News

The vast Indian Ocean with thousands of miles of open sea, covering 14% of the Earth’s total surface, stretches from three landmasses - Africa to Asia and to Australia.

In such a large area, you would think that the chance of a collision with another vessel would be fairly remote.  However, the Indian Ocean is also home to some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, with large container ships exporting goods from one side of the ocean to the other.

In comparison, the tiny marine ply/composite 24 to 36ft long (depending on class of boat) ocean rowing boats competing in the Indian Ocean Rowing Race 2009, are no match for the 200ft long steel container ships.  The physical size of the ocean rowing boats also prevents them from appearing on the radar screens of passing traffic, making rowing boats incredibly difficult to spot and therefore vulnerable.

This is why each of the competing crews carry a little magic box called an AIS unit, which has the clever effect of making the rowing boats appear 10 times larger, as a big glowing dot on the radar screens onboard other vessels.  It also has the ability to provide other vessels with useful information about the rowing boat, which together allows passing traffic to change course well in advance, avoiding a nasty collision.

Following the soaking that was last weekend, James and Jamie onboard Pairs Boat, Boat No. 9 ‘Southern Cross’ have reported their AIS unit to be temporarily out of action.

After a tiring rowing shift a couple of days ago, James and Jamie crashed out in the cabin only to be rudely woken by a startling bright light shining in through their cabin access hatch.  Through bleary sleepy eyes they had the shock of their lives when they realised the light were coming from a tanker only spitting distance from them.  The guys held their breathes as the tanker slid silently on by, oblivious to the close encounter with Southern Cross.

Elsewhere in the fleet, the last remaining Solo entry, Simon Prior onboard Boat No. 3 ‘Old Mutual Endurance’, celebrated yesterday evening with a glass of champagne, a welcome change to the usual warm and slightly salty drinking water of usual, as he reached the first 1,000 nautical mile mark.  Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the fleet, current race leaders, Boat No. 7 ‘ Bexhill Trust Challenger’ are fast approaching the last 1,000 nautical miles.

For the latest positions for all the boats competing in the Indian Ocean Rowing Race 2009, please go to the Progress Page on this site.