Latest news from Nick Moloney to Dr Krumnacker
Segel.de
Nick Moloney is a member of Ellen MacArthur's Offshore Challenges Sailing Team http://www.nickmoloney.com
* Back underway after parking up to ride the storm .... Caught in a low pressure system it was decided to save the boat and the crew from unnecessary damage.
* Complaints about the conditions but in retrospect it's awesome to see nature in such a fury, blown out chaotic seas
* 2087.18 ahead of the current record held by SPORT ELEC 1977
POSITION REPORT
COMPARISON table / JULES VERNE TROPHY
Monday 25th march 2002 at 0856 GMT
POSITION ORANGE
Position : 42°29' S / 53°49' E
Speed 24h : 12.04
Distance since departure : 9769.08 miles
Distance 24h : 358.78 miles
COMPARISON TO SPORT ELEC IN 1997
Position : 48°11'S / 32°10' E
Speed 24h : 19.00
Distance since departure : 7681.90 miles
Distance 24h : 456 miles
LATEST LOGBOOK FROM NICK
10:29 gmt 25/03
As you know we have been getting pasted over the past few days....very
difficult sea conditions to say the least. I cannot remember it being like
this at any stage in the wrtwr. I am still having to type wth one hand as
the other is to hold the screen open on the computer. anyone who knows my
level of typing skill will have an idea how long this mail will have taken
to write.
Our poor boat has been copping a hammering throughout this storm, the amount
of water that has crossed our decks has been amazing. this whole scenario
developed very quickly and has been so consistently rough. we have been
trying to preserve ourselves and our orange home but the seas have been un
co-operative. to hove too in such a course, in such a location was
disappointing. we had very little option. we have become the meat in a
system sandwich. the initial low that is creating the trouble and that
passed us several days a ago has slowed and has given birth to another small
but deep depression. a high moving in from the south has compressed the
isobars thus giving us constant strong winds. we have been working on trying
to get south lately and in the past hour have begun to fell the effect of the
high. we had been doing speeds not in excess of 12kts due to the take off
and bone jarring landing but are now in the high teens.
I keep saying to the lads that for every tough day at sea there are at
least 5 glamour's in return. well right now we are ready to cash in. its been
very wet and last night began to get very, very cold. our watch is doing 30
minute rotations at the helm for our 4 hours in the elements. we have managed
to keep eating well but today vlad and I managed to trash the pasta for
lunch which hasn't done moral any good. never said I could cook.
The noise in the leeward hull at the communication centre right now is
incredible. the pitch of the sea breaking over the hull is deafening. I keep
getting throw out of arms reach of the computer.
many birds are following us now....not sure if they are curious of waiting
for us to perish so they can swoop in for a feed.
we need the table to turn for us out here otherwise this is going to be a
long and dangerous tour.
I was getting a bit down about our progress yesterday, laying about whilst
we parked in 45kts and I received a mail from my sister and my niece. I
havn't had time to reply due to the conditions but it really made my day and
lifted my spirits. its amazing how much a few words of encouragement and
news from home can change your world. bearing onto oz...i feel likev ive
been away too long
we are all complaining about the conditions but it really is special to see
such fury. whilst heaving too the sea was incredible. completely blown out
and chaotic. visions that you keep stored away in your memory forever.
nick
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