Cape to Rio 2014 updates from Mark

JML Rotary Scout - Rio Update : 9 January. Day 5 of the Cape to Rio Yacht Race and JML Rotary Scout is making good progress. The seasickness has completely left JML Rotary Scout and crew have all settled into their routine. Spoke to Grant on the sat phone this morning (while the crew were enjoying tea and rusks in the sunshine) and he says the weather has improved even more since yesterday’s report. The clouds opened up during the evening and they ... Read more

JML Rotary Scout - Rio Update : 8 January. It’s the 4th full day of racing and I had a great chat on the sat phone with Peter this morning. One could immediately hear a lift in spirits with the sound of the crew laughing and chatting in the background. It was a good evening with music blaring out loud last night over the speakers to build the “gees”. After supper the crew not on duty slept like logs and apparently were ... Read more

JML Rotary Scout - Rio Update three: 7 January.  It’s been a busy day on JML Rotary Scout! And Cathleen Hughes particularly has been in much demand in the South Atlantic Ocean!! With Matric Results released today she got interviewed by Eyewitness News and Die Burger – and had a live interview with Mike Wills on Cape Talk. That interview will be put up on their website soon – and they have promised to email it as an mp3, so we can ... Read more

JML Rotary Scout - Rio Update two: 7 January. Just had a nice chat with Grant via the sat phone. He reports that everyone is well on board and morale is high. The storm is abating and the yacht is now experiencing 12 to 20 knots of breeze. Cloud cover is 90% and the seas are flattening. They are sailing goose-winged on a dead run, making 6 to 8 knots. I guess it won’t be long before they get the spinnaker up. ... Read more

JML Rotary Scout - Rio Update 1: 7 January. It sounds like most the fleet is still battling through very rough weather. Gosh, the crew are going to have some stories to tell I just chatted to Toni Mainprize, Sailing Events Manager from RCYC. Shame, she had just popped home for breakfast – they’re all on duty pretty much 24/7 at the moment, at least until all the boats that have turned around are safely in port. She did confirm that JMLRS gave ... Read more

JML Rotary Scout - Rio Update: 6 January. All's Well on board!! Here is the first of our Cape to Rio updates. Just to confirm, all is well on board JML Rotary Scout - I chatted to Peter on the sat phone a short while ago. The yacht is currently in about 30 knots of wind and the swells are about 4 meters. The main sail is completely down and they are sailing with a little corner of the genoa unfurled, making ... Read more