Bulletin: 9th December 2007
”Appalling” seas
After PRB, it was the turn of Estrella Damm, victim of serious damage to the rudder, to re-route for Cape Town. For the time being the two co-skippers have not expressed any intention to retire from the race. Both of them are waiting to obtain a full technical analysis during their pit stop prior to making their decision. At the front of the fleet, the leaders are continuing to make headway with a fast moving front, but for TEMENOS II and, to a greater extent its pursuers, unfortunately this front is no longer on today’s menu.
Contacted at midday, Michèle and Dominique gave us the latest news from onboard. Heading South the monohull was trying to escape the high pressure, which was stretching across to the South of Africa. The passage of the front, and the rotation of the wind to the South, have generated particularly chaotic seas. The sky is still grey, the cold omnipresent and the icy seas continue to sweep across the deck of the boat, so nothing new, but aboard TEMENOS II the averages are nothing like those encountered the day before. The euphoria of the surfs is over and there's no chance of the duo reaching the 34 knots of yesterday. Since last night, the sea state has been hampering the monohull’s progress and the gear has been taking some big knocks.
“We gybed last night in the pitch black under driving rain with a front that passed over very quickly. Just after that we ended up in vile seas, the wind coming from the South, with a still W'ly orientated swell. The boat was slamming horribly. This morning I felt bad for the boat. We’re sailing upwind full and by, but TEMENOS II cannot develop speed, it is constantly slamming in these abrupt, confused seas. It makes you feel like you can break gear very easily in these types of conditions, I’ve rarely seen that. The wind is set to become more favourable and the seas should slowly become less disorganised but for the time being we’re still being shaken around like plum trees” recounted Dominique.
The particularly difficult seas are forcing the sailors to double up their vigilance during the manœuvres on deck.
“With this sea, you really have to be careful” insisted Michèle, “it’s very difficult to hold on when you’re on deck. These boats already have a tendency to move fairly dryly and brutally in normal weather, so right now it's imperative that you remember to put on your harness, a tether being insisted upon, and if one of us forgets, the other reminds them systematically.”
Nobody aboard the boats in this fleet would say the contrary, double-handed sailing is a good thing...
| Ranking 17:00 |
| Rk |
Boat |
Dist to lead |
Lattitude |
Longitude |
Average speed |
| 1 |
PAPREC-VIRBAC 2 |
0,0 |
48 29.56' S |
39 19.18' E |
20,8 |
| 2 |
VEOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT |
110,1 |
47 42.69' S |
36 49.96' E |
18 |
| 3 |
HUGO BOSS |
197,1 |
47 27.73' S |
34 36.57' E |
15,5 |
| 4 |
DELTA DORE |
408,6 |
45 49.13' S |
29 57.16' E |
16,5 |
| 5 |
TEMENOS II |
818,7 |
44 18.46' S |
19 59.93' E |
12,8 |
| 6 |
MUTUA MADRILENA |
1194,2 |
41 41.42' S |
12 02.48' E |
10,1 |
| 7 |
PRB |
1202,8 |
35 32.20' S |
18 19.68' E |
12,8 |
| 8 |
ESTRELLA DAMM |
1429,8 |
37 07.99' S |
10 17.95' E |
10,4 |
| 9 |
EDUCACION SIN FRONTERAS |
1934,4 |
36 38.41' S |
3 16.50' W |
10,7 |