In Conversation: Q&A With Volvo Ocean Race Reporter Amory Ross
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We interviewed Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race on-board reporter for Team Alvimedica, for an article in The Technology Issue of APEX Experience magazine on how Inmarsat satellites are ensuring safety and improving connectivity during this sailing race around the world.
We know the boats are being tracked 24/7 and you have the ability to stay in touch with the outside world, but what does this really mean onboard in terms of feeling connected?
This is the first race we’ve been in touch 24/7 , and that makes a really big difference in terms of staying in touch with friends, family, world happenings, news – and of course in getting content off the boat, including valuable data like boat speed and temperature. That’s transmitted every 10 seconds to race headquarters in Alicante. Last race, everything was more periodic, and sent in significantly smaller packages. Unfortunately in the case in of an emergency, it’s of course a comfort to know Inmarsat is there.
Also, our navigator [Will Oxley] can get his weather data at any time; we’ve gone through some pretty treacherous parts of the world. The navigator has access to data-rich sources that keep us moving in the right direction. Not just the fastest, but the safest.
Mark [Towill, crew member and general manager] notes in an earlier video that once you get out there, there are no distractions – no phone, computer or Internet. Is this still true, or do some distractions now make their way onboard?
We certainly live in a small bubble out here. There’s no question Inmarsat keeps us connected to the world – it’s incredibly beneficial. It’s nice to know what’s happening on shore. We can choose to ignore it, but those that like to be connected and e-mail with family every day, it’s all very possible. It’s something that we didn’t have in the last race. It’s great to have this access to the outside world.
What is the expectation from you and the team in terms of content production for online, social coverage? On a day-to-day basis, what does this process look like for you?
Our responsibilities are limited to creating content and getting it off the boat. Distribution and social media is done on shore, [but] that doesn’t mean we can’t tailor our content for social media distribution, destined for different and variant outlets.
How have improvements in satellite connectivity changed the way you race and report, since your 2011 experience onboard the PUMA vessel? What, specifically with regards to the technology, has changed?
The 2011 race was almost 2 years but it’s amazing how much the technology has changed. Thanks to the improved performance of the [FleetBroadband] 250 there’s a much faster baseline of data communication, which keeps us in touch with the watch producers in Alicante who drive a lot of the content we produce. And then there’s also the bandwidth allowance, so there’s more of an opportunity to send off longer stories. Last race we were sort of handcuffed by bandwidth and the transition time of getting things from here to there. It’s opened up the possibilities for us on board. It makes telling the story a lot more difficult in some ways – no more excuses! We have more room to work with and be creative.
As a reporter, are you able to look up or research certain story elements while onboard for the daily boat blog, or is your scope of available information limited to yourself and the crew?
In 2011 it was a bit of an issue – we didn’t have the luxury of logging into Wikipedia or Google to do some research. We get to see some incredible things and it draws a lot of curiosity. So if we see a fish or a landmark, [the team in Alicante will] send back tons of information. Just last week we sailed the reverse route of Marco Polo. It was a story that we didn’t know anything about on board but after a simple request we found out all about Marco Polo. It makes the storytelling a lot easier.
Do you feel like you’re learning more?
Yes and no. The beauty of not having the network is, you do a lot of the work before. It becomes a fun project before you leave. But the beauty of learning as you go is, places you might have looked up before, you might not see them: it could be a coastline, current or something we see in the water. It’s an educational experience to have this resource the whole time with the watch producers in Alicante. The learning process is much more enjoyable.
We’ve read that the satellite phone came in handy when Team Vestas Wind hit the reef at the end of 2014, and your team was on standby for them. What did that entail, and what was that experience like for you and the crew?
The phone rang and I was the first one to it, and very quickly knew it was not a normal phone call. Race control from Spain was asking if we had talked to Vestas yet… We hadn’t, but it was clear from the tone that something was up. We almost instantly diverted to the reef, and by that time they were already ashore. We couldn’t get directly to them, which was disappointing for a lot of reasons… [but] maintained constant contact either through visual or radio. And all the while updating HQ in Spain, who were then sharing this info with the families. It was a 3-way triangle of communication.