Oryx Quest: Waiting For The Cyclone

Oryx Quest: Waiting For The Cyclone
Oryx Quest: Waiting For The Cyclone

Video: Oryx Quest: Waiting For The Cyclone

Video: Oryx Quest: Waiting For The Cyclone
Video: Ride the Cyclone at the Citadel Theatre 2024, March
Anonim

The tour for Brian Thompson's British team on the Maxikat "Doh2006" is comfortable, but the situation on board is currently tense.

Thompson and his weather router Will Oxley have been following the development of a low pressure area east of Madagascar for days. In the last 36 hours this has developed from an unfavorable current to the tropical cyclone "Hennie", which threatens to cross the route of the Maxikats with mean (!) Wind speeds of 70 knots (12 Beaufort).

For days, the crew has been staring at the computer models to find a way out. According to the latest predictions, it now seems to have been found: "Doh2006" has made up as much of the way to the east as possible and is now hoping that the hurricane will leave Madagascar southwest and give them strong headwinds for only one or two days - conditions that for one Maxikat are pretty material-killing after an almost complete circumnavigation of the world. And who wants to risk a million dollars in prize money so close to the finish line while being in the lead?

Another problem is now the food: Brian Thompson admitted that they had not expected to be held up so long by light wind areas on the way to and from the Dohim Indian Ocean. Accordingly, food is becoming scarce: "We have started rationing because we have calculated supplies until April 6th, but at the moment an E is also conceivable on April 10th."

The last weak winds and the detour "Doh200" has to take because of the hurricane and the Mauritius mark (the island has to be passed east, without them the team would have driven north before the storm started), made it possible for the pursuer Tony Bullimore To catch up 600 miles. But still his "Daedalus" sails 3000 miles behind "Doh2006" halfway between South America and the Cape of Good Hope.

The other two participants, "Geronimo" by Olivier de Kersauson and "Cheyenne" by David Scully, had been eliminated weeks ago due to technical problems or a broken mast.

Recommended: