Each day as the yachts race in the Global Challenge, teams will file daily logs via satellite to the web site.

These log entries are designed to be more than simple position and status reports; they are the teams’ way of sharing the excitement and drama as it is seen and felt by those aboard.

Via the Global Challenge’s RSS Feed ATWOS will feature selected daily logs.

Today’s log is from Phillip Avery who is sailing on Samsung the current leader in a close 1st leg.

Educational standards are rising we are told. Successive GCSE and A level results have broken all previous records. In fact, they are becoming so good that the day when every student gains straight A’s in all examinations cannot be far away. Then what? It brings to mind the somersaults gymanastics went through to overcome the ‘perfect 10s’ attained by so many eastern Europeans of yesteryear. If you detect a little scepticism in my opening remarks, read on.

A little back ground may help matters here. I’m a Weatherman by profession, trained by the Royal Navy after a brief flirtation with Flying Training. That was ended by an encounter with Sooty, yes I do mean the glove puppet…. and no, I won’t go into that right here.

After ten years in the Service, I fell into Broadcast Meteorology and have been broadcasting, mainly the BBC for the past eight years. I don’t consider myself a weather anorak in the least but have found myself fighting the cause of weather ignorance for some time. Part of the problem is that everyone considers themselves an expert. Some are. My mother had a great working knowledge of Plymouth’s weather simply because of her need to dry washing over 40 odd years. Most, however, are not and will remain on the wrong side of dim on the subject simply because they don’t listen to forecasts when provided or they labour under the misapprehension that ‘they (meaning me, in part, I suppose) always get it wrong’. This trip is proving no exception. I’ve tried to point out the difference between rain and showers but I’m not sure it’ll stick in too many minds. I’ve also floated notions about the atmosphere, air masses and cloud types, not much else to see out here, but to little avail. Perhaps an example could be set by the man at the top?

Matt is highly appreciative of all my inputs into Samsung’s strategy, a worry in itself as surely some of it must be pure dross. It was also a worry only this very morning when he branched out into weather observation, a highly specialised skill taking years of practice and tuition. ‘Cloud base must be around 500ft’ speculated (and Boy, do I mean speculated) Matt. If he was within 1500ft I’ll be amazed! It’s not all doom and gloom by any means. Gorgeous, pouting, Nic Maton, when awake, has shown a great interest in the subject. Pity he leaves us in BA! The rest of the crew see my daily grappling with broadcasts from New Orleans, London and Boston only as a means of staying dry and warm whilst they do battle with the accurately
forecast elements. And to think we’ve only been going 17 days!

I was determined not to be such an anorak as to write a piece on the weather. Global Challenge? I’ve fallen at the first, but with some provocation, don’t you think?

FYI for non brits find out exactly what is meant by anoroak

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