Hi Everyone,
You may or may not have heard that we have not had any contact with the boys since Saturday 27 June lunchtime. So firstly, our apologies for the lack of update blogs.
The progress of all teams is recorded on the event organiser, Woodvale Challenge website, via Satellite tracking beacons located on each of the boats. As you know, the Satellite tracking system that sends the boy’s location to Woodvale stopped working some time ago and since then we haven’t been able to get their exact position. To keep the site updated with the team’s progress we’ve been reliant on the boys texting their updates through to Tony at Woodvale on a 12 hourly basis and Tony then updates the Woodvale site manually.
Over the past week, the team have experienced trouble charging their satellite phone and had advised Woodvale that they felt it was only a matter of time before their phone ceased to work altogether. We believe the cause of the problem to be the phone battery and not the power onboard the boat. Although we know the route the team are taking, with the phone and the satellite tracking beacon not working we are unable to determine their exact position at this time.
Woodvale, as always, have been amazing and although they are not concerned with the lack of contact from the boys, Woodvale’s primary focus is the safety of the teams. Monday night (NZ time) Woodvale requested the Support Yacht to make for the boy’s last known position which was just under 500 nautical miles from Mauritius and the finish line. It will take two or three days to reach this point and when it does it will follow the boat’s suspected path in the hope of making contact with the team and updating us of their position. The boat also has a VHF radio so it is possible the team can make contact with a passing vessel and send their position in that way, but the reality is that they may not see another vessel before reaching the finish line so we are preparing ourselves for a surprise finish!
Our boys are in good spirits and have been through extensive training to prepare for this race. The boat carries two EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacon) onboard and should an emergency occur they can set these off which will transmit a ‘May Day’ message via satellite to advise of their position.
So don’t worry, they have already overcome so many hurdles throughout this challenge that I feel sure they will overcome this one in true RFP style…although we all know how much it will be killing them to not be able to update us on their progress!
You can read more about this here on the Woodvale site.
Please keep the messages flying in, even if they cant see them right now they will take huge strength from them as and when they get online again and to know that you are thinking of them and willing them on will be very powerful.
If you would like to leave a message on the Woodvale site click here and if you are in NZ and would like to send them a text please send it to 3831 and $3 will automatically be donated to the cause via your phone bill.
Ill keep you updated here.
Bex
Tom Wig, what are you guys up to! Do we orga nise a plane, deploy the UK N
