MAKING WAVES: Auckland is still 5,000 miles away and we have plenty of obstacles to deal with, including crossing from the northern to southern hemisphere which means another crossing of the doldrums

UNDER WAY again, this time in long-haul mode, as we have started leg four of the Volvo Ocean Race and are bound for Auckland after a stop-over in sunny Sanya in China.

New Zealand is south but for the next few days we’re actually heading away from our goal as we hook northwards around the top of the Philippines and the notorious Strait of Luzon, south of Taiwan.

This is the region that wreaked havoc on the fleet in the last race three years ago. Green Dragon suffered damage but managed to sail on to complete the leg but three others had more serious problems.

This time around, we’re not heading to Qingdao but the conditions haven’t been much better. We have no option but to cross the strait, and that means heading into the wind and left-overs of a strong easterly gale. It will be a tough slog into the seaway.

For the first time, the race committee opted to delay our departure by sending us on a short inshore course to get the leg under way.

This was for the benefit of visitors and spectators who had gathered.

We were then brought ashore for 13 hours in a move designed to allow the conditions to settle after the gale had abated.

It worked and now we’re sailing nicely in fairly flat water and making good speed at the front of the fleet.

There has been plenty of debate about the organisers’ decision to stop the race, as this has traditionally been the skipper’s prerogative.

We fully supported the decision. Seamanship is a huge part of the event, but if boats break because of foreseen conditions and drop out then we no longer have a race.

Before leaving, we heard news from the Clipper Round the World Race (an event for amateur and beginner sailors) sailing up to Qingdao. A crewman broke his leg above the knee during the gale last week. Another had a head injury but neither could be air-lifted because of the conditions and their boat had to head for shore for medical assistance.

We’re still not out of the woods as far as this part of the world is concerned. We have a cell of stronger conditions to cross before we can exit the strait within the next day or two and the potential for damage remains.

Chris Nicholson’s Camper and ourselves are at the front of a pack that stretches back 30 miles to where Kenny Read and the Puma boys trail after their shock outcome to the short course we sailed on Sunday before the race halted.

After getting away from us and leading around the cans before a 20-mile jaunt up the coast of Hainan Island, on the return leg they sailed into a windless hole and parked up as we all sailed past in breeze.

It’s a shame for them but their loss is our gain.

Auckland is still 5,000 miles away and we have plenty of obstacles to deal with, including crossing from the northern to southern hemisphere which means crossing the doldrums for the third time in the race.

It’s quite a large patch in this part of the world and like the Strait of Luzon is fairly new to most of the pro sailors.

This area has the potential to reverse the running order in the race so the game for now is to play things carefully and get out to the east of the Philippines for the turn south.

We’ll be the best part of three weeks at sea for this leg and already we’re getting into our watch routine to grind out a result.

We have Camper in our sights to try to move up from third overall to second but in truth, the game is all about putting as many boats behind us at the finish and that’s all we care about for now.