Racing yachts get warning: icebergs ahead

 All nine boats, which set sail Sunday from Annapolis, Md., were heading north in an attempt to avoid the top of a high pressure system. In their path was the threat of ice and dense fog, according to a warning from the International Ice Patrol. 

 "There is a danger that ice will extend into the area that the fleet will traverse over the next couple of days," said U.S. Coast Guard commander Stephen Sielbeck. "The current that the icebergs are in moves south very quickly, and so the warning area will move in a southern direction. There are a lot of icebergs that have until now been constrained by pack ice which is now on the move." 

 Radar can normally alert yachts to large icebergs, but not smaller chunks of ice that sailors call "growlers." 

 "The real danger is the combination of very dense fog and growlers," said Ken Campbell, race official at Commanders' Weather, which provides weather services to the yacht Swedish Match. 

 "But we always understood we were running the risk of ice, regardless of where the race committee sets its northerly waypoint." 

 The New Zealand yacht Merit Cup held the lead just after dawn Friday, six nautical miles ahead of Toshiba, and 27 miles in front of Innovation Kvaerner. 

 Furthest north was EF Language, which is running a tight course between icebergs to the north and uncooperative winds to the south east.