“I came to a standstill for 5 hours solid, my sails flogging. The core of the zone of high pressure passed over the top of me. I found myself in no wind at all, rolling from left to right, trying to get the most out of the slightest zephyr in a bid to make headway. It feels as if the fact that I was managing to make headway at 1 knot had little to do with all my efforts, but rather the residual swell and the surface current. I’ve really slept very little, and when I do try to rest for a few minutes, your mind doesn’t switch off. It’s a lot easier to fall asleep in 40 knots. The mainsail flogs endlessly, which is very bad for the battens and the material. The headsail rubs against the stays and the spreaders and you really feel as if the gear is being massively fatigued with no gains at the end of it. This type of situation is always hard on the nerves. You think about the others who are in the process of making good their escape at high speed, which is even more trying than the fatigue. In this case you make yourself a coffee, you tell yourself there’s still a long way to go, and you get back to work on deck. Fortunately, if you can use such a word in this situation, at times like these, there is always a lot of work required to get the boat making headway. That stops any negative thoughts creeping in and when the wind kicks back in again, you are fiercely determined to try to make up your deficit.”
Dominique Wavre (Temenos) in his daily message

 

"So what has been happening on Bahrain Team Pindar over Saturday night, Sunday and Monday?  A couple of hairy hours after that the wind dropped down to 18-20 and things were back under control. The sun even came out for a very brief period before the mists descended once again. At this stage I saw about 400 metres away a whale’s tail go high in the air and disappear from sight, that’s all I saw of the whale but the tail was black and very large. I was hoping to see it again, but it must have been diving deep to search for a krill buffet. Later I came upon a white object in the water, I thought from a distance it was some flotsam, but it was a white albatross asleep on the seas, with his head on his wing, like a duck. I was going to pass it safely but I got to about 30 metres away when it woke with a start and took off into the wind, at the top of a wave, looking behind accusingly as I flashed past. There are so few vessels in this area, it may be the first time its sleep has ever been disturbed. What was surprising to me was how effortlessly it took off, it looked no harder than a herring gull taking to the air off a lamppost.  Today was fantastic spinnaker sailing in the Southern Ocean, seas quite flat and visibility 5 or 6 miles. Made a few gybes towards the ice gate and then the wind got too much for the spinnaker so now I have gone for a smaller sail, and gybed again. Although its 9 degrees outside it gets pretty warm doing some of these sail changes, and if you forget to take off at least a thermal layer, you end up absolutely dripping and spending time with no shirt on at all just to cool down. In the great conditions today did a thorough check over on the boat. All seems good, although that short wind instrument wand that had come loose, finally disappeared from the masthead last night. The electrical cable was the only thing holding up , it probably chafed through and down she came 30 metres to the deck."
Brian Thompson (Bahrain team Pindar) in his daily log

 

In his latest video, Rich Wilson crosses the longitude of 0° and moves into the Eastern Hemisphere.  To watch this video, just click here and select Great America III.

 

Dee Caffari (Aviva) celebrated her Mum's birthday and the crossing of the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope today:
"I enjoyed a champagne breakfast onboard Aviva as we crossed the line of longitude for the Cape Of Good Hope. We are now in the Indian Ocean and our next milestone will be the next Ice Gate. Light winds slowed the progress to the first of the three great capes and a calm night gave way to some great sleep. I am pleased to say that the breeze has now started to return so progress can be made and hopefully I have not lost too many miles to the fleet as I enjoyed the sleep and the champagne. I also toasted my Mum for her birthday as I popped the cork."

"After the video transmission worked so well today, I was really motivated and just went for it: Sealed the deck house, checked the tension in the the steering lines and the drive belt, sealed the hatch at the front, tidied the cockpit, Sliced some bread, processed photos and video clips…It is simply unbelievable how sensitive I am now, after just 4 weeks.  On the one hand I have tears in my eyes when I read that Unai had dropped out.  Yet, I know only too well how he must be feeling. There are still 590 nm to the first gate, roughly 1300 nm to the Cape of Good Hope.  That should mean a reason to celebrate next weekend – big time!  Now I have the winter things on as well, as my ears were cold for the first time today."
Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch) in his daily log

 

"A very slow night on the good ship Algimouss Spirit of Canada. I think that I have sailed just a little too close to the St. Helena High, the second time I have made this mistake. The highway corridor of wind that made us look so good for the past week has now been officially closed and now we pay the toll. The only real consolation is that the mid fleet is slow as well in parts and are not getting away as much as I expected. I probably have another 20 hours of the light airs and then will pick up speed a bit more towards the east and the next gate. I have officially complied with the first gate having passed north of the west end of the line. Now I can start to think of the next one. I've always said that slow sailing is more stressful than lots of wind and generally that is very true. The frustration level goes through the roof and the time starts to go slowly as well."
Derek Hatfield (Algimouss-Spirit of Canada) in his daily message