Marc Guillemot has tried to throw some bottles of water, medicine and food to Yann Eliès (Générali).  Some amazing pictures can be seen on a video sent back by the skipper of Safran. Click here to view this latest film.

 

"When the news came through yesterday my immediate thought was ‘oh no not another one.’ It makes me focus on survival. I just need to survive.  My biggest fear is illness or injury and Yann’s thigh bone break is one of the most extreme types of injury you can get. I can’t imagine how he must be feeling or what the hell he is going to do.  If that happened to me, I would have similar problems in reaching for the painkillers in the medical kit. These kits are heavy and they have to go somewhere – you can’t just leave them lying around. Mine is stacked on the shelf but it is not easy to get to. He is not even mobile enough to get a bag of stuff together for when he is lifted off. So that started me thinking about what stuff I would take if I had to be lifted off like that.  And what happens to the boat? It is a perfectly good boat – nothing wrong with it but it’s not like you can drop someone off on board and ask them to sail it back for you. And he’s not going to be able to get back out there and sail it back because he’s going to be in hospital for a while.  Everyone else has had a trauma or a problem that is manageable but to have an injury like that is heartbreaking. He has no option but to get off the boat and that is the most difficult thing of all."

Dee Caffari (Aviva) in her daily message

 

"Today is an unusual day in the south -  wonderful blue skies, sea birds, a light westerly and occasional snow and sleet showers.  Fortunately we can see them coming on the radar, when it is working properly: Prudence remains the watchword to ensure the mast remains up.  In fact, there can be short, violent stormy gusts in these squalls, even if with their rain, snow and ice they appear harmless."
Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch) in his daily blog

 

"I am torn between racing to Yann at a breakneck speed and not pushing too hard to risk damage to myself or Roxy. I know I must be sensible, and get some rest en route so that if I am needed I will be on form. I'm ready to do anything to help, as I’m sure any of the other skippers in this race would be.  The trouble is, as Yann cannot move and we are alone on our boats in quite big seas, there is little we can do other than offer company and moral support as we await the rescue. We are, of course, also on stand by to help if ever Yann’s condition were to deteriorate. I feel for Marc on Safran right now - being so close to a friend who is suffering so much, but feeling almost useless, is a tough situation to be in. At least Yann can now hear a friendly voice nearby which must be comforting and reassuring.  My thoughts go out to Yann’s wife Soizig and their family, who must be extremely worried to hear that their loved one is in trouble so far away from home.  Thankfully, soon he will be in very good care."
Sam Davies (Roxy) in a message sent this morning.

"Off the Kerguelen Plateau at long last, seas much smoother. Mini-front came through last night with wind shift. Wind dropped to 15 knots from 25/30 knots, had 3rd reef and staysail, rolled staysail to make gybe easier if we had strong gusts, then never did. But I remember distinctly in my study with Jean-Yves Bernot in the summer, he said "do not take Indian Ocean fronts lightly." So I didn't, gybed the 3rd reef, went along for a while awaiting a blast, and this time didn't get it, the text report had suggested perhaps gusts to 55/65 S of 46S, where we were, but didn't materialize. Set staysail, curled up at nav station to let weather settle before adding sail area, woke up 4 hours later doing 7 knots! Then set 2nd reef, then solent, then 1st reef, and now we're on the move again, wind at 20, boatspeed at 12+. A bit later, our GPS trip log turned over to a magical 10,000 nautical miles sailed since the start, average speed 10.5 knots.  Had a nice chat with Jonny Malbon on the Iridium last night before the front, he was kind enough to call, he fixed his desalinator which is a good repair, and is making good speed now. Good to talk, especially with what happened to Yann yesterday."
Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his daily message.

 

"Hi there, I lost some time this morning changing a batten, which broke, when the boat broached during the night. The boat went over on her side, but managed to right herself. Luckily I was out side at that moment and managed to grab the helm. Just one broken batten, which isn't too bad.  I lost twenty minutes, but I wanted to go out to the end of the boom and needed to be secured to do that in these seas, which made it difficult.  A solar panel also got ripped off the deck. I'm thinking of Yann.  After this action-packed morning, it's time to get some rest in my veranda sheltering from this bad-tempered Indian. "

Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas)