Solo-Around-Nonstop - Dee Caffari/Aviva www.avivachallenge.com - zur Übersicht 06.02.2006 Spinnaker goes on standby In Brief - Dee receives first forecast in nine days that does not include 40 knot winds - Unusual downwind conditions and rare sunshine welcomed - Move to the north continues to pay off Summary Aviva Challenge weather forecaster Mike Broughton reports today that Dee Caffari is “very pleased,” having received her “first forecast in 9 days that doesn’t have 40 knots in it.” After spending last week clawing her way west in the worst weather of the voyage against winds consistently topping 50 knots, Dee is now enjoying the unusual but welcome prospect of sailing downwind at 46° S, 1035 miles from New Zealand. The conditions have permitted a much-needed rest. “Wow, I did lots of that total sleep thing,” reported Dee. “It’s great! I feel a whole load better and can open my eyes without squinting and do not have a headache for the first time in a couple of days.” Having overcome the deep Southern Ocean low that left her “battered and bruised,” routing became tricky when a tropical storm system developed on the east coast of New Zealand and headed south east directly towards Aviva. “The winds around it in some areas were 60-70 knots and we had first planned to go on the south side,” said Mike, “because you get downwind sailing as a result of the clockwise circulation of the wind in the Southern Ocean. “But firstly there is a risk of spending much more time in very strong winds and secondly we were struggling to get to the point where we could sail on the south side of it in terms of speed and distance, so we made a decision on Thursday afternoon to change course to the northwest. “In doing that we didn’t get much in the way of headwinds and we actually managed to reach across a very active front. While the winds were in the 40s we avoided the worst and because she was reaching it made her passage through very fast and minimised the amount of time she spent in storm force winds.” The last minute decision is continuing to benefit the solo skipper today as she takes a rare opportunity to enjoy some sunshine, aware of the fact that she is still approximately 7000 miles from the Cape of Good Hope. “The northerly track has allowed us to get on the northern side of a high-pressure system that’s moving south in front of us," added Mike. "If we were on the south side we’d get head winds but instead we’ve got running conditions and Dee is so pleased, based on the fact that she has got her first forecast in 9 days that doesn’t have 40 knots in it. “We can skirt around the top of this high and we should get some decent weather and ongoing running conditions. The one thing I am watching is another little tropical storm system as you do not get many on the east coast of New Zealand, but hopefully all it will do is squeeze the isobars and increase the wind from the south east which will help rather then hinder progress to the west. “Although we are a little further north, which means we will sail more miles overall, there is less adverse current. There is not a huge amount of information about Southern Ocean currents, but it can sometimes account for a loss of up to 20-30 miles a day and from what I can see there is less current to the north so expect to see Aviva hold her position around 46° S for the next few days.” Quick Links: Read Dee's latest log: http://www.avivachallenge.com/index.asp?pageid=6 See the latest images Dee has sent back from Aviva: http://www.avivachallenge.com/index.asp?pageid=47 Send Dee a message: http://www.avivachallenge.com/index.asp?pageid=24 Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE