The Ocean Race 2023 leg 3: Capetown to Itajaí, Brazil

[timotheysski]

Biotherm lost all wind instruments and the computer during their gybe around Cape Horn;

"This was a spectacular rounding of Cape Horn because there was so much snow... It was absolutely beautiful. Huge snow squalls coming through," said Sam Davies on Biotherm.

"It's a great goal post to get through but as we gybed close to Cape Horn we lost all of our wind instruments and the computer. At the same time there was that massive snow squall so we didn't have a lot of time to celebrate..."

The team is going old school with the electronics damage, tying 'woolies' on the shrouds to show the wind angle.

Northern progress for The Ocean Race fleet

Team Malizia leads the fleet north towards BrazilPeter Rusch

www.theoceanrace.com

This will be very rough for them. I mean, they should have a spare wand, no? Unless it's the cable that fried, or the topline bus, or one of the electronic components.

 

[dg_sailingfan]

I think Holcim-PRB is in a better Postion. They are now the most eastern boat and will have more wind or can hang on to the wind for longer.
Malizia's lead down to 9.3 Nautical Miles.

The Final 500-750 Miles are a complete Nightmare with very little wind for Malizia & Holcim and I firmly expect Holcim now to stay patient until they get to that light wind patch and then pounce on it.

 

[Rennmaus]

More interviews from yesterday:

11th Hour Racing Team (USA)
Justine Mettraux (SUI) - Interview in FRENCH plus B-roll
Jack Bouttell (AUS/GBR) - Interview in FRENCH plus B-roll
Jack Bouttell (AUS/GBR) - Interview in ENGLISH plus B-roll
Charlie Enright (USA) - Interview in ENGLISH plus B-roll

Team Holcim - PRB (SUI)
Kevin Escoffier (FRA) - Interview in ENGLISH plus B-roll
Sam Goodchild (GBR) - Interview in ENGLISH plus B-roll

Biotherm (FRA)
Sam Davies (GBR) - Interview in ENGLISH plus B-roll
Paul Meilhat (FRA) - Interview in FRENCH plus B-roll

 

[littlechay]

Can you elaborate this with some more details? A few posts earlier I thought someone was joking, but this seems to be correct.
What have you / your mates done during the last VOR? Hand how come did you guys end up in that role?

Nothing special. Just a routine bit of for a usual event in a RTW race. There is usually one boat per race that limps into the Falklands. https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2018/03/30/vestas-dismasted-volvo-ocean-race/

 

[littlechay]

I am sure Little Chay will weigh in when he sees this, but here is what happened: Vestas 11th Hour Racing, a Volvo 60, dismasted on March 30. 2018 about 100 nm from the Falklands during Leg 7 of the VOR from Auckland to Itajai. The mast broke just below the spreaders but the crew had to cut away the entire mast to protect the hull from damage. Charlie Enright was co-skipper with Mark Towill, and Simon was, as now, the navigator. They motored to the Falklands. When this happened, Ocean Racing Anarchy was on fire in real time, and Little Chaywas dialed in, He apparently periodically goes, or went, to the Falklands and has some mates there, who he got in touch with and let them know what had happened to Vestas 11th Hour, that it was on the way to the Falklands to assess their situation. Ultimately with the help of his mates and others Vestas 11th Hour sourced a rig on the island, and on April 7, the Vestas 11th Hour delivery crew sailed under jury rig to Itajai so that it could be fitted with a new mast in time to be on the start line for Leg 8 to Newport on April 22; Newport is an important port for Charlie and Mark, as Charlie grew up and lives with his wife and kids, he and Mark went to Brown University nearby, and the town had huge celebrations planned with school kids, etc. The delivery was estimated to take 12 days.There are photos on the 3/30/18 and 4/7/19 editions of Sail World which are online (Google this incident. I did to refresh my recollection).

That's it, more or less. I am originally from the Falklands. Originally a telecoms engineer, always involved in sailing in some way, but around 2007 went sailing full time on the Antarctic charter yachts and have been nomadic ever since. Currently in NZ where I have been based since around 2017

 

[Chasm]

This will be very rough for them. I mean, they should have a spare wand, no? Unless it's the cable that fried, or the topline bus, or one of the electronic components.

All boats carry spares including alternate mounting methods. Spares might be already in use or the weather / sea state is too bad to install them. There is also the question how far they were in their troubleshooting process when the OBR sent the report.

 

[timotheysski]

Biotherm have no more FR0.
It exploded during one of their dives under a wave approaching the final LP leading up to Cape Horn. They recovered it and put it away but it is ripped from leech to luff (allegedly from clew to tack).

Posting this here since I hadn't heard that this was said elsewhere.

Interesting that Damien is described as the most aggressive on the racecourse without being irrespondible (aggressive in terms of sailing/competitiveness).

 

[winchfodder]

It is not just the continuing thrashing of the crew, even more impressive is the durability of the sailing gear; the sails and their attachments, the standing and running rigging etc. Sailing technology is something else! Plus of course the electronics.

 

[timotheysski]

Apparently Paul got pissed at Damien and Anthony because they were dicking around under J0 and full main in a 30 knot squall. He said, "Come on guys this is how we dismast."
Funny

 

[timotheysski]

All boats carry spares including alternate mounting methods. Spares might be already in use or the weather / sea state is too bad to install them. There is also the question how far they were in their troubleshooting process when the OBR sent the report.

Seems to be a more general problem than just the wind instruments and they mention losing "the computer" whatever that encompases. They must have some electronics online because you don't sail an IMOCA in a blackout.
In the past there have been poles with a wand at the top put up from the windward side like Alex Thomson did in the Vendée 2020 so that's an "easy" system to implement.

 

[Wacka_Elvis]

It is not just the continuing thrashing of the crew, even more impressive is the durability of the sailing gear; the sails and their attachments, the standing and running rigging etc. Sailing technology is something else! Plus of course the electronics.

someone get Rosie a crash helmet - would be bad news if she took another hit…

 

[dg_sailingfan]

There will be a small high pressure system dead in front of Malizia & Holcim in about 9 Hours. They need to get to the east to avoid it.

 

[huey 2]

We have been getting updates from Dr.Adele Morrison for a bit now, but this is a New News Report Of the Huge Study On The Currents around Australia...predominately the Southern Ocean and The Antarctic Overturning Circulation

Landmark study projects 'dramatic' changes to Southern Ocean by 2050​

By weather reporter Tyne Logan *** On the ABC Australia News Service
Posted 4h ago4 hours ago, updated 1h ago1 hours ago

Changes to circulation patterns in the Southern Ocean are closely linked to melting ice in Antarctica.(Supplied: Olaf Meynecke)
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article
abc.net.au/news/dramatic-south-ocean-circulation-changes-study/102154690
Link copied
COPY LINKSHARE
A "dramatic" change to ocean circulation could unfold in the Southern Ocean over the next three decades with wide-reaching effects on weather and fisheries, according to researchers.

Key points:​

• The Antarctic overturning circulation is projected to slow dramatically by 2050
• Similar circulation pattern changes in the North Atlantic were the premise of the film The Day After Tomorrow
• The changes would have wide-reaching impacts on fisheries and weather, according to researchers

The landmark study, published in Nature on Thursday, examined waters at the deepest layers of the ocean that play a crucial role in circulating heat and nutrients around the globe.
Deputy director of the Australian Research Council's Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, Matthew England, who coordinated the study, said the results were both significant and "concerning", likening their projecting to the premise of The Day After Tomorrow.
The fictional film, which was based on the real-life slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation current, saw polar melting disrupt the North Atlantic current, setting off a chain of events that influenced weather around the globe.
"In our simulation, [the slowing circulation] in the Antarctic outpaces the North Atlantic by two to one," Dr England said.
"We know so much about the Atlantic overturning and it's been such an established part of science, so much so that a film has been made about it.
"And here we have an overturning circulation that's just as important to humanity, where we still don't understand why things are changing, what the drivers are, and what the future is."

Freshening the world's densest waters​

The findings of the study all have to do with the production of incredibly dense water, formed around Antarctica, known as Antarctic Bottom Water.

VIMEOAustralian Academy of Science: "Why are massive ocean currents slowing down?"
The water is essentially the by-product of sea ice formation around Antarctica, which leaves behind very salty and cold water, which can sink to the deepest layers of the ocean.
It is a key part of the conveyer-belt-like system of underwater currents known as the "overturning circulation", which cycle heat, carbon, and nutrients around the globe.

Oceanographer Adele Morrison says the slowing of the Antarctic overturning circulation would have "huge" impacts on marine life.(Supplied: Australian National University)
But oceanographer Adele Morrison, who was one of the authors of the paper, said simulations had shown the overturning circulation would slow down considerably based on a high-emissions scenario.
"By 2050 we're looking at a 40 per cent reduction of the abyssal overturning circulation," Dr Morrison said.
"It's huge. If we shut down this transport of water around the globe, that has a huge impact on lots of things."

Melting ice behind change​

Dr Morrison said the slowdown was driven almost exclusively by the melting of ice sheets and shelves.

Sea ice formation contributes to the production of Antarctic Bottom Water.(Supplied: Robert Johnson)
"So this puts extra fresh water into the ocean around Antarctica," she said.
"And it's this freshwater that reduces the density and lightens the waters around Antarctica.
"Therefore you don't get as much descending of those dense waters into the abyss, and you get a reduction in the overturning circulation."
Melting of ice around Antarctica is a direct consequence of climate change.

Potential 'collapse' of ecosystems​

The overturning currents play a key role in bringing nutrients from the bottom layers of the ocean, where dead marine creatures have sunk to, back toward the surface.

The "overturning circulation" in the Southern Ocean helps move nutrients around the oceans.(Supplied: Alfred-Wegener-Institut; Ulrich Freier/Australian Antarctic Division)
Dr Morrison said slowing the overturning process could have dire consequences for marine life.
"Once you shut down this overturning circulation and its resupply of nutrients, we're looking at danger of collapse of some of these ecosystems," she said.
She said this flow-on effect would play out over a much longer time frame.
"We're studying the dense water formed around Antarctica and its descent into the abyssal ocean," she said.
"But most of the impacts are then felt when the waters rise back up.
"And so the timescales are a bit slower, more sort of century-type timescales."

Impacts to rainfall in the Southern Hemisphere​

The overturning circulation also has a relationship with climate patterns.
Dr England said a change in overturning in the ocean could lead to less rainfall in the Southern Hemisphere.

Deputy director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence Matthew England said the pace at which the circulation was projected to slow was "dramatic".(Supplied: UNSW)
He said this was driven by a shift in the position of tropical rainbands.
"Overall, the Southern Hemisphere tends to be a bit drier with this overturning slowing down and the Northern Hemisphere tends to get a bit wetter," Dr England said.
Like the impacts to marine life, this would happen over a much longer timescale.
Lead researcher Dr Qian Li, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said one of the things that might limit that change was the countering impact of the overturning current in the Northern Hemisphere.
"It depends which magnitude is larger," she said.
The slowdown of circulation could also promote further ice melt around Antarctica, according to the researchers.

Reducing emissions crucial, say researchers​

Dr England said without change to emissions, the downward trajectory would continue.
"That 40 per cent value is not where it stops; we only run the simulations to 2050," he said.
"So there's every chance that's going to be 60 per cent or 80 per cent in the decades that follow 2050."

The changes to ocean circulation in the Southern Ocean could have wide-reaching impacts for fisheries.(Supplied: Cath Deacon/Australian Antarctic Division)
Dr England said the importance of reversing the trend should not be underestimated.
"All of human civilisation has developed with this overturning circulation," he said.
"If we switch it off, we fundamentally change the cycling of nutrients through the oceans.
"We could see mass extinction of some species of fish, we could see a loss of fisheries that we rely on for food down the track."
Posted 4h ago4 hours ago, updated 1h ago1 hours ago
Share

Related Stories​

• Fast-melting Antarctic ice forcing whales to change feeding habits as krill become increasingly scarce​

  

• Environmental groups allege super trawlers 'ploughed through' whale pods​

  

• Heatwave baking southern states set to continue for second week​

  

• West Australian waters a 'sentinel of climate change', researchers say​

  

 

[tiljim]

There will be a small high pressure system dead in front of Malizia & Holcim in about 9 Hours. They need to get to the east to avoid it.

Not sure. They might try it to the West of the high pressure by tacking North until the next low pressure develops tomorrow. The route East is way too long in my view. So the more westerly position of TM might not be that bad.

 

[Varan]

"This was a spectacular rounding of Cape Horn because there was so much snow... It was absolutely beautiful. Huge snow squalls coming through," said Sam Davies on Biotherm.

 

[Fiji Bitter]

I predicted it would melt before it hits the deck.
So, Picture of a snowball fight, or it isn't true.

 

[Forestdawg]

"This was a spectacular rounding of Cape Horn because there was so much snow... It was absolutely beautiful. Huge snow squalls coming through," said Sam Davies on Biotherm.

Ha, same weather here at home but I'm definitely not on a boat. Currently enjoying the heat of the wood stove, posting on a sailing thread and thinking about taking the dog for a walk. What world we live in.

 

[huey 2]

An Interesting series of navigational conundrums over the next hours
here is Windy

Windy as forecasted

Wind map and weather forecast

www.windy.com

 

[timotheysski]

There will be a small high pressure system dead in front of Malizia & Holcim in about 9 Hours. They need to get to the east to avoid it.

OR, they can stay north to wait for it to pass and inch west in the light winds to get the new breeze earlier. I don't believe they will go east, even if it means they have to wait for the HP to move away by itself.

 

[TheDragon]

Yuck, looks miserable for TM