Vendée Globe

December 10. 2008 at 13:50Séb Josse on a massive dinghy

"I've been flying for the past two hours, I'm sometimes over 25 knots with a reef  in the main and the reacher! It's great, there's no strain on the boat as the seas are flat, it's very stable and with the aft ballast full the bow is out of the water, I'm just like on a massive dinghy. Tactically, the Kerguelen passage is pretty much a no-brainer, it will only be a matter of keeping the speed up. We're looking at a straight line, and the next objective is to go and catch the shift to the north - west in order to aim at the Australian Ice Gate. That passage could be tricky and things might happen then, but it's a bit early to be too specific."
Sébastien Josse talking to his shore team this lunchtime

 

December 10. 2008 at 11:48What to wear

"After the ‘Moon Boots’ episode yesterday, today is ‘Fashion is Southern Ocean headgear’. I have a favourite oilskin top from last year, which I love and wear all the time. The trouble is, I broke the neck seal in it a couple of weeks ago, so it is no longer waterproof. So, now my best option for on deck manoeuvres is a simple drysuit top, great because it’s light and quick to put on. The trouble is that it has no hood, meaning my hat, which has become compulsory on deck due to the cold, and consequently my hair gets wet. I have been fed up with putting my hat in the engine to dry each time I come in from on deck, so I had a brilliant idea: I’ll make a waterproof balaclava!  So, out of the highest quality Ziploc, re-inforced with duck-tape, I have made myself a fantastic waterproof balaclava!  I reckon that any chances of Roxy offering me a job as a designer on return from this race have now gone out of the window.  Anyway, staying dry is so important out here that I am willing to risk a heavy fine from the Fashion Police. I already noticed that the Abatrosses were giving me very strange looks yesterday as I pottered around on deck with a plastic bag on my head!"

Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message

 

December 10. 2008 at 08:58Shortbread treat for Dee

"Boy is it cold. This south westerly air flow comes from Antarctica and it is bitterly cold. My extremities are like icicles. I have piled the layers on now and look forward to running the generator as it adds a little heat. Today was exciting as it was a new food bag day. I packed my food into ten day bags and to open a new bag it always a treat, as I can't help but eat my favourites first so the last few days are always the boring food. Now I am back to treats again. One treat that I have not been without for big offshore events, ever since my first transatlantic when I worked for Mike Golding, is Mummy Tourell's homemade shortbread. I have saved my box until the south but I have to admit it is disappearing pretty quickly. I was sure I could have a piece everyday in the south but I have been incapable of eating just one piece. It is too yummy!"
Dee Caffari (Aviva) in her daily message

 

December 10. 2008 at 07:48Shades of grey

"It's grey from morning to night.  Light or dark grey. It's all a question of the shade. On top of that it's freezing with the water around 5° and the air between 1 and 6° yesterday.  Great!!  Mustn't grumble. It was advertised to be like this.  We put up with he balaclava, the big collar even if it's not very sexy.  But we're not here to seduce anyone, are we? Some people dream of the sunshine when they're in the Vendée Globe.  I'm dreaming of fine sandy beaches, palm trees and warm water.   Going to pull the duvet up another 20 centimetres and get myself a little grog."
Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia)in his daily message

 

December 10. 2008 at 07:142 English girls to take care of

"Hi, After a few headsail changes yesterday and a big gennaker rolled up like a potato, I put up the smaller gennaker, which is easier to handle.  That seems to be the solution with the cold I can feel here.  It's very damp.  A chilly or even cold night with the radar on around 3 to reassure me.  The sun has come to warm up my veranda now.  About time too.  I've now got two English girls to take care of..."

Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas)in his daily message

December 10. 2008 at 06:50A busy night for Bernard

"Hi, Had a bad night.  Had problems unhooking the headsail, so was stuck for several hours with too small a sail, so poor speed and probably a poor course too. At dawn, I was able to solve the problem, but that meant I didn't get any rest and that affects decision-taking.  Pity, because the weather is good and normally the night should have gone smoothly. It's all part of the race.  Now I'm going to have to find the time to get some rest without affecting the boat's progress. So that's what's going on this morning.  I'm going to get something to eat and then I'll feel better."
Bernard Stamm( Chéminées Poujoulat) in his daily message

 

December 10. 2008 at 06:33Keep cool and remain cautious

"Yesterday, I was very motivated and settled down to some work: making the coach roof and portholes watertight, tidying up the cockpit, taking photos and filming…Today was a dream day for sailing, except there isn't much wind. About an hour ago, I changed tack and I'm now heading east towards the gate, some 280 miles ahead. Dinelli is only a few miles ahead of me.  Maybe I shall benefit from a  better position – further south – but that's not the priority.  What really counts is sailing safely, and trying to keep up with the other sailors. There's a long way to go to Cape Horn and this is not a week-end's sailing. I let my attention drift and the keel ram got stuck. I managed to sort it out, but it just shows how careful we need to be.  Keep cool and pay attention."

Norbert Sedlacek, Nauticsport-Kapsch, in his night message

 

December 09. 2008 at 20:05Greatest distance over 24 hours

Today, Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) once again clocked up the greatest distance in the fleet over 24 hours.  Currently in 14th place, 560 miles from the leader, between yesterday evening and the latest rankings issued at 20h, he covered 408.9 miles towards the finish.

 

December 09. 2008 at 19:52High speeds for Dominique

This morning Dominique Wavre (Temenos) announced that the wind had returned.  It was to strengthen and become steady during the afternoon, allowing him to achieve the best speeds in the fleet late this afternoon (averaging 18.1 knots over 4 hours), as he explained to his shore team:  "It’s pretty sporty. I’m getting shaken about every which way. It’s good to see the speedo climbing; it’s felt like a kind of revenge over the past 24 hours. I’m going to try to rest a little because in the cold conditions, you have to be careful that you don’t try too hard. I’m at the chart table at the moment with the duvet rolled around me and the pilot remote in my hand. The sun has begun to set so I’ll make the most of it to top up on calories again. I had a little ray of sunshine between two squalls during the afternoon. That only lasted quarter of an hour though, so there was only just enough time to get out the camera before the greyness took the upper hand again. The wind changes according to the passage of squalls. I had up to 28 knots and the rest of the time it varied between 20 and 25 knots. I am focussed on the trimming and I regularly go up top to ease or harden the sheets an umpteenth time."

 

December 09. 2008 at 18:19Antarctic prions

"Heading now on an easterly course towards Marion and Prince Edward Island, but later tonight the wind will start to shift into the west and I will start to arc more SE before gybing tomorrow towards the Kerguelen Islands. I am happy to be slightly north of where the routing software is guiding me, to give me room to manoeuvre round a forecast low in 6 days, and to stay in 25-30 knot winds rather than 30-35. It seems faster in those conditions, although the weather routing always takes you south here and into the strongest possible winds – which is often slower due to the sea state,  as the software doesn't have to go on deck! Been followed by lots of tern sized birds for the last few days, and I got my Antarctic wildlife book out today. They are called Prions, and they are a grey colour with V shaped markings on the their wings. They seem to be my most loyal visitors at present. There are numerous types of Prions and even experts can have trouble telling them apart so, Prions will have to do.."

Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) in his daily message