Day 159 – 2 Breaking News: Susie Goodall rescued!

Dateline 16:00 UTC 07.12.2018 – Les Sables d’Olonne, France

The crew of the Hong Kong registered cargo ship MV Tian Fu has successfully rescued the distressed British yachtswoman Susie Goodall 2,000 miles west of Cape Horn.

Susie sent the text: 07 Dec 15:14 UTC: ON THE SHIP!!! Position: 45′ 10.711 S 121′ 40.157 W

We expect to speak to Susie Goodall shortly and will keep media informed.

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Day 159: Ship on station to rescue Susie Goodall

Dateline 12:00 UTC 07.12.2018 – Les Sables d’Olonne, France

The Hong Kong registered cargo ship MV Tian Fu is now holding station within sight of the distressed British yachtswoman Susie Goodall 2,000 miles west of Cape Horn and the rescue operation will commence at first light in one hour’s time.

Conditions have moderated and the seas have reduced to 3-4metre swells.

Goodall is in radio contact with the ship and plans are being finalised to lift her from the deck of her yacht DHL Starlight on one of the ship’s deck cranes.

UK Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Falmouth advised Race HQ of the ship’s latest ETA at 11:00 UTC and this information was passed to Susie just 20 minutes before she had visual contact.

Susie is well rested, having had 12 hrs in her bunk, and been able to keep some water down. It is about 1 hr from daylight.

Here is the latest GGR STREP.
At 1115UTC Phone contact with SUSIE GOODALL she confirmed the following.
1. TIAN FU arrived, lights sighted.
2. SART NOW TURNED ON and about to make contact on VHF 16 with Master of TIAN FU
3. Sea state 3/4mtrs . First light appearing on horizon.
4. Susie now preparing for CRANE LIFT as SUGGESTED BY GGR from Deck of DHL STARLIGHT. at the direction of TIAN FU Master.
5 DHL STARLIGHT ENGINE test underway soon for 1 hour to confirm it is fully functional before Susie drops sea anchor and starts to to manoeuvre
6. IF CRANE LIFT is approved by Master of TIAN FU ,Susie will also have two bags on a 4 mtr line with hook clip to connect to lift line.
7 SUSIE will be wearing a waist climbing harness for the lift, as well as the inflatable life jacket/safety harness.
8 Susie now waiting further advice from master of TIAN FU.

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Day 158: Update on Susie Goodall rescue

Dateline 09:00 UTC 06.12.2018 – Les Sables d’Olonne, France

British yachtswoman Susie Goodall remains safe and secure aboard her yacht DHL Starlight after being pitchpoled and dismasted in the Southern Ocean some 2,000 miles west of Cape Horn yesterday. Overnight, Chilean rescue authorities have tasked another ship, the 38,000 ton Hong Kong registered bulk carrier MV Tian Fu bound from China to Modran, Argentina, to go to her aid and it is due to reach her position at 05:00 UTC Friday.

Conditions have moderated overnight but seas remain challenging, making life onboard very uncomfortable.

Susie remains in regular contact with Race HQ and will spend today preparing for evacuation tomorrow. The flooding is now under control, and today she will endeavour to coax DHL Starlight‘s engine to run again in case she is required to manoeuvre her yacht alongside the ship. She will also ensure that the yacht’s liferaft is ready to deploy.

It will still be dark when the MV Tian Fu reaches the scene and the rescue operation is unlikely to commence before daylight. It will be for her Captain to decide the best method to transfer Goodall from yacht to ship. This could entail launching the ship’s own man-overboard vessel, or lowering a cargo net or ladder over the side for her to climb up from the yacht or her liferaft.

Timeline of text messages received from Susie Goodall before and after being dismasted:

05 Dec 08:29 UTC: TAKING A HAMMERING! WONDERING WHAT ON EARTH I’M DOING OUT HERE Position: 45′ 33.054 S 122′ 37.061 W

05 Dec 12:33 UTC; DISMASTED.HULL OK. NO FORM OF JURY RIG, TOTAL LOSS Position: 45′ 27.787 S 122′ 23.537 W

05 Dec 12:57 UTC: INTERIOR TOTAL WRECK, LIFERAFT OK, Position: 45′ 27.284 S 122′ 22.985

05 Dec 13:23 UTC: NASTY HEAD BANG AS BOAT PITCHPOLED. UNBELIEVABLY ROLY NOW Position: 45′ 26.735 S 122′ 22.490 W

05 Dec 13:24 UTC: TOTALLY & UTTERLY GUTTED! Position: 45′ 26.702 S 122′ 22.460 W

05 Dec 23:04 UTC: THIS MOTION IS JUST HORRIBLE! CLINGING ON IN MY BUNK. Position: 45′ 25.629 S 122′ 13.763 W

06 Dec 02:51 UTC: IN NEED OF A GOOD CUPPA TEA! BUT SADLY NO COOKER Position: 45′ 24.506 S 122′ 05.482 W

06 Dec 02:55 UTC: I THINK TIME AND SPEED ARE RELATED Position: 45′ 24.506 S 122′ 05.482 W

06 Dec 11:55 UTC THAT WAS A LOOONG NIGHT  Position: 45′ 14.703 S 122′ 05.948 W 

Further bulletins will be posted on www.facebook.com/goldengloberace/

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Day 157: Susie Goodall dismasted 2,000 miles west of Cape Horn

EPIRB alert picked up by Falmouth Coastguard at 11:00 UTC
Goodall safe and secure onboard
Chilean rescue authorities alerted
Nearest vessel is 480 miles to SW – 2 days away

Dateline 15:00 UTC 05.12.2018 – Les Sables d’Olonne, France

British yachtswoman Susie Goodall was pitchpoled and dismasted in the Southern Ocean some 2,000 miles west of Cape Horn today. A distress signal was first picked up from her yacht by Falmouth Coastguard at 11:00 UTC, who then alerted Race Control and the Chilean Maritime Search and Rescue authorities responsible for this sector of the South Pacific.

Goodall, (29) from Falmouth UK, and the youngest competitor in the Golden Globe Race, was lying in 4th place at the time, riding out a ferocious storm with 60 knot winds and massive seas aboard her Rustler 36 yacht DHL Starlight.

In her last text message to Race Control received before the dismastig at 08:29 UTC,, she reported’ TAKING A HAMMERING! WONDERING WHAT ON EARTH I’M DOING OUT HERE

In a subsequent message, received at 12:23 UTC, she wrote: DISMASTED. HULL OK. NO FORM OF JURY RIG, TOTAL LOSS Position: 45′ 27.787 S 122′ 23.537 W.

After 3 attempts, Race HQ was able to raise Goodall on her emergency satellite phone when she confirmed: “I have been dismasted. Thought I had holed the hull because the boat filled with water, but the hull is NOT holed. The hull is OK.

The boat is destroyed. I can’t make up a jury rig. The only thing left is the hull and deck which remain intact.

We were pitchpoled [rolled end over end] and I was thrown across the cabin and knocked out for a while. “

Speaking with emotion, but sounding very much in control of her situation, Susie also confirmed that she had secured all hatches, portholes and safety equipment, and did NOT need immediate assistance. She said that before the incident, she had been enjoying the conditions and felt in control. But then the safety tube on her Monitor self-steering broke and she was forced to trail a drogue anchor astern and take down the mainsail. She was below decks when the boat was pitchpoled, and when she returned on deck to assess the damage, found that the line attached to the drogue had parted.

Susie also reported that she ‘has been beaten up and badly bruised’ with cuts and scratches and a big bump on her head. MSOS, the GGR’s 24 hour medical telecentre has been advised and doctors are now monitoring her symptons and providing direct medical advice

The winds have since dropped down to 45 knots and conditions are likely to improve further as the storm continues to head East.

The nearest GGR competitor is Estonion Uku Randmaa 400 miles ahead of Goodall and about to face the same storm conditions, so it is impractical for him to turn about. It is far safer for American/Hungarian Istvan Kopar, 780 miles to the west to continue his downwind course and intercept DHL Starlight. The GGR fleet have now been alerted to Susie‘s situation and Kopar expects to reach her position in six days time.

Subsequently, the Chilean Authorities have contacted a ship 480 miles SW of Goodall‘s position and requested assistance. Her Captain expects to take 2 days to reach the area.

Race Chairman Don McIntyre said today: “We are monitoring the situation carefully, speaking to Susie every hour and working with the Chilean Search and rescue authorities on the best course of action to take. We have also informed her family and are keeping them informed”

Further bulletins will be posted on www.facebook.com/goldengloberace/

CLICK HERE for latest position reports and weather information

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Day 155: The Race is On!

Mark Slats rounds Cape Horn and closes the distance on J-LVDH
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede predicts a January 23 finish
Water shortages
Outside assistance? New rule bans position reporting over the HAM and SSB net

Dateline 14:00 UTC 03.12. 2018 – Les Sables d’Olonne, France

Mark Slats rounded Cape Horn just before 06:00 UTC on Saturday 2nd December, 8 days behind race leader Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, having narrowed the lead by 351 miles over the past 7 days. The 2nd placed Dutchman is now within 1022 miles and needs to average 0.75knots faster to finish back in Les Sables d’Olonne at the same time.

This takes account of the 18-hour penalty that Van Den Heede must serve before crossing the line for using his satellite phone for non-safety purposes after suffering mast damage to his Rustler 36 Matmut four weeks ago. Since then, the 73-year old Frenchman has climbed the mast five times to check repairs, which he says are holding up well. But while he has no qualms about pushing the boat when the wind is aft of the beam, Jean-Luc says he must ‘nurse’ the rig upwind to avoid the boat from slamming and sending shockwaves up the mast.

Shortly before rounding the Horn, Slats said he is now going all-out to win, pushing his Rustler 36 Ohpen Maverick as hard as he can. Van Den Heede can only push as hard as he dare, hoping his lead will be sufficient. He says his priority is simply to finish without breaking his mast. The gap is likely to narrow further during the next 24 hours as Mark enjoys good favourable winds and current up the western side of the Falklands and Jean-Luc has to deal with a small intense low pressure system that has formed 65 miles ESE of him. His challenge is to stay in the favourable WNW quadrant as the storm heads NNW generating 50-55 knot winds.

Perhaps the greatest advantage Slats has over Van Den Heede is the ability to go where he wants, while the Frenchman must try to keep the wind aft of the beam. Ohpen Maverick is the faster boat upwind anyway, having the advantage of bigger hanked headsails without the weight penalty that Matmut carries with her roller furling systems. This tactical advantage alone could save Slats a week.

In a message to Race HQ today, Jean-Luc was in good spirits and predicted an ETA back to Les Sables d’Olonne on 23th January giving him an elapsed time for the circumnavigation of 206 days. That compares to 312 days set by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston 50 years before.

The race for 3rd place remains equally tense with very little give or take between Uku Randmaa’s Estonian Rustler 36 One and All and Britain’s Susie Goodall sailing another Rustler DHL Starlight. During the past week, the gap has narrowed by 35 miles. Both have issues. Randmaa has still to clear all the barnacles from the bottom of his boat, and Susie Goodall is short of fresh water. Randmaa managed to collect 25 litres of rain water last week, but being 367 miles astern, Goodall is not in the same weather pattern and her buckets remain dry. In a report to Race HQ today, Susie admitted that she is now down to her last 20 litres of water and runs the risk of running out of food in a month’s time because her remaining supplies are all freeze-dried, which require water to re-hydrate. “Its been a frustrating week!” she emphasised.

Fortunes could change more dramatically for one or other in a few days, for a storm is heading their way. The forecast is for very unstable conditions, which could give Randmaa and Goodall very different winds. Both may head a little north to avoid the worst of what is forecast to reach 55knots, and their relative positions could be very different in 7 days time.

American/Hungarian entrant Istvan Kopar has been one of the losers, having dropped a further 312 miles behind the race leader this past week. Plagued by steering issues aboard his Tradewind 36 Puffin, he is now looking to fabricate new bearings to replace those breaking up inside the gearbox on his pedestal steering, which could take weeks of effort. He is also desperately short of water, with supplies down to 16 bottles, a 6-pack of beer and 10 litres of badly tainted water in his ‘fresh’ water tank. During his film stop in Hobart, Istvan said of his tanked water – “You wouldn’t want to drink it!” but perhaps he will have to.

The biggest loser this past week has been Finland’s Tapio Lehtinen back in 6th place who has been facing stiff head winds ever since rounding the southern tip of New Zealand two weeks ago. This week, his barnacle encrusted Gaia 36 Asteria lost a further 561 miles on the leader. Today she was heading NW – 120° away from her optimum course, unable to make any headway towards Cape Horn. Lehtinen may see an end to this nightmare on Wednesday when the winds are due to swing back to the west again, and calms predicted later in the week, may give him the opportunity to dive overboard and scrape the barnacles off the boat.

Australian Mark Sinclair and Russian skipper Igor Zaretskiy, heading for Adelaide and Albany respectively to haul out and scrub barnacles off their boats, should arrive at their new destinations this week. For Sinclair, 135 miles SW of his homeport at 08:00 UTC today, the Australian couldn’t have cut it finer. He is now down to his last 6 litres of fresh water – 2 days supply. Both will be relegated to the Chichester Class for making one stop, leaving just 6 or the original 17 starters competing in the Golden Globe Race.

Outside assistance?

Race HQ has received a number of alerts from other sailors and the media during the past week, suggesting that GGR skippers are receiving daily position reports taken from the Live Tracker and broadcast over the HAM radio net to save them from navigating by traditional means.

In response, Race Chairman Don McIntyre has issued the following statement:

“GGR entrants can receive any information over the HF SSB radio that is free to the public (except ROUTING). HF radio is encouraged for safety and logistic reasons just as it was in the original 1968/9 Race. Race organisers do not co-ordinate or manage any HF Radio scheds. Entrants are free to join any Government or private maritime network, or organize their own HAM radio net.

Occasionally, entrants have been given GPS positions taken from the GGR Live Tracker, which gives precise latitude and longitude co-ordinates. This had been allowed under the GGR rules. Skippers are interested in where they are in the fleet and where other entrants are etc. This however, has led some followers to believe that entrants are not navigating with a sextant any more, which is NOT the case.

To receive positions from the GGR Live Tracker on a regular basis is against the spirit of the GGR and to save any confusion, the following new rule came into force on Dec 1st.

NOR 3.1.3.3: GPS Positions from GGR Tracker and AIS Marine Traffic.
GPS co-ordinates of GGR entrants from the GGR Live tracker or AIS Marine Traffic are forbidden to entrants.
1st offence: 48hrs time penalty
2nd offence: Disqualification

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