A TRIO of non-professional sailors from Southampton are amongst 11 teams racing across one of the world’s most remote oceans.
The daring group are facing the unrelenting conditions of the North Pacific by taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.
This sailing event, which trains people from all walks of life to become ocean racers, was suspended in March 2020 after sailing halfway around the globe.
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The race restarted with its crew experiencing one of the most remote places on the planet, huge seas and frigid temperatures.
So far, Race 10, The Sailing City Qingdao Cup, has been a testing cocktail of extreme heat, wind holes and tough upwind conditions meaning constant beating into the wind, with each of the eleven teams adjusting to life at a 45 degree angle in the Philippine Sea.
Here is an account from each of the Southampton participants:
Alec Pickthall, a nurse living in Southampton on board the Seattle trip
“My rationale for embarking on this adventure was an advert where a man on the bow of a yacht was just about to be devoured by a huge wave that eclipsed the sky, back in 2007.
“I thought one day if I ever had the chance I would do that. Well, 2019 came and the opportunity arose, but it’s taken a little longer to get here.
“The Pacific: it's cold, which is an understatement. The waves are enormous and I have the bruises to prove it!
“As does the rest of the crew. Conditions are basic, certainly no showers, wet sleeping bags, wet clothes but a certain determination to battle through. Seattle here we come!”
Philip Cledwyn, Company Director from Southampton on the Punta del Este trip
"I signed up because I wanted to sail across an ocean. I have sailed in coastal waters and done all of the usual leisure sailing activities such as flotillas and cross-Channel runs, but an ocean is another matter altogether!
“The race has been challenging so far. We have spent most of the race across the North Pacific hundreds of miles away from the rest of the fleet, having chosen a more northerly route and to use the strong tidal currents around Japan.
“This meant a couple of weeks in difficult seas. The conditions have been extreme. When we left the Philippines, the temperatures were in the mid-30s and very humid, and as we passed Taiwan the temperatures dropped, and have rarely got above freezing. To add to that, the winds are gusting at over 50 knots and the chill factor makes it difficult.
“The North Pacific is known for its very big seas, large rolling swells of 5 metres are the norm so the boat is continually being moved in all sorts of unexpected directions.
“My favourite part so far is the big seas! It is difficult to adequately describe the spectacle of massive rolling waves in all directions as far as you can see.
“It’s even more spectacular by moonlight, when you add the unpolluted night sky it really is a unique experience!”
Tracey Corkett, IT Professional from Southampton on Zhuhai
“The North Pacific has been surprising so far!
“We’d been hoping for a downwind sail from West to East to help us eat up the miles into Seattle, thus far, however, we’ve spent a lot of time beating into the wind. That said, the ‘North Pacific rollers’ have appeared over the last few days, with the opportunity to get some wave surfing in- final.
“A hair-raising experience when you catch it right. In terms of conditions, the skies and sea state vary with the changing weather fronts. The sky is typically grey, the sea almost black and so very vast, and it’s cold, very cold.
“Our new normal is to be prepared for the unexpected with frequent gusts of 40-70 knots, we have our sails set and we’re ready to adjust at a moment’s notice.
“The highs so far have been releasing the sail ties ready to hoist our smaller headsail, with waves crashing over the bow and sweeping my feet from under me- both short and long tethers meant I didn’t travel far, but this moment was my favourite rollercoaster.
“We’ve seen lots of wildlife and whales so far, which has been a big highlight. The waves have been my high, but also a low point. Sat on deck, and with almost no warning, or certainly not enough to move, the waves cover the deck and drench every crew member in it's path.
“Nothing dries out here, and so it inevitably means knowing you'll be putting on damp clothes for the next watch in just a few hours time.”
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