24.09.2008
www.gitana-team.com
The end of the voyage
After 41 days at sea, the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF
Rothschild Group is tackling the very last section of its epic voyage.
Setting out from Hong Kong on 14th August 2008 in a bid to set a new
reference time on the Tea Route, Lionel Lemonchois and his nine crew are
continuing their climb up the English Channel and are now just 160 miles
from the goal. Gitana 13’s arrival is scheduled between tonight and tomorrow
morning, Thursday 25th September.
The last day at sea, especially when it’s been a long voyage such as the Tea
Route, always has a very special taste… Still in record mode the ten men of
Gitana Team are indextaining their watch rhythm and still making headway in
rather unfavourable conditions for their race against the clock. Indeed, the
steady NE’ly winds which continue to be served up are only rarely enabling
Gitana 13 to exceed 15 knots. In the lee of the English coast since Tuesday
evening in order to protect themselves from the lumpy seas and benefit from
a small coastal influence orientating the wind more favourably, the
maxi-catamaran was this morning just a few miles off the Isle of Wight,
leaving the mouth of the Solent to port. More attentive than ever to Gitana
13’s progress, Sylvain Mondon commented on the current strategy aboard:
“These two combined elements have been enabling Gitana 13 to perform a long
stretch on port tack from Eddystone Lighthouse (off Plymouth Sound). This
fairly favourable tack will take them as far as the approach to the
Pas-de-Calais strait, where the conditions will give way to an upwind beat
as far as Dover. The final hours in the North Sea and along the River Thames
may well be carried out in downwind conditions, which will be less testing
on the crew.” From the chart table of the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron
Benjamin de Rothschild, Dominic Vittet completed the scenario of these final
hours at sea: “In the afternoon, the NE’ly air flow will head progressively
(become less favourable for the boat to make headway) as it shifts round to
the east. This will force us to make a series of tacks again as we traverse
the English Channel. After Eastbourne, we should thus be able to pick our
way towards Le Touquet before climbing up to Dover. Our passage around the
SE tip of the United Kingdom will finally bring an end to the interminable
beat which has been par for the course since the equator!”
The end of Gitana 13’s voyage is approaching… Tonight or tomorrow morning,
Lionel Lemonchois and his men will make their entrance into the River
Thames, thus completing their rather atypical ‘circumnavigation of the
globe’ which began last January. Doubtless emotions will be running high
tomorrow at the foot of Tower Bridge.
A few figures
Gitana 13 left Hong Kong on Thursday 14th August at 07h55’32’’ (UT)
Wednesday 24th September at 0945UT, Gitana 13 was sailing at
50°34.73N/01°06.23W
Watch No1: Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / watch leader / helmsman) / Olivier
Wroczynski (trimmer /head of computers and power) / David Boileau (Bowman /
head of deck fittings)
Watch No.2: Ludovic Aglaor (watch leader / helmsman) / Laurent Mermod
(trimmer) / Ronan Le Goff (Bowman)
Watch No.3: Pascal Blouin (Watch leader / helmsman) / Ronan Guérin (trimmer)
/ Léopold Lucet (No.1, head of supplies and doctor)
Outside the watch system: Dominic Vittet (navigator)
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
|
