Suffering some horrendous conditions over the past 4 days, Armel Le Cléac’h did not ease of during the night and is on the final stretch to les Sables d’Olonne. Initially expected at around 10h00 GMT he is now due to cross the line at around 08h00 in spite of damage to his mainsail car. The media and spectator boats are heading out now to meet Armel Le Cleach who is around one hour from the finish line. It is a grey dawn before the sun has risen yet but the skies are clearing with high puffy clouds, signalling it should be pleasant weather. So far it is business as usual on the canal side, just a few people out, Breeze is westerly at 15-18 knots just outside the harbour. Sea is a long, gentle swell with a little choppy surface.

“Well, my fears have been confirmed, that my Easterly option is not the best one! Since making the decision, when the forecasts showed I would get around the high to the East, the high pressure decided otherwise, stretching out East quickly, and, already committed, my only option was to pass under it and accept the consequences to get as quickly as possible into the Westerly winds! So last night Roxy and I have been "parked up" as the high passes over. It is very very frustrating, but as it is a consequence of my decision, I must deal with it! I had been hoping for a little zephyr to keep moving with, but no luck! Fortunately there have been a lot of little jobs and checks to do before the final sprint downwind to Les Sables, so I kept myself busy yesterday afternoon and now Roxy is ready for the fun downhill ride! I have managed to get some sleep too, which is not easy when there is no wind! Now the first puffs of wind are coming back and I am ready for a hard morning of "wind catching" as we continue the painfully slow progression towards the breeze. As I said, this one's a lesson I'm learning the hard way, and I keep “apologising to Roxy for having slowed her down unneccessarily!”
Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message
 

Armel Le Cléac’h has accelerated this morning and is ahead of his ETA. It now looks like he will be crossing the finishing line between 08h00 and 08h30 GMT after 89 days and around 20 hours at sea.

In the 04h00 rankings, Marc Guillemot was sailing at more than 15.5 knots, while Samantha Davies was stopped in the high at 1.1 knots! In under 24 hours Marco has won back 260 miles and was only 0.5 miles behind Sam in terms of distance to the finish!

"This bit of the ocean is to all appearances as close to a desert as I would ever have thought it was possible to get. I don't think I have ever sailed so far or for so long with the same sails up. The days are the same; the sunrises and sunsets are seemingly instant - they and very brightly coloured but only ever for a very few minutes; the afternoon squall clouds disappear after sundown to be replaced with the most staggering display from the stars which stretch uninterrupted from a finger above the horizon in all directions, the Milky Way visible clearly and the occasional shooting star topping off a spectacle that you can enjoy for hours whilst sitting in the cockpit in the warm, steady night time breeze, even in the early hours. When the sun comes up the heat is switched back on instantly and it becomes an oven on deck and a sweatbox downstairs, making it difficult to eat or sleep. Then, after lunch the squalls develop and keep you occupied until dark - and so passes each day.

There is, I expect, a lot going on that I don't see - sometimes the water boils as something or things that eat flying fish coral them near the surface and create a mass flypast. It is interesting to watch a large number all fly at once, some fly until they are almost out of sight, perhaps quarter of a mile, and others not so far. I thought to start with that natural selection must favour those that fly furthest, but then if you think about it they are a long way away from what was chasing them that is true, but they plop back into the water and .......no mates! They are alone, which must be a bit disconcerting for a creature who's best chance is in a school. That would make an interesting study to occupy a lifetime for some bearded biologist, are long, short or average distance fliers most favoured by natural selection?

Talking of beards, I got rid of mine again yesterday, and in doing so looked in the mirror which is an unusual event for me either here or at home - I look like a real muppet as I am badly in need of a haircut! .It is curling behind my ears like some bad 1980's footballer and the top blows in my eyes too, something it hasn't been long enough to do for over ten years, but I am forbidden by Kim from doing another DIY haircut after the last one, or I would get rid of the lot - it is pretty hot under here, but not through brain activity! I am under strict instructions to wear a hat upon my arrival!"

Steve White (Toe in the Water) in his daily message

Well, now there is less than a week to go to the finish, and I am starting
to get excited.... but there are a lot of things I will miss:

Things I will miss:
- sunsets and sunrises
- peace and quiet (no mobile phone)
- private "i-pod karaoke" moments
- being able to eat chocolate whenever I want
- the vacation radio
- the dolphins
- not having to brush my hair every day
- the stars and the moon

Things I won't miss!
- the "bucket"
- bailing out bilges
- stacking

Things I'm looking forward to:
- my "cheri"
- my cats!
- fresh fruit
- a cold beer
- a hot shower
- drinking tea out of a real mug (with a handle)