11 sailing yachts from racing teams Ha Long Bay, Qingdao, Zhuhai, Bakezela, Dare To Lead, Our Isles and Oceans, Perseverance, PSP Logistics, UNICEF, Washington DC, and Yacht Club Punta Del Este arrived at Ha Long International Cruise Port, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province on Feb. 18 and 19.
Race No. 7, also known as the 5th leg of the Clipper Race called the "Asia-Pacific Challenge," started from Coral Sea port in Queensland, Australia, and ended in Ha Long Bay.
The 11 racing teams sailed for 25 days covering a distance of 4,515 nautical miles. This is the first time the race's sailing yachts have come to Ha Long Bay.
The Vietnamese team from Quang Ninh Province, home to Ha Long, called "Ha Long Bay, Vietnam," led by British captain Josh Stickland, finished 5th at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 19. They're ranked 6th overall.
The Qingdao team finished first at 1:20 p.m. on Feb. 18. Zhuhai came in 2nd place and UNICEF 3rd.
Each yacht has a small motor to help them move in and out of ports when they need to. However, for the majority of the race, they use the wind from a tall 32-meter mast to power their journey.
Kold Rich, a member of the Yacht Club Punta Del Este team, stands next to one of the yacht's two helms. The helm helps the team steer the yacht depending on which way the wind is blowing.
Rich said the sailing yachts can handle strong winds of up to 40 knots per hour and navigate through rough seas.
"During the race, we faced storms and even encountered waterspouts at times. These were really tough challenges that needed bravery and teamwork to overcome," he said.
Rich also expressed happiness about visiting Ha Long Bay, a beautiful place he had never been to before.
All yachts are equipped with GPS devices to find their location no matter the weather, helping them navigate throughout the journey.
At the back of the sailing yacht, there are three rescue boats that can hold 12 people each in case the yacht becomes unsafe.
Captain Josh Stickland of the Ha Long Bay Vietnam team rests in the bunk bedroom.
Each yacht is 20 meters long and 4 meters wide at most, with bedrooms, bathrooms, and offices arranged neatly to save space.
The kitchen, found in the middle of the yacht, is spacious and comes with all the utensils needed.
Josh Stickland mentioned that the team works in shifts, making sure everyone gets about 10 hours of sleep each day. His team consists of 46 members, including 18 women.
Susan, a member of the Ha Long Bay Vietnam team, shows Vietnamese food that she and her teammates just purchased.
Teams aim to eat fresh food for the first week and switch to canned and dried food afterward. They buy and eat food wherever they stop along the way.
Wang, a member of the Qingdao team, talks with a teammate about a big waterspout they saw in the Pacific Ocean.
Behind them, the Quang Ninh Border Guard ship is positioned to ensure security and order for the yacht group.
In Ha Long, all teams will have around two weeks to rest, explore, and take part in various activities.
Quang Ninh Province sees this as a chance to showcase its tourism to people worldwide, especially from Europe, North America, and Australia.
On March 2, the teams will leave Ha Long Bay for Jiuzhou Port, Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China.
The 2023-2024 Clipper Race has nearly 400 sailors on 11 sailing yachts. It's divided into 8 stages with 16 races and 6 ocean crossings.
