After two months of work in the yard in Les Sables d’Olonne to get the boat back in shape after she was dismasted the day after the start, Kito de Pavant is going to be getting back together with his red monohull to prepare the 2009 season. The boat left Les Sables d’Olonne by road on Tuesday evening to be transported to the Mediterranean.
 

"Tried the storm jib when it got dark last night, but slowed the boat from 10.5 to 7.5 knots, more than even I could accept and I'm very conservative, so went back to staysail. Staysail is too big on the boat, need one smaller as there is too big of a gap between it and storm jib. In front part of new low being spun off of the main low. The forecast seems to change relatively significantly each iteration. Had 2 naps just now, about 1 hour each, last one seemed like 10 minutes. I don't feel very calm right now, very tense and stressful, a lot of load on the boat, and I'm very alone down here in the south and in the middle. Trying to be very careful with everything."
Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his daily message

"Well, yesterday evening was hard work! I was just thinking that now the upwind work has started, things will become quieter - I may even get bored.... That was a mistake to think that, because just as I picked up my book, Roxy lurched and slowed instantly from 10 to 8 knots.... So, I got out my endoscope to inspect what "cling-ons" we had picked up, and discovered that we had been attacked by a forest of giant Kelp! I spent an hour doing back downs (after four years of Figaro I'm good at that) but to no avail. The kelp was probably as long as Roxy as the branches trailed beyond the transom (from around the keel!) I managed to wrestle a bit of it off with the boathook and my hands (disgusting!) So, I realised that I may have to take an earlier bath than planned to free us from our "cling-on"! I stopped Roxy by dropping all the sails - the first time since the two months of the race that Roxy has stopped! I waited to see if this would clear the kelp and had another look with the endoscope - Yes! The forest has gone - thank goodness - no swimming for me today. So, after a lot of exercise (and 2 hours of down-time), I got Roxy up and running again - kelp-free and 2 knots faster! I was totally knackered, I managed to eat an 800 calorie meal, a bar of chocolate and drink pretty much an entire bottle of water! Hopefully today I will not have so many adventures - in fact I am actually quite looking forward to being bored..."
Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message
 

"Tell me if you've had enough of my sunsets. I never grow tired of them. It's a better sight than the wall of the block of flats across the road from your foot square bathroom window. This is the view I get from my office, kitchen, bathroom, down below. I've taken a lot of photos, but you never really get everything you would like to show. Not feeling inspired this morning. My inspiration has gone on holiday with the Vendée Globe not yet over, with me heeled over for now and for the next few days and I feel like I've been left in the lurch."
Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia)in his daily message
 

"I had got everything as prepared as possible yesterday for the impending gale, down to making sure I had torches and knives in my pockets in case we got rolled over. In speaking with Dee behind me I knew that the wind was rising rapidly for her, and she was getting 45 to 60 knots and it was still increasing. A nervous couple of hours, until the wind actually reaches you and then you are fine and dealing with it. The anticipation is often worse than the reality, or at least this time it was. In fact, going on deck and steering the boat through the big swells was really exhilarating today, at times like snowboarding a 60 foot board through undulating soft powder. I also had over 60 knots at times, but mostly 45-55 knots. Seas grew all night, but the boat handled it well under 4 reefs and the storm jib, with some ballast in. I did not have the keel fully canted, to give more stability at higher heel angles. I tried to position myself to miss the worst of the forecast wind, by staying a little to the north and east, without running into the Andes. Am now just less than 100 miles from the coast so will gybe shortly to get southwards and lined up for an approach to the Horn from the West. Just over a day away from the Horn now, and that should have been the last gale till I am through into the Atlantic, otherwise should be a mere 25-35 knots."
Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) in his daily message during the night
 

"Rough seas this morning. The "shell" (the Fleet 77 dome) has joined King Jean's bulb. The seas were huge with strong winds (peak speed 62 knots). Either you are under reduced sail and you just put up with it or you try to sail normally. I chose the second solution surfing along at 30.5 knots; it didn't get me very far, as the boat was hit by a wave on the beam and I heard a cracking sound (the Fleet antenna). The boat was knocked down and everything went flying in the boat. A few little knocks and a very worrying time. I put on my dry suit and that was just as well. Now I'm recharging the batteries until I reach the Cape. The Cape is a reward for hard work! The sun is out and I'm not unhappy about that."
Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas) in his daily message