Pepe Ribes and Iker Martinez during a sail change onboard Telefonica Blue, on leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Singapore to Qingdao, China. Image copyright Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race.
by Simon Fisher
A straightforward day today. It started with us sailing upwind (much the same as yesterday in fact). The breeze then started to build, then it got dark and then it got windy. We are now crashing upwind in 25-30 knots of breeze. The boat is launching off waves and lurching around as it powers upwind, making it rather difficult to type! If you could see how long it has taken me to write this much and then correct all the mistakes you would see what I am getting at... It is a bit like trying to type on your computer whilst in a 4x4 driving off road!
From here on in, the next 24 hours are going to be about good seamanship as much as good tactics as the wind builds more and more. It is going to be all- important to keep our boat in one piece. We have already had a little bit of drama when a lashing on the jib halyard broke. This meant Daryl Wislang/NZL had to go up the rig to retrieve the halyard, which proved to be no mean feat in the building seaway.
Xabier Fernandez trimming as a storm approaches Telefonica Blue, on leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Singapore to Qingdao, China. Image copyright Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race.
Our problems though were swiftly resolved and we were back underway with minimal losses to our rivals. It proved a good reminder, though, of how easily things can break and that we need to look after our boat over the next couple of days.
I think I will leave it that today, now time for some sleep!
Volvo Ocean Race
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