Race 7 - Day 7
Crew Diary - Race 7 Day 7
05 February

Squall of Squalls: The not so dull start to the doldrums

It is good to have an end to a journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.- Ernest Hemingway

So far Leg 5 has started out very slow as we motored out to Mackay to check out and then we made our way just past The Great Barrier Reef for the Le Mans Start. After a few days of racing, we entered the doldrums part of the race to some fireworks. Off on the distant horizon we noticed a very large dark cloud that definitely had the looks of a mean squall. Just at the far west of the cloud was the largest waterspout I had ever seen. It changed shape multiple times while growing in size with two Clipper Race boats at its left and right flanks scrambling to get out of there. Dan took the helm and sternly said, “let’s prepare to get the kite down and raise the Yankee please.”

Adam’s translation, "LET'S GET THE EFFIN KITE DOWN NOW!”

As soon as we did the squall hit for the next two hours! Meanwhile, the funnel cloud was wreaking havoc for more than 12 minutes and getting closer. At one point I saw a waterspout moving horizontally across the sky to link up with the larger one, as if it were veins feeding itself salt water to grow! Damn thing was alive! It eventually dissipated as the squall hit us with the full force of up to 46 knot winds. We fought it for two hours with non-stop adrenaline pumping action that was amazing to be a part of. I can only imagine what it was like down below listening to the chaos above as the boat shifts and rolls around in the storm. Dan was brilliant calling commands at the helm, while Laura was busy in the cockpit enforcing them. I would like to believe we followed them to perfection!

There were lots of smiles and laughter at the end as we just endured a two hour thrill ride from the huge storm that brought extreme high winds, cold rain, funnel clouds, lightning and just sheer blue water joy! Apparently, we were not the only boat that got blown around by the storm as others in the lead group lost their positions as well.

It was Zina’s birthday, and she was smiling from ear to ear the whole time! I do believe this was her birthday wish!

Even though we lost our position in the lead group this was an experience like no other! It’s why I’m here!

We are currently motoring through the doldrums for the next 36 hours and just barely a week into Leg 5 of a thrilling start!

Adams Hayne