Oceanracing - Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race

Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race
www.clipper-ventures.com - Übersicht

12.04.2006
Photo by: Earth Observation Research and application Centre (EORC)
Movement of the Kuroshio current

Overnight saw the fleet round the south-western point of Japan and enter the Osumi Kaikyo passage, ending the first stage of this lengthy leg across the Pacific, as well as providing a well needed psychological boost for the crew after the weather during the first few days.

As the boats rounded this headland, they managed to pick up the favourable Kuroshio current (also known as the Black stream – an allusion to the deep blue colour of the water) which runs eastwards along the southern coast of Japan. This current comes up from the warm equatorial regions and follows the continental shelf marking the Nankai trough, where it then merges with the easterly drift of the North Pacific current.

It is analogous to the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean, transporting warm, tropical water northward toward the polar region. The picture above shows an example of sea temperatures in the area and boats are reporting a change from around 8 degrees C in the Yellow Sea, up to the high teens, so close monitoring will be needed to determine where the current actually is.

Good winds yesterday saw excellent 12hr distance run by all boats, all around 120 miles, which have dropped slightly overnight as the wind eased off and veered around to the northwest. The wind is set to continue to drop today, as the low pressure system combines with the high pressure system to the east, but should pick up later or overnight.

Cardiff continues to lead the fleet and has gained some miles over Durban in 2nd place. Victoria has pulled ahead to claim 3rd position. Singapore, Liverpool, Qingdao and New York have gone closer inland and further north. Only 1 mile currently separate Jersey and Glasgow, with wetsernaustralia.com 6 miles behind.