Ericsson 4 with their Code Zero up, on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Qingdao to Rio de Janeiro. Image copyright Guy Salter/Ericsson 4/Volvo Ocean Race.
by Guy Salter
The light air brings with it a certain level of boredom and frustration; it’s just a matter of an ocean classic race to the finish - a Fastnet, Hobart, Middle Sea, Bermuda or South China Sea race. The reality is starting to settle, in that the end is nigh and so impatience starts to creep back into the psyche.
Everyone just wants to get off the boat and distance themselves from it for a few days – the same as anyone would after being cooped up on here for what seems like an age. We were reminiscing on the Oscar awards last night and how most of the winners would be well clear of the cinemas by now, just one thing that has happened whilst we have been afloat.
We are hoping that we can all just slip back into society easily and that it will be the usual case that nothing has really changed – same as you get after a long holiday where, on your return, you half expect lots to have changed only to find that your friends have very little to report. It’s even been contemplated that since we have been out here a ‘triffids’ or ‘planet of the apes’ scenario may have occurred but then your imagination rarely rests.
Food is the hot topic onboard at the moment as we have come to the end of our catered amounts but many weeks ago we did cut down on portion size to save some meals for such an occasion.
We now have reasonable sized meals and no snacks for a further four days and the hunger tempers are starting to show as the complaints of unfair portion size start to surface. Our policy onboard has been self service up until this point, but I have now taken full responsibility of being in charge of weights and measures – I am now mum or the law if you like! So I now have to dish everyone’s meals up and there only seems to be one person disappointed with the serving size and a few others happy at a slightly bigger portion!
I’m sure the whinging will kick off again soon, but that’s to be expected – it’s not as if I am taking my own extra cut for the increased responsibility, after all, if I were a government I’m sure a certain amount of tax would be fully acceptable.
One good thing about the lack of snacks is that my share of the protein bars, of which I am not a fan, will be starting to gain a good price. I will have to put them up for offer later tomorrow and see what I can get in return.
Had a few dolphins about half a mile away earlier and we have come to the conclusion that they must be scared of our orange appendages – after all orange is a warning colour in some species in the animal kingdom.
The scheds show extension and compression between the boats – we often feel like a set of Newton’s balls where one boat extends while the others get closer before a complete reversal and so the swing goes on. As long as we can just hold onto what we have for now and stay in touch with Ericsson 3, then who knows what may happen, but that is also the case with Puma behind – so I’m sure times will become more tense as we approach the finish.
Conditions onboard are perfect for sleeping as we find ourselves running in a light 10 knots of wind, and everyone is fairly relaxed. I’m sure our locals will become pretty excited in the next days as we close in on Rio – let’s hope it turns into the perfect home coming for them.
Volvo Ocean Race
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