With the fleet in the Clipper Round the World Race crashing upwind toward Da Nang in Vietnam, crews are getting used to living life at a 45 degree angle.
As a recent video shows, life on the high seas is something to get used to.
“You never know if the drink is going to end up in your mouth or not,” said crewmember Nicola Edwards. “Even hopping into a bunk is a bit of a struggle sometimes. You end up being spider man crawling up the walls to get in.”
After 25 days at sea, racing nearly 6,000 nautical miles from Australia to South East Asia, this leg is called the Da Nang New Discovery of Asia. It was not without incident as one vessel stopped racing to assist a nearby boat who had a crew member stuck on a halyard up the mast.
One of the racing members scaled the mast and helped untangle the halyard, but not without losing vital time.
The course was originally extended after the fleet logged record speeds through the Doldrums. The boats are spread out across 1,000 nautical miles, and considering the extension, the finish to this race will ensure the teams get to enjoy as much time in Da Nang as possible.
“Given the current positions of the teams and the conditions they face, I anticipate that the first yacht should cross the new finish line in the early hours of 15 February local time,” said Race Director Justin Taylor.
Maybe more impressive is that this fleet has now covered five continents in its round-the-world race, and for the first time will fetch Da Nang in the process, adding the allure of the event.
The long stopover will no doubt be a welcome break for the hard-charging crews as they prepare to set out again on Feb. 27, this time for Qindao, China.
Photo credit: Clipper Round the World Race
