EarthRace 2006

Still things to be sorted

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10431445


Earthrace's new start shortlived
5:00AM Thursday March 29, 2007
New Zealand skipper Pete Bethune and his crew yesterday set sail from Guatemala after a local judge ruled it was an accident their vessel ran down a fishing boat killing a fisherman.

But Earthrace did not get far beyond the end of the breakwater at Puerto Quetzal - where it has been held at a naval base since the March 18 collision - before heading back in.

Mr Bethune's wife, Sharyn, said she suspected something must have been not right for the leg to Acapulco.

"I hope it's something minor," she said after watching satellite tracking showing the vessel going to sea about 5pm NZ time and then turning back......

Well....i don't know, the SAT tracker is showing her progress... yet the post above this is saying that the vessel turned back to Guatemala AND.. the captain's blog would not load at all!

Hi,

As a fellow Kiwi I feel for these guys.

I also think appealing for a volunteer engineer to cover all things is a little beyond the realms of fantasy if they truely want to find someone who can fix anything.

I am a fully certified UK Merchant Navy Chief Engineer of Motorships amongst other things.

I have learn't the hard way "pay peanuts and get monkeys" this is I am afraid to say is the way this thing seams to be headed.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10431485

Looks like they are in fact on their way.

Tracking is showing progress.

The Earth Race Taking A Beating

The EarthRace has been takign a beating for the last three days according to the captain's log on the website. Ten to twelve foot swells dominate as they press their way toward San Diego, California.
A great side note is that they finally found an engineer.

http://earthrace.helloworld.co.nz/index.php?section=41

Earthrace finally arrived in San Diego but are in for a much longer stop than anticipated. They need to replace one of the ZF gearboxes...

Captain's Blog

Here's another link to a site with some great shots of the trip so far, right down to Capt. Bethune's sprained ankle and the fishing vessel that they collided with in the middle of the night. Click the "boats" link on the right when the page comes up.

Image Slideshow