Tall Ships Races

Hot Day, No Wind

Posted on 28. May, 2009 by admin in Latest News

Yesterday was a frustrating day for most of the fleet with a dazzling sun and very little wind. On the Dutch vessel Tecla the crew apparently cheered when they made 4.4 knots! 

Their celestial navigation class was apparently a huge success when Jet and Gijs told the trainees how to calculate their position, “starting of with the days run and ending with the meridian passage and calculating our possition as the sun passed over our heads,” says Jet. She is not sure everyone took it all in, not least as it was so hot, but she hopes that over the next few days they will all get the hang of it all.

There was disappointment that they couldn’t swim because they were doing an average of 2 knots! However, they’ve now filled up the dingy with water and everyone is taking it in turns to get in an cool down. “As the boat rocks so does the pool so we have waves in our pool,” says Jet. Poor Nyske, the dog, is also very hot and already she has a screen over her bed, she liked to pace about to find more shade. She’s been having a cool shower about five times a day and they are considering letting her into the ‘royal pool’ tomorrow. 

On Spirit of Bermuda they experienced good sailing the night before last but then the breeze died and they have had to be content cajoling 3-4 knots of speed out of Spirit. “But at least we are making progress towards Bermuda,” says skipper Simon Colley. Light showers have been providing some welcome refreshment and all the trainees are now rotating through positions of watch-leadership with all responding well to the leadership of their peers.  

The fleet’s progress on the race can be seen via the fleet tracking.

The list of all the vessels positions on corrected time can be seen in the Vessel Positions Update.

Further images are available from the Picture Gallery.

The Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge is organised by Sail Training International with the American Sail Training Association.

With thanks to  Freight forwarding agents to Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009.

and Weather forecast providers to Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009.

Tags: Bermuda, challenge, Tall Ships, transatlantic