Bulletin: 15th December 2007

The magic of the deep South according to Michèle

Since yesterday, the threat of ice is no longer an idle fancy, for the two co-skippers of Virbac-Paprec 2, the danger has become a reality with the oppressive proximity of an iceberg. Having climbed up to 50 degrees South, this risk has lessened over the past couple of days for Michèle and Dominique. TEMENOS II is currently making headway in an easing air flow, not exceeding 20 knots. In these wind conditions, the two co-skippers will be regretting their inability to use their gennaker. On the other hand, the living conditions should have improved, so this bodes well given that in 2 or 3 days time gales are set to sweep across the fleet.

In a message sent overnight, Michèle shared with us a little of the magic she was discovering in the deep South

"Tiptoeing into the deep South a few days ago, I realise today that I’ll leave the area in the same way, with the same humility, without even having dared to put my heels down...

It’s a wild and fascinating world, the deep South has been forced upon me with even more strength than during my previous passages, why? The ultra-powerful boat? The reduced crew? Everything is very different today. At the time we were passionate, enthusiastic girls, we had only just begun to realise the scale of our challenge the day before the start, when people came to say goodbye to us a little like they were saying farewell.

Here the wind is heavy and unwieldy. It manages to make you forget that you have 4 layers of fleeces on when you go out on deck. The cold forms part of our daily life, pain and fear too sometimes, but complaining about it doesn't even cross your mind, not for a second, that's the magic of this place.

I realise that these years of preparing boats prevents me sometimes from benefiting from the here and now. I spend a lot of time ready to pounce, trying to detect problems, anticipate them, to the point where, actually they don't yet exist! Even off watch, once I'm under the duvet, when resting should be my priority, my mind continues to spin, creating jobs lists for the following watches; it’s endless! I envy Dom, who doesn’t wonder about all these questions.

I’ll have to leave you as a 'little' manoeuvre with my favourite co-skipper awaits me on deck.

Speak to you soon

Michèle aboard TEMENOS II"

Ranking 11:00
Rk	Boat	Dist to lead	Latitude	Longitude	Average speed
1	PAPREC-VIRBAC 2	0,0	52 23.01' S	95 08.21' E	15
2	HUGO BOSS	121,5	51 16.39' S	91 00.45' E	14,7
3	VEOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT	838,3	49 03.44' S	72 12.59' E	11,6
4	TEMENOS II	1141,4	50 23.99' S	63 54.73' E	13,5
5	MUTUA MADRILENA	1998,3	51 44.88' S	39 48.58' E	15,7
6	EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS	2686,9	46 24.69' S	24 11.48' E	14,3
ABD	ESTRELLA DAMM
ABD	DELTA DORE
ABD	PRB