Leg 2 Day 38 : Spirit of Sark win Leg 2 in Wellington

Spirit of Sark bashing through the waves

After an agonising last few miles, Spirit of Sark managed to overtake BG SPIRIT, battle through 40 knots of wind and take the Leg 2 crown. A jubilant and bearded skipper, Duggie (far too busy to shave!) was ecstatic as he came in first. Last time he raced into New Zealand he was a Crew Volunteer (aboard the yacht Interspray), this time he's a winning skipper. Not only that but he's taken the record, originally set by Conrad Humphreys in the BT Global Challenge 2000/01. Conrad, who went on to win the BT Global Challenge, now racing in the Vendee Globe came into Wellington in a time of 36 days 10hrs 53 min 39 Secs. Spirit of Sark's was 36d 7h 2m 33s!

A look back on Leg 2
Spirit of Sark then was the first yacht to round Cape Horn. After Cape Horn and the subsequent change in the weather, Spirit of Sark hung on to their first place, but only by a small margin, and they swapped back and forth over the next few days with BG SPIRIT, their adversary for much of the leg. After holding the lead for 10 days, Spirit of Sark lost it to BG SPIRIT who made a bold move to the front. However, by Day 25, Spirit of Sark were back in the lead after making the most of the winds changing up to gale force and putting the whole fleet though their entire sail wardrobe! On Day 28 (better known as Christmas Day), Spirit of Sark were still the Global Challenge No 1, leading the way as thoughts turned towards friends and family at home.

Neck-and-neck race with BG SPIRIT
The following day, after a month at sea, an approaching high-pressure system hit the leaders, enabling BP Explorer to catch up and take the lead by Day 30. The light winds were about to pass with a bashing 35 knots from the northwest. However, they were back in the lead, and held on to it doggedly for the next 3 days, until BG SPIRIT managed to catch a slightly better route around the next high-pressure system, and forced Spirit of Sark into second place as they crossed the international date line, skipping 24 hours and missing midnight New Year's Eve altogether! Spirit of Sark fights a massive rear guard action over the next 48 hours, holding off BP Explorer from behind and gradually catching up. By 9am GMT on Day 37, they are just three miles behind as they approach New Zealand. They took the lead in the final hours! Remarkable.

BP Explorer takes second
The champagne corks are popping following an awesome 2nd place battle, which was won - just - by BP Explorer. They were neck and neck right the way through to end with BG SPIRIT but found the ace and crept past! Almost from nowhere BP Explorer shook off third place and decided to contest and take second, very nearly taking first place victory from Spirit of Sark.

BG SPIRIT takes 3rd
BG SPIRIT has finished in third place following a phenomenal battle between Spirit of Sark and BP Explorer. Skipper Andy Forbes and his crew were out there leading just 12 hours ago but were piped to the post, in the 11th hour, by Spirit of Sark (winners) and BP Explorer (2nd), who just managed to find the right wind. BG SPIRIT were marching through in first but got parked in one of those frustrating wind holes, which drive the crew so crazy they literally want to jump out and swim the boat in! A podium place is a very proud place for Andy and his spirits to sit in, particularly given the pace of racing during this leg.

Leg 2 Day 37 : Wellington, NZ

Wow!!!!!!!! Focus, tension, excitement and finally relief - that's how the 10 hours after my last log felt. I had just finished writing my log, when I found out we were only 8 miles behind the leaders. I was shocked; we'd worked so hard over the previous few days and our gains had been painfully small. I thought, maybe we'll get a chance to pile on the pressure over the last few miles... Then I went on deck to begin my watch. It was 6am and I got my first glimpse of New Zealand's rugged mossy green slopes, under the dramatic and foreboding clouds of storms past, or to come. The sun was just rising and the cloudy horizon had a straw gold warmth and pink tinge - it was beautiful, one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen, significantly enhanced by the sight of land and all that means when you have been at sea for 37 days. My thoughts were drifting. Then, the boat started to heel dramatically, the wind leapt from 5 to 25 knots and it was back into action, changing down sails to control the boat as the weather rapidly deteriorated. Out of nowhere, came the unmistakeable yellow sails of a Challenge yacht, about a mile behind us. Had the trailing fleet caught us, surely not, but it couldn't be BG SPIRIT or Spirit of Sark...?? It was. Without even a second to grab the binoculars and confirm its identity, we knew it had to be one of the leaders. All the hard work had paid off and for once, luck had bestowed kind winds and the opportunity to prove ourselves - it was going to be a close, tense 100 miles. I felt an incredible sense of concentration and focus - I wanted to win. We had the opportunity and I really believed we could steal victory from under the noses of Spirit of Sark and BG SPIRIT. I sensed the rest of the crew felt the same - we wanted to give it our best shot. People, who'd minutes ago gone off watch for a well-deserved rest came back on deck - they wanted to be part of it, they wanted to win too. The conditions kept worsening; the sea state was horrible, steep violent waves that threw our boat around, our bow submerged in a white aggressive foam. The wind hit 50 knots on the nose - amazingly, these were the worst conditions we'd experienced since leaving Argentina. Yet, I felt good, weeks of hard slog and fatigue meant nothing now. I was powered by adrenaline and so were my crewmates. We were all on deck, sitting on the rails, every kilo of body weight being used to control our heel and facilitate maximum forward speed. Spirit of Sark appeared on the horizon, 2-3 miles ahead. We battled, changed sails, matching our opponents tack for tack. The bright orange handkerchief, our storm staysail was dropped, a sure sign of extreme conditions. I was clutching onto the metal stay removing the hanks as a helicopter circled filming the drama from above. Sometimes we gained, sometimes we dropped back. We were zeroed in on Spirit of Sark and glancing nervously backwards at BG SPIRIT. 6 hours later as we passed Bluff Point, the approach to Wellington Harbour, we were still in the same positions and the tension had not abated. I was beginning to wane from the effort of constant sail changes, 2 or 3 times we'd come close to losing a sail overboard, the massive waves that swept the bow claiming everything that was not securely tethered - thank goodness for my safety harness. I munched some hobnobs and cereal bars, the last of our 'treats' and I felt good again. Spirit of Sark had slipped a mile or 2 head, and BG SPIRIT was nipping at our heels. We tacked to the outer edges of the channel, our navigator popping up every few minutes to shout a warning or an instruction to tack. I was on the yankee sail winch, the biggest foresail. Our winches were creaking and screaming, clogged with salt from the southern ocean - even they wanted a rest. It was about 1pm now, Spirit of Sark had just finished and we had one final tack to make, the crucial final tack that would determine our position. Earlier a ferry had crossed our bow forcing us to tack early and allowing BG SPIRIT to get close, too close. The pressure on this tack was enormous; it had to be perfect. I could see the tension on our skipper's face, we all felt it, he shouted 'lee ho' - we tacked. It was good, but had we left an opening for BG SPIRIT to cut in on the inside of the point? They were trying hard, we watched nervously. As we passed the headland we saw the depth meter drop, it was going to be very close. Then BG SPIRIT swerved away, their valiant gamble had not paid off; we'd left them no room to get past. As we crossed the finishing line, lead weights dropped from our shoulders and we spontaneously yelled, screamed and leapt with joy and relief. We'd done it. 6518 Nm later, we'd arrived in the 'Windy City', 30 minutes behind Spirit of Sark and 2mins30secs before BG SPIRIT. It was an exhilarating feeling. We watched the crowds of green t-shirts on the docks cheer and shout congratulations, an amazing welcome from supporters who'd been up all night to watch the drama. Even now, a day and half later, as I write this last log I feel the emotion of the moment well up inside me. I will never, never forget this day. So, what now. After docking, gorging on some REAL food and a beer (just 1, honest!), we are coming to terms with our achievement. We are immensely proud. A team of amateur sailors, who 12 months ago barely knew each other, sailed safely, happily and fast (almost fastest!) along the most infamous stretch of water on our planet. We have achieved a lot, relationships forged, confidence strengthened. And the best thing, there are 5 more legs to go!!!! Thanks to all our family, friends and supporters - you have been with us on this journey and your support has egged us on, you are our 19th crewmember. Giles Mackey

Leg 2 Day 36 : 42' 02S 176' 47E

Just for today, I will give John a break and fill in as the boat scribe. My job on the boat is bowman; I am one of the grunts that ends up doing the brunt of the heavy work on the foredeck, a bit like the postmen: 'come rain or shine'. John - himself on the foredeck team although on the opposite watch - did a sterling job to describe how relentlessness the job is; personally I see it like a battle, a fight, often even a brawl. Changing sails in itself is not a big deal, the problem is the cold, the waves, the water that washes over you, the narrow space we wedge ourselves in wrestling down furiously-flagging sails, often in the dark and rarely with time to spare. All the training that we underwent over the last four years was largely to render these operations as safe and as fast as possible, but we are human beings, the fear to some degree is always there, but so is the adrenaline, the camaraderie of being surrounded by people, who not too long ago were strangers and now literally look after your life. The foredeck is a bit like a sprint into a ring, where you are going to fight an intense and hard fight, whilst at the other end of the boat the helms are more like marathon runners, for hour upon hour keeping the boat on course, face on to the wind and the cold. Now a mere 100 miles from the coast of New Zealand, we all have a sense of pride in the job done. Whatever these last few hours will bring, we now trust each other and rely on each other's support and care; it is a very warm feeling. I personally had a hard first two weeks, as I was plagued by a terrible cold coming out of B.A., followed by a pulled muscle in my back which left me doing mother for a couple of days. In very rough weather that meant that I was also hit by acute seasickness. I felt useless and it was horrible to be in my bunk hearing the shouts and noises of hard-fought watches and not being able to help. I have a memory of those first encounters with the Southern Ocean of a particular sail change, when I was stuck at the back of the boat with my back in pain, while my team-mates where taking down the no. 2 Yankee in strong winds, they were having problems and they were struggling, being washed down time and time again. I had tears in my eyes, it was years since last time I cried. Not able to stand it anymore I was on my feet before even I realized what I was doing and I ran forward screaming at the top of my lungs, thinking about it now, it makes me smile as it must have been quite funny to see this big Italian guy charging in the waves, hunched down and yelling.at last the sail came down, my team mates thanked me and called me names for the sake of it and I instantly felt better. I was suddenly having fun. Last night in the middle of a dark and moonless night we where suddenly surrounded by about 20 or 30 dolphins, which in the blackness of the water left behind trails of fluorescence, giving the impression that we where bombarded by torpedoes, this and other amazing things we saw are what a lot of us will remember for the rest of our lives. A lot of us, however, will also remember what it means to be in the most miserable state and yet finding within ourselves the strength to carry on. Christian Talpo This will be the last log in my slot as we hope to be in Wellington very soon. After a day of calm we are now fighting 20-30 knot winds and they are set to rise throughout the day. The Ocean is not going to let us off with a sedate entry into New Zealand indeed we may get the strongest winds of the leg. Alas, no rest for Christian, the foredeck team or the rest of the crew. And so, it just leaves me to thank all the website visitors for their support and hope you stay tuned for the next leg - Wellington to Sydney. John Bass Christian Talpo & John Bass

Leg 2 Day 35 : 34 59 S 179 23 E

There are two ways to look at the last 24-hour run. We can either free the inner child and stamp our feet whilst beating furiously on the floor with our fists in frustration or look on the positive side and celebrate our achievements thus far. There is plenty to justify the terrible-twos option. All's fair in love and war supposedly, but it was more than a little demoralising to sail into a big wind hole last night and park up, whilst Spirit of Sark slipped away from us once again. Spirits were high before yesterday's wind died; our hard work was paying off and our old adversaries were less than ten miles distant. Second place began to seem a distinct possibility. But one hour of steadily-dying wind gave way to another and the sea eventually took on the sickening slick of a windless mirror. A jagged but complete circle appeared crazily on the screen in front of us, depicting the lunatic track of the boat as we drifted backwards in zero wind. Our hopes became pinned on the possibility that Spirit of Sark had suffered a similar and, more importantly, slightly worse fate than us. The converse turned out to be true and this morning's scheds said it all - Spirit of Sark were pretty much back where they had been before our mammoth efforts to catch them began several days ago - nearly 20 miles ahead. We are still 249 miles away though. a random ace could yet fall into our hands. maybe. At the end of the day though, there is not much you can do about wind holes, and something of a celebration is probably more apt. There is much to be pretty pleased about. Our position is now 179 East and the salts amongst you will know that this must be making us feel pretty pleased with ourselves; just a few hours ago we crossed the meridian and are now, therefore, semi-circumnavigators! We have come half way around the world, are still all intact and in fine fettle, are all still firm friends and look likely to celebrate the distance with our first podium place - not bad going considering the random bunch that turned up at our first team-build back in February 2004! This, I think, is testament to a very determined group of people with an indomitable spirit and a common set of values which we took our time on setting down. At our current speed - a steaming 11 knots - we will arrive about this time tomorrow, and the New Year's drink is going to taste oh so sweet. Whatever the result we cannot help but feel very proud. and not a little relieved that this test of endurance is almost at an end. Naomi Cudmore

Leg 2 Day 34 : 45o38S 178o16W

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We celebrated the New Year just off of the Chatham Islands some 400 miles from New Zealand today having crossed the Southern Ocean via Cape Horn to get here. As unique locations go, this one ranks pretty high. We blew our quota of Champagne on celebrating Laura's engagement so it was an alcohol free evening but, on the plus side we did have a hangover-free New Year's day (The first I can remember since my teens). We have been shrouded in fog for most of the day but have been screaming along at over ten knots and gradually eating into the miles between us and Spirit of Sark and BG SPIRIT (It has been a day where spirits of all kinds have been on our minds!). However as I came to write this log the wind has died and we are wallowing around looking for some boat speed, any boat speed. The wind is expected to come back soon and the Genoa is up and ready to catch that first gust and send us on our way again. Good news seeing as the MaxSea navigation software we use is currently saying that at this speed and bearing we will be in Wellington in 40 days! Hopefully BG SPIRIT and Spirit of Sark are experiencing the same light winds and our relative distances shouldn't change but we are awaiting the latest positions with the usual keenness. Positions 1 and 2 are within our reach but we are need to continue to do what we've been doing while trying to glean every fraction of a knot out of BP Explorer. If we can do the right thing tactically and maybe if lady luck is on our side there is no reason why we can't improve on third place and, surprise, surprise that's what has appeared top of the list of the crew's new year's resolutions. Colin and Jane would like to wish everyone a 'Guid New Year' and hope that all the folks back in Scotland had a great Hogmanay. Jane is especially looking forward to a tall dark stranger 'first footing' BP Explorer in Wellington in true Scottish style. I would like to wish everyone on behalf of the crew of BP Explorer a happy and prosperous new year. This year if you have a dream, follow it, if you've ever wanted to do something totally different don't put it off. Live life to the full and fill every unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run - I can certainly recommend it. John Bass