Mike Golding told his support team about his mast climb yesterday: 

"The conditions were enough to keep the boat going and I had been  waiting for the chance to be able to climb the rig without stopping the boat.  The wand itself was fine, it was just everything that it sits in that had broken off the rig.  It was not an easy task as the problem with self climbing is that it is difficult to get high enough, so I was having to work over my head."

 "I finally managed to remove the carbon piece, which was quite big about 200x200mm, as I didn't want it to stay there and potentially   fall into the rig and start chafing halyards etc, so I brought the  whole thing down."

"The other two forward facing wands are OK and I still have my  windgear, so I can count my blessings," .

 "I am annoyed that I have lost a bit of ground on the boats around  me, but I hope that I have now found the right balance and am back on it now.  I am struggling between the gennaker and the spinnaker   and am trying to work out why everyone seems to be going into the Cape Verde Islands.  I want to try and get to the right hand side of everyone as I'm having to deviate from my routing to get round the islands."

"For the moment I'm just pleased to be making quick headway towards the south. It's not easy to identify the best way to pass the Cape Verde Islands, which lie straight ahead. I don't yet know what I'll do. The timing is also significant as conditions vary considerably between day and night. I'll be doing it by day, while the three leaders will tackle it earlier during the night. One thing is certain. We're going to have to head off westwards to get through the Doldrums. There is no miracle solution."
Vincent Riou (PRB)
 

"It's all gone so quickly...I've completely lost track of time...So we're Sunday today, are we? For me there are no more days or weeks.. The days simply tick by with the arrival of each new weather chart and the scheds."  Yann Eliès (Générali)

Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (Maisonneuve) left the Vendée Globe pontoon at 16h47. Maisonneuve crossed the start line at 17h17'33". Light 6-knot NNE'ly wind and flat calm sea. Jean-Baptiste is sailing off to Cape Finisterre under gennaker and full mainsail. 

"A Sunday out on the veranda (Akena for those, who don't understand).  During the gales, I broke my windvane, so I've just replaced it and it works.  I'm pleased my student friend (Fred ) came and explained to me with a (climbing) demonstration and gave me the equipment.  So I carried out  a check-up while I was up there.  Guillaume (one of the support team) had me down to go up twice during the round the world voyage: so that's one down!  Once I was up there, I had a great view, but I couldn't wait to get back down." Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas)

 

"The important thing is to be in the right pack, the actual positioning is less an issue. It's very satisfying to have sailed well, to have taken the right options. Then again, it's not like we have been the first ones to enter the Southern Ocean.  The Doldrums still have to be crossed and that could wipe out our lead.  The passage through the Cape Verde Islands is another story.  There are several ways in and out, so  it's an interesting tactical moment."  Sébastien Josse (BT).