martin Silk: “The Grand Banks have so far been true to their reputation - at least in regards to fog. The routing charts show reduced visibility 40 percent of the time and we’ve been wallowing around in pea soup all day and night. Occasionally it has cleared affording us views of glassy seas all around, whilst brown jellyfish slowly meander by. Sea birds are everywhere, and the occasional whale has shown us his tail whilst below decks radar lessons have stolen the day. So far we have had no traffic issues, no icebergs, no fishing vessels, just one ship with its regular horn blast in the distance.”

Trying to extend their home port advantage, the crew of Nova Scotia have been among the head of the fleet since Race 13 started Monday. Skipper Rob McInally noted, “We are wriggling around from one puff of wind to another with the windseeker and staysail or Number 1 Yankee being constantly changed over. We are looking forward to having the new weather system arriving so we can really start to move the miles behind us.”

With only 10 miles separating the front from the back, it's bound to be quite a show when the wind arrives, and no doubt some tight racing to come. The crews are rested and ready. Race 13 ends in Cork, Ireland.

Current Standings - Race 13

1 Jamaica

2 Qingdao

3 Nova Scotia

4 New York

5 Hull & Humber

6 Glasgow:Scotland with style

7 Liverpool 08

8 Uniquely Singapore

9 Durban 2010 and Beyond

10 westernaustralia2011.com

- YC