Sailing down from the Northern Hemisphere towards the Southern Ocean is one of the trickiest tactical challenges that await a crew during a round-the-world journey, as in the transition zone between the two trade wind systems on either part of the Equator lie the famous Doldrums, or Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Light and unpredictable winds, sudden squalls and brutal weather conditions changes require a constant attention from the guys up on deck, whilst down below at the chart table, skipper and navigator have to plot the boat’s route in a sea of confused wind files and more or less reliable forecasts! As Charles Darbyshire put it earlier, “the most predictable thing about the doldrums is how unpredictable they are” – speaking words of wisdom, (but now) let it breeze!
On Day 8, Musandam ended up becalmed after making good progress much to the crew’s surprise, and had to opt for an easterly bearing in search of fresh air, which proved successful. Yet the struggle was not over yet, and by the next day the trimaran got caught under fierce rain squalls: in a matter of dozens of seconds, rain comes down so hard under these latitudes that the cockpit is literally flooded! For the men up on deck, only patience and the anticipation of a well-deserved Chicken Couscous (voted best meal onboard) could help as stopping the boat to let the worst of the squall pass proved the only option.
Down below, conditions were also quite damp as Charlie pointed out in one of his emails: “Clearly it’s still very hot and with all this rain super humid, so until we start to head south properly it’s hard to think about repacking bags to make sure the warm gear is to hand – we still have a couple of days to sort that out – but it’s in our minds for sure.” As Day 10 came, Musandam found herself halfway between Muscat and the northwestern tip of Australia, the bulk of the Doldrums seemed in the wake, and choppy seas were on the menu as the trimaran was charging forward at more than 15 knots despite the bumpy “road surface” – tough to stay in bed, as reported by the crew.
Weather conditions remained rather unstable for the next 24 hours, and going upwind Musandam had to cope with a few more outbursts, forcing the crew to keep a reduced sailplain in order to avoid getting caught overpowered in sudden gusts. As Charlie wrote on Sunday, “Mohsin and I were on deck and got nailed by some heavy rain – and 22 knots of wind, in the rain you need to shut your eyes it’s so strong. In 4-5 days we will be somewhere close to 32 south and turning east to start our circumnavigation of the Southern Ocean.” On Monday January 19 at around 10:30 GMT Musandam was positioned some 30° north of the Roaring 40s, Mohsin started to feel the “cold” – all things being relative, as the temperature had dropped from 30°C to just. 27°C! Muscat, its lovely beaches and its hot weather will soon seem a distant memory, as the crew is now aiming at Cape Leeuwin and the entrance to the Southern Ocean proper!
3000 miles under the belt. is the count that Day 12 brought to Musandam’s crew, as well as a new range of clothing. The lightweight kit is now out of fashion in the cockpit, as the bright red gear, more suited to very wet conditions, is all the rage as sunbathing is becoming increasingly difficult. But the worst is yet to come!