Vendée Globe

December 31. 2008 at 06:24Sam's brains

"Did you know that offshore sailors (maybe everyone) actually have two brains? Well, we do! One is a clever brain, that makes all the right decisions, is sensible, tidy, rational and patient; the other is the "stupid brain" that makes silly mistakes, and generally tries to create havoc! Normally, we exist with the two brains in "synch" and fortunately the clever brain seems to keep the stupid brain in check most of the time! There are, however, small flaws that can cause "hiccups" if not best avoided. The clever brain is not perfect, and it is certainly not a "morning" brain! It takes a lot of time to wake up and get functioning. Unfortunately, on wake up, the stupid brain is up and running at 100% in a matter of seconds. This stupid brain then tries to persuade you that it is your clever brain so it can get control.....Obviously, lacking the clever brain, (who has pressed "snooze" on its alarm several times by now) you are unable to analyse which brain is in action, and that is where potential disasters can happen! Thus, the moral of the story is - when you wake up after a little sleep beware of the stupid brain, and wait a bit before trying to do something complicated or making a tactical decision, to give the clever brain time to get going!Just this morning, I made the error of listening to my stupid brain and I gybed too early! How annoying is that? It's been a long time since I fell into this trap. And if you ever hear me talking rubbish on the "vacation radio" you now know that it is probably because I've just woken up and its my stupid brain talking, not the clever one, so just ignore me!"
Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message
 

December 30. 2008 at 20:05Greatest distance over 24 hours

Over the past 24 hours, Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) currently in the lead, 9158.2 miles from the finish, sailed the greatest distance towards the finish. Between 19h yesterday and this evening, he covered 399.4 miles
 

December 30. 2008 at 15:56For your gifts, think Vendée Globe

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December 30. 2008 at 14:26Yesterday once more

"I have checked my watch and then checked it again as I am now confused. In the early hours of this morning I crossed the date line and now sail in a westerly longitude that is decreasing. This now means that it is yesterday once more. After sailing across the date line three times now in the last four years, it is great to finally get a day back in my life again. If you are confused, don't be. It is a little complicated so to avoid any time calculations I keep Aviva in UTC so my time is the same as at home. This makes life easy for weather files and communications; however it really does confuse the stomach as to what meal it should be consuming. The Pacific has so far been kind with smoother seas and fair winds but not very nice weather to match. I have spent lots of time in mist and fog and general drizzle which emphasises the greyness of the Southern Ocean. I am slowly making my way towards the next ice gate that should be my New Year’s present to myself."
Dee Caffari (Aviva) in her daily message
 

December 30. 2008 at 13:59And then there were three...

Loïck Peyron is due to reach Fremantle tonight at the end of his long voyage under jury rig aboard Gitana Eighty. It will have taken him three weeks to cross the Indian Ocean since his boat was dismasted and he was forced to retire from the race. On his arrival he will be assisted by Dominique Wavre and Mike Golding's team, as Ecover 3 and Temenos II are already moored in Fremantle. In mid-January, Gitana 80 is due to be transported back to Europe aboard a container vessel, but Loïck will only be spending a few hours in Australia before flying back to France.
 

December 30. 2008 at 09:26Rich past the East Australia Gate

"The gales, the lows that have crushed us for a week are gone for now, which sounds as though we must be mightily relieved, and we are, except for what has happened in the aftermath. Not quite fetching the west end of the east Australian ice gate, I gybed last night north east, to get to more wind on the grib file. The file showed a little wave, a smaller front, that would roll through in the night. It had 15-20 knots of wind. That was in the computer file. On deck, we had a series of squalls in the high 30s, then in the high 40s, seeing 48 knots in 3 different squalls. Between these, the wind would drop to 12 knots. What to do with the sails? Go up tentatively, and come down in a panic. At one point, I went from 2 reefs to 3 and rolled the solent entirely with the biggest blackest cloud in the book about a half mile astern and coming fast. Finally, with 3 reefs and no jib, I trusted the pilot and climbed into the sleeping bag, there was nothing I could do on deck to stabilize this weather or our sailing, so might as well try to rest rather than exhaust myself. Finally it has stabilized at 25+/- and we're moving with solent and two reefs, still a bit tentative. A milestone today, we passed the west end of the east Australian ice gate, so one more mark checked off."
Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his daily message
 

December 30. 2008 at 07:48The Doors and the Gates

"Good morning or good evening, depending on where you are. I've made it to 179 W.  The wind shifted, as forecast, making it a little more difficult since this morning. Listening to the Doors and thinking of the next Pacific Gates.   I force myself to carry out a tour of inspection each day both on the deck and down below. Problems happen so suddenly.  I just found a packet of cake I had lost. I also discovered I have some presents for the New Year.  Father Christmas was really generous this year!"
Arnaud Boissières (Akéna Vérandas)in his daily message
 

December 30. 2008 at 06:30What a difference a day makes

"What a difference a day makes, it is really incredible. The wind has eased, and this mornings big squalls have been replaced with a gentle eighteen to twenty knots of breeze which is giving us a broad reach in beautiful sunshine with not a cloud in site - not one! It is incredibly bright outside and the sea is a rich mid blue flecked with small amounts of white here and there, the albatross look like they have been freshly bleached and positively shine. It is like I have rediscovered colour after days of grey - the red of the mainsheet and the yellow of the little tracker beacon lashed to the back of the boat are vivid as if seen as if through new eyes. I have been on deck for the first time in as long as I can remember without oilskins and not got soaked. I had one of the last tortelinis with two pots of tomato sauce and some of the cheddar grated on top, and a slice of bread, which is vacuum packed.   I finished up with a couple of satsumas, I have hardly any of those left now, and as the fridge (cockpit) is warming up they won't last long now. Suitably fortified I am now ready for anything. Now we are at the half way point it is strange to begin to see how things have been used up. I have used one of the big tanks of diesel, and I have one left and a full day tank with another eighty eight litres in it, so we should be fine. Most of the freeze dried main meals I like have gone too, and I am left with lots of rice dishes - I am not a good vegetarian and not that keen on rice! The wind is forecast to ease further, and I am going to take advantage of this and do some mending! The gooseneck and the generator namely, but in the meantime I am going to enjoy the sunshine and waste some diesel on listening to the stereo much too loudly!"
Steve White (Toe in the Water) in his daily message
 

December 29. 2008 at 20:34A busy night for Sam

"Just as I was contemplating my sleeping bag, there was a loud bang as Roxy hit something small, but solid. I know the sound and recognised that my rudder had popped up on the impact (to save itself) so I rushed on deck to make sure it was out of the water. It was the leeward rudder that had ejected, so now Roxy was careering dangerously all over the ocean as Chuck (the pilot) desperately tried to control us with the remaining rudder, which was only half in the water half of the time. To avoid all sort of wipeout I quickly dropped 3 reefs into the main and rolled the solent. Then I started on the rudder. It has a nice "war wound" to show for the impact, but nothing serious. Unfortunately it was the rudder that I have already repaired, so I had to do some un-bolting and 'DIY' before I could put a new fuse in and put the rudder back down. This took a little while, and the usual dunking in the back of the boat with my head underwater as the waves break into my workspace whilst I re-bolted the thing back together! All in 25knots of wind and the pitch black, of course. By this time, the wind shift I was waiting for had materialised and so I needed to gybe,  This was concluded with the shaking of two of the three reefs I had hastily put into the main earlier. By this time you can imagine how tired, hot and sweaty I was. But the wind was dropping, less than 25 knots and I needed Genevieve, the big gennaker. I considered my state of fatigue (very) and the fact that it was still quite "fruity" for the installation of Genevieve and decided that a couple of hours sleep would put me in better (and safer) form for the manoeuvre! So, I treated myself to the rest, and now Genevieve is in place, and ROXY is rocketing along - her old self again!"
Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message
 

December 29. 2008 at 20:05Greatest distance over 24 hours

Over the past 24 hours, Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) currently in the lead, 9558.6 miles from the finish, sailed the greatest distance towards the finish. Between 19h yesterday and this evening, he covered 398.6 miles