* California due in tonight local time.
* Hull & Humber, Spirit of Australia & Edinburgh Inspiring Capital also due to finish today.
* Replacement mast starts its journey to San Francisco.
“The miles are ticking down and by tonight, Spirit of Australia and ourselves will hopefully be berthed and enjoying the party that awaits us,” says temporary skipper of Hull & Humber, Brendan Hall. “We have been relieved of escort duty by Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, though with the light winds and slow sailing we have had today, it is unlikely we will catch California before the finish.
“All of us onboard both boats are looking forward to getting in and seeing our friends, loved ones and fellow crew and putting the final full stop on this epic of a Pacific crossing”
Judging by her current speeds, the plucky team on board California look likely to be safely tied up in the sanctuary of the Golden Gate Yacht Club by around 2100 local time. Since being rolled in the huge Pacific storm that struck them 14 days ago, it has been a mammoth effort from across the fleet to get them to this point and it is sure to be an emotional arrival. Supporters are planning to be on the dockside with a whole raft of long dreamt for food and drink that will be especially welcome.
It’s a theme picked up on by Mike Lewis, the Cork round the world crew member currently sailing on Edinburgh Inspiring Capital as he counts down the last few miles. “The immediate future, of course, involves a lot of thought about the things that we have missed for the last five weeks at sea. Fresh food, showers, an end to the constant motion and of course beer are all high on the list of things we are looking forward to when we arrive in San Francisco.
“Even for those of us who have by now completed a number of lengthy ocean passages, this time the sacrifices have been felt particularly sharply due to the sheer length of time spent at sea. We have been living on pasta, rice, tomato sauce, tinned tuna, spam and tinned meat, with very little variety since we left Qingdao. To be able to sit down to a meal, probably a good steak, and eat with a knife and fork from a plate – instead of a spoon from a bowl – perhaps with a glass of wine with which to wash it down, has everybody just counting down those final miles.”
Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, Hull & Humber and Spirit of Australia’s expected ETA will be close to that of California so it will be a busy night for the Clipper Race team. One important task for Race Director Joff Bailey is to head out in a RIB to oversee the berthing of Hull & Humber. That frees up Brendan Hall, skipper of Spirit of Australia to make an emotional return to his boat and arrive at the yacht club with the team he departed with from Qingdao.
Meanwhile, back in the UK, California’s replacement mast has started its journey from the fabrication unit in the west country of England. Engineers have spent the last ten days working flat out before shipping the spar to the airport. It will fly in to Los Angeles and then makes the journey north to San Francisco on the back of a truck. A suitable yard has already been located in the city where the stump of California’s mast can be removed and the new one stepped.
Meanwhile, on the race track, Team Finland have crossed the international date line and continue to tick down the miles. They have winds on the beam blowing at 15 – 20 knots which will be aiding their progress nicely towards the warm welcome that awaits them.
Positions at 1500 UTC, Sunday 4 April
Boat DTF* DTL*
Cape Breton Island FINISHED: 1425 UTC, Tuesday 30 March 2010
Jamaica Lightning Bolt FINISHED: 0734 UTC, Thursday 1 April 2010
Qingdao FINISHED: 2240 UTC, Thursday 1 April 2010
Uniquely Singapore FINISHED: 1405 UTC, Saturday 3 April 2010
California 62nm 62nm
Edinburgh Inspiring 69nm 69nm
Hull & Humber 72nm 72nm
Spirit of Australia 75nm 75nm
Team Finland 2545nm 2545nm
Skipper Peter Stirling sprays the champagne after his team arrived into San Francisco in second place after their 5,680 mile race from Qingdao.