Bulletin: 2nd December 2007
New zone of calm for TEMENOS II
Since the start, the days where the weather has been favourable for the chasing pack have been few and far between. Once again the two leaders are displaying speeds in excess of an average of 4 extra knots compared with those of the rest of the fleet. A real frustration weighs heavy over certain skippers as the message sent to the race organisation by Jérémie Beyou bears witness. Clearly the hunters are tired of seeing all their efforts going unrewarded.
With the exception of the two leaders, the fleet is evolving in light winds, and to make matters worse certain boats like Delta Dore, TEMENOS II and Mutua Madrilena have been trapped by a zone of calm. It’s a very familiar situation in this Barcelona World Race, in that the front of the fleet are benefiting from a steadier NE’ly breeze to increase their lead.
Questioned midway through the afternoon, Michèle explained their helplessness against this weather situation. “This morning wasn’t brilliant, we were completely becalmed. Aboard Delta Dore, they’ve suffered even more apparently, penalised by their trajectory in the middle of the Martin Vaz islands. Perhaps it was the right decision but it's hard to be sure. For our part, we didn’t want to tempt the devil, instead preferring to go to the trouble of luffing in order to avoid them.
There were some light patches on the course as we’ve known for several days, but as their movements are still very random, it's difficult to anticipate anything. The grib files gave us 9 knots at worst, but we ended up instead with 2 knots of wind, which came from pretty much every direction. We did what we could but in this type of situation we’re fairly helpless.”
Now is not the time for regrets aboard TEMENOS II then, where they are making the best of a helpless situation. “It’s fairly symptomatic; at the head of the fleet they have more than 14 knots whilst we’re barely making 10-11 knots. That’s how it is though, so we are simply making the best of it.”
Since yesterday the duos have had to rule out any ideal conditions.“Today, everything around us is grey, the sea, the sky, but not the spirits!" concludes Michèle, retaining her good humour.
Thirsty work onboard TEMENOS II
Message from Michèle
"Every time there is an island, you can be sure it will be in your way...As we didn’t have this stop over in our race plan, we had to luff in order to avoid this land (and if someone can tell me more about this island, I will be very happy because I am really wondering what it is...)
Usually a quick look on Internet, on Google Earth and presto, I'll have satisfied my curiosity, but here, it’s not really possible...
It’s 4.00 am and again we can’t see anything. If we were to leeward of the island, we could have get some smell from the land but here, upwind, there is no way...
Too bad, we will have only the smell from on board...I won’t do any comment on a sailor’s sense of smell, but note that there are many different smells, good or really bad!
Yesterday, the big South - the southern ocean - started to pull on me; a lot of souvenirs came back in my mind of this fascinating and very different world, which in the coming days will be the playground for all the fleet...
We all think about it with a lot of respect and reserve...and it is here just in front of us, unchangeable. This a parallel world where we are barely tolerated...but there are still a few days to go and to get ready and everybody will follow his own path even though we are all sailing there together...
There is a small moon tonight and it might disappear soon...
Lot of kisses from near Martin Vaz Island...
Michèle on board of TEMENOS II"