Exhausted Volvo crews battle ocean insomnia

The six Volvo Ocean Race teams were battling sleep deprivation and unstable weather yesterday as the stronger, steadier winds they have been promised for days stayed tantalisingly out of reach.

The boats are queued up in the Indian Ocean waiting to hit a new weather system that should catapult them on their way to the secret ‘safe haven’ port, from where they will be transported through the worst of the piracy-affected waters on the way to Abu Dhabi.

With that system moving eastwards at the same rate as the boats, the teams have been left in unstable conditions that are proving mentally and physically exhausting.

The “off watch” sailors who should be sleeping are woken constantly for sail changes or by the regular shifts in all the gear below deck as the boats lurch suddenly due to the unexpected weather.

“We’ve had loads of sail changes and that just eats into your sleeping time,” said Camper’s South African crewmember Mike Pammenter.

“Everyone’s really tired and suffering a bit. If you can be the first boat through this little trough you can be miles ahead so we just have to work, work, work.

“Where’s the limit? I’ll tell you when I break down.”

The six boats are spread out in a line form north to south hoping to be the first to punch through into the better weather.

Overall leaders Telefonica are the furthest north, followed by Abu Dhabi, Sanya and American boat Puma. Spanish/New Zealand team Camper are next, followed by France’s Groupama in the south.

Organisers have drawn an exclusion zone to keep the teams away from the riskiest area in terms of piracy early in the leg.