Liberty is being free from the things we don't like in order to be slaves of the things we do like.--Ernest Benn

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Clipper Round the World Race

The Clipper Round the World Race has resumed. It's the Nth leg, meaning I have no idea how they're are numbering them. After my embarrassing crash the previous leg, I was almost ashamed to publish on it this time. But the proper yacht Belladonna in the Virtual Race as prompted me to do it. And I am gratified that he is still hailing me over the virtual ocean to do so.

06-Mar-2012 03:03:04 GMT:
So, I'm sitting here trying to figure out how I have lost 1,000 places in the last 12 hours. It dawns on me, some people are taking another, perhaps better course than I? And I check it out?

Yes, there are some cheaters who have elected not to follow the course of the real boats, but are going to sneak through these straits in the middle of Japan. And Fukitol is showing them how to do it.

Will it pay off?

54 comments:

  1. Here we are. Thank you Doc for reopenng your so appreciated blog !
    Your Fleet Cap ! ! !

    ReplyDelete
  2. Apparently two main options are clear, at least for now. East or South, we'll see, the course is long, very long !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Doc,

      Sorry to read about your unlucky accident in last leg of Clipper... hope you are more fortunate in this leg!

      Fair winds!

      Delete
    2. Nothing unlucky about that grounding, Paula. It was stupid.

      Delete
    3. BTW, everyone notice, Paula has her own Blogger Profile now! She's so cool!

      Delete
  3. Just remember Doc that we have some discards if I remember correctly so never give up, there is plenty of time for the rest of us to mess up, we've all been there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Fukitol! (That sounds so strange to write and read!)

      Delete
  4. Gotta late start. I'm the Come Back Kid!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ending my watch at 2,161. Turning the wheel over to Otto Helm. I'm in my bunk. I'm saying Otto is the Come Back Kid!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hmmmm... I seem to be fading faster than usual and falling behind everyone. Watch this space... I'll be back!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm really curious to see if FKT north option is going to pay off ? I've also lost some 1,000 places in some 12 hours . Doc, this is due to earth curve and the northerners ! !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I'm not overly concerned, but I am concerned.

      Delete
    2. It never occurred to me to try going north, passing through the Tsugaru Straits. And a compromise, maneuvering through the Kanmon Straits, Hõyo Straits, and the Bungo Channel? It didn't look navigable to me. This geography was only made available for me by Pandabonium, a sailor who blogs Sweet Bluesette from Japan. It will be interesting to see if Fukitol makes out like a bandit.

      Delete
  8. Good job, Otto! 1,840th! I'm coming back.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Paula has a blog? But she was soooo cute when she was anonymous.

    ReplyDelete
  10. She's still cute, Contig. She doesn't have a blog, just a Blogger ID.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't know about others, but I haven't had access to VR for about an hour. I don't know what real world yachting situation could be comparable to this? Like maybe, skipper is overboard?

    ReplyDelete
  12. VR skipper is back on board, and alive ! ! !

    ReplyDelete
  13. There goes another leg. I miss-programmed during a weather change today and Open Container III was in irons for hours. I was lucky to lose only 500+ spaces.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm greeted this morning with a Game IM from Belladonna. "Nice recovery", says he. I'm wondering if he has any idea how much it cost me in terms of stress, beer and sleep. 150 minutes of continuous tacking, every 10 minutes, up a narrow corridor to escape a disasterous wind line. Tacking had to be so quick that way points didn't cut it. Bella (& Contig and Paula) were close by but in a much better, safer position, so they might have some idea. But I'm free now!

      Elsewhere, it looks like Fukitol and Yachts of Fun are finally, finally losing s places. If so, this coffee never tasted so good!

      Delete
    2. It pains me to admit that I can see Contiguous' violet spinnaker, not two miles behind me. And, she is closing.

      Delete
    3. Now now, no need to rub it in with so much delight,it could have worked for us, c'est la vie.

      Delete
  14. All I'm saying, Fukitol, is isn't nice to click on the Ranking and not have to scroll down to see the name of our boats? I mean, without deleting the boat names that appear before ours?
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He He, know what you mean Doc, no hard feelings here, "fill you're boots" as we Yorkshire men would say.

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. No mate the saying is "fill you're boots". There again the booze is running low.

      Delete
  15. Nice going, Contiguous! I didn't take enough time last night and you did, obviously.

    ReplyDelete
  16. It's that extra hour of sleep that I lost to DLS time. I took a nap Sunday afternoon. Splendid habit to take advantage of once in a while. (liked your daylight savings clock - Doc! right on!)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yesterday was a day from hell for me, nothing but tacks all day and to make it worse I had to be away from the computer all day, same again today, out for most of the day but a much easier day, still all that's behind me now and need to start making up some ground on you all.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I was trying my best this week, I really was. On the days I am working in the office, I have a great system for course and wind changes throughout the day. At morning WX, I open Zezo and with my camera phone, take pics of my laptop screen with the mouse over the context menus showing changes. I now have an accurate record and gone are the days of writing down loads of numbers on scraps of paper.

    I also take pics for my VORG boat and this is what happened. I mixed up the pics and logged on to my Clipper boat using Light Access and changed my direction to the VORG directions. I wasn't going back but was stopped for hours!! It was a mad busy time this week and hard to juggle, Clipper, VORG and real life.

    The weekend continues in the same vein as I am flying to the South of France in a couple of hours. There is a lot to celebrate.
    1. St Patrick's Day
    2. Mother's Day here
    3. BIG rugby match between Ireland and England
    4. My birthday :)

    So, I have left my Clipper in the incapable hands of a feckless skipper who cannot do worse this week than me. I am also making all readers here honorary Irish for the weekend. Here is some dancing to enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Y-_JAjAwE

    Back Monday - see you then :)
    No Going Back

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy birthday Paula, and happy St Patrick's day :-))
      You still have a lot of time to come back on me on the end, as usual !

      Delete
    2. If them dancers had been Irish lasses, I would have appended them to this post, Paula. But monkeys? We have monkeys here, in the USA, running for prez. And they have no sense of rhythm. Who needs more monkeyshine? Have a great B-Day!

      Delete
    3. Hi Paula, wishing you a happy birthday and a great St Pat's day, I have sent the cabin crew down to break out the guinness so will drink your health later.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40K2S0-5Xo0
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWms7fJ5g2c

      Delete
    4. People have been quiet in here. That's because the current drag-race reach has been going on for days. Once the California coast comes into the picture, I will post another satellite image.

      Delete
  19. Thanks for the Birthday wishes guys! I had a great time in France but was a bit poorly with a headcold before I left and still haven't recovered. Cough... cough... I think I must have a 'man' cold... Clipper is a bit slow and I don't see much opportunity to catch up :(

    ReplyDelete
  20. What happened to Doc? How could he have hit something in the middle of the Pacific?????

    ReplyDelete
  21. As you know well, Doc, I don't know much about sails or sailing. I just had a look at your boat and with all the bits and pieces sticking out, it looks like a Swiss Army knife!

    ReplyDelete
  22. @ NGB.
    I thing you're not gonna make it this time, Paula ;-) What happened ? Did you forget to get your chute down some hours ago ?
    @ OC.
    Hi Doc. You must feel great, you're nearly at home ! ! ! What about a drink at your place ?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hey, wake-up Doc, you're like my scotch, on the rocks ! ! !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Is'nt this impolite ? My wife is reading behind my back. Shame ;-)

      Delete
    3. We have to tip-toe around here because of Belladonna's child-bride?

      Delete
    4. Sorry Mrs. Belladonna. Please don't report me.

      Delete
    5. Such language should not be heard in these polite surroundings, oops that means I can't post on here anymore, damn.

      Delete
    6. If it's too over the top for Fukitol, I really will have to take it down!

      Delete
  24. What the hell is happening there ? Is it a wave of suicides ? OC, YOF, NGB, all on the rocks ! This makes a very busy whisky :-)))
    Cheers to all of you, I'm in, WHAOUUUU

    ReplyDelete
  25. Since I brought up the rear end of this Micro Yacht Club, it should fall to me to post the results:

    331-Fukitol
    929-Contiguous
    1587-Belladonna
    2179-No Going Back
    2398-Yachts of Fun
    2474-OpenContainer III

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should add, that Open Container III shared the fate of the Geraldton Western Australia. Right?

      Delete