"Yesterday I lost one of my slip-ons and my feet are pretty unhappy, as I'm going to have to do the rest of the round the world voyage in my boots and socks.  This evening I had to put a fleece on, proving that the Caribbean is behind us and that our route south since the Equator is taking us closer to the southern highway. I caught sight of Bilou with the binoculars and called him up.  He seems to be in fine form. He even saw an albatross, which was somehow lost up here.  A clear sign that the gateway to the south is just on the other side of the high...  "

Yann Eliès (Générali) in his early morning message.

 

After Derek Hatfield during the evening, the youngest competitor in the race,  Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (Groupe Maisonneuve) crossed the Equator at around 6h15 this morning, meaning that all of those taking part in the race are now in the southern hemisphere.

Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) in his daily log yesterday evening talking about seeing an Arctic Tern, a bird known for covering huge distances around the world from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back.
"Had a call from my current neighbour, Dominic Wavre on Temenos, and it was great to chat as we voyage these waters together. He is also rested and is working on his boat. He is hopeful of catching some miles on the leaders over the next few days, and I am all for that! Passed by Trindade Island and saw it for the first time. Lots of sea birds came out for a look at the big blue Bahrain Team Pindar and I was sure that I saw an Arctic Tern amongst the other birds. Away from the island no birds, but still the occasional splash as another flying fish launches itself out of the water to skip away across the waves to land up to a hundred metres from its take off point. Cabin temp now 29 degrees and water temp 22.7°, It is noticeably cooler now. The days are growing noticeably longer now as well."

"There's something else that changes, when you are in the south and it happens as soon as you cross the Equator. Coriolis has turned around. Having said that, I'm wondering whether he actually exists here, as it has been six days we've had wind from the same direction.  South Africa must be emptying itself and Copacabana filling up.  The itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny bikinis must be flying off. As if they needed any wind down there to get them off....Something crazy is happening at the front of the fleet, leading them to change tack to take advantage of a pressure gradient  to get in the miles to the east, and the troops are spreading out? Those of us poor guys following on behind a few gybes behind, can only continue southwards, still heeled over."  Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia)

 

At 21h42 yesterday evening, Derek Hatfield crossed the imaginary line that is the equator.  There were no celebrations this time, as he was busy trying to make the boat go faster. This was his fifth crossing, the third in this boat.  Derek is fighting to stay in front of Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty,  who is now only about 30 miles behind him and the winds have not been kind, so he is working hard to keep ahead.

 

"I'm at 60 degrees to the wind and am sailing at 11 or 12 knots hugging the wind to move towards the east...It is reassuring (to be in close contact) for two reasons; Firstly, that creates an emulation allowing you to get 100% out of the boat, and to adapt your performance to those of the others and it is also  reassuring to see all these exceptional sailors sharing more or less the same analysis as far as their trajectory and strategy are concerned..."  Yann Eliès (Générali) yesterday evening